Despite TheStreet.com’s previous report, Google’s head of Android development, Andy Rubin had this to say regarding Google making Android hardware:

We’re not making hardware, we’re enabling other people to build hardware.

Sounds pretty clear to me. I wouldn’t want Google making hardware anyway, they haven’t given me any indication that they would build something worth while.

Google: We’re not making Android hardware | Relevant Results – CNET News.

Update 11/21/09: Michael Arrington Has Heard That Google is Building Android Hardware

Yesterday Apple released their Apple TV 3.0 software update. With the update the Apple TV now has a fancy new user interface and support for iTunes Extras, iTunes LPs, and Genius Mixes.

Apple has moved “My Movies,” “My TV Shows,” etc. to the top of the menu lists, added Radio as a menu option under “Internet,” and has switched the system font from Lucida Grande to Helvetica.

I’ve heard some complaints about the new interface not looking as attractive as the 2.0 interface but I have to disagree. The placement of your content at the top left of the main menu looks gorgeous and the new font looks much cleaner. The interface is laid out in a very simple way and it’s quicker and easier to navigate.

When I first saw the “Internet” menu option, I went bananas. I had no idea what to expect because I hadn’t read any of the coverage before updating. I was obviously disappointed when the only two options under Internet were YouTube and Radio but it’s interesting to note that iTunes Extras and LPs are built using HTML, JavaScript, and CSS, the same standards used for building web pages. Is it possible that Apple could build either a browser or add some other web content partners and place them under the Internet section?

The first thing I attempted to do after updating to 3.0 was to view my iTunes Extras or LPs on my HDTV. After about 30 minutes of changing sync settings and trying to figure out why I couldn’t get my Extras or LP content to work I found this knowledge base article on Apple’s site. It turns out that users who had purchased iTunes Extras or iTunes LPs prior to the release of the 3.0 update will have to wait until Apple allows them to download the updated version to view it on their Apple TV.

I purchased Batman Begins on my Apple TV to try out iTunes Extras and I like it a lot. It feels a lot like watching a DVD but I appreciate the lack of trailers and ads before I get to the menu. Within the more section there are links to the Warner Bros. website and items in the iTunes Store that aren’t viewable on the Apple TV, when chosen they currently display “To view this item, use iTunes on your computer.” on the screen, I hope Apple eventually allows users to follow those links.

iLounge has posted an extensive gallery to their Flickr account showing off all of the new Apple TV features.

Previously:
9/15/09: iTunes LP and Extras Destined for the Apple TV

Update 11/8/09: Apple has started sending out emails to Extras and LP owners informing them that newer versions are available to download that are compatible with the Apple TV. Wall-E was available for me but I still haven’t received an update to Paramore’s Brand New Eyes LP.

Apple has also sent out emails to Apple TV owners about Apple TV 3.0.1 update which fixes a bug which could cause media to disappear from your Apple TV until it is synced again.

Apple has released iTunes 9.0.2 to software update. This new version adds support for Apple TV 3.0 and an option to use the dark background in grid view.

I’m really happy to see that Apple has brought back the dark background for grid view. I hated the whitish one, it just looked terrible.

And yes, Pre syncing has been blocked again. This cat and mouse game likely isn’t going to end until Palm either finds a way to do it where Apple can’t block it or Palm finally gives up. I’m actually surprised that Palm hasn’t released a stand-alone syncing tool yet, even just as a way of letting users continue to sync their devices until Palm finds a fix to Apple’s blocks.

iTunes goes 9.0.2: adds support for Apple TV 3.0, kills Pre sync.

Previously:
6/17/09: Apple Posts Knowledge Base Article Regarding Pre iTunes Syncing
5/29/09: Palm Pre Syncs Media with iTunes

Update 10/30/09: Apple TV 3.0 Software Update

Update 11/18/09: webOS 1.3.1 Does Not Enable iTunes Syncing

TechFlash’s Todd Bishop regarding Microsoft’s new retail stores:

People visiting Microsoft’s new store in Scottsdale, Ariz., have started noticing something interesting, apart from its shameless similarities to Apple’s retail outlets. The computers on display in the Microsoft Store come without any run-of-the-mill “crapware” — the derisive term used for generic trial software and other unwanted programs that commonly clog new PCs when they’re shipped by computer makers.

I think Microsoft’s retail strategy will be a complete failure but this is the smartest part of the whole endeavor.

Microsoft’s ‘Signature PCs’ show its vision of computing perfection.

Verizon has officially announced the Motorola DROID. The device will cost $199.99 on contract (after mail-in rebate) and will be available November 6.

DROID will be running Android 2.0 and have visual voicemail. The device features a large 3.7-inch 854×480 display, 5 megapixel camera, a 16GB memory card, slide-out QWERTY keyboard, 3G, Wi-Fi, and Amazon MP3 downloads.

This is really the first Android device that has really made me take notice. Engadget has had some hands-on time with the device and seems to like it, mentioning noticeable speed improvements compared to other Android devices.

• That big screen is killer. Bright, crisp, and tons of room for your icons and widgets.
• Speed is noticeably improved — particularly when moving from app to app. We did notice that some of the home screen scrolling looked laggy.
• Android 2.0 is definitely cleaned up — but it’s most definitely still Android

The biggest new feature in the Motorola DROID is Google Maps Navigation, which will be available to Android 2.0 devices. All of the standard turn-by-turn navigation features are there but with Google’s implementation you also get the most up-to-date map and business data (using your data connection), voice search, and street view.

The Wall Street Journal is already reporting that shares of TomTom and Garmin have dropped dramatically after Google’s announcement. It appears that stand-alone navigation units will soon be a thing of the past.

Previously:
10/18/09: Verizon Debuts Teaser for ‘Droid’ Handset

Update 10/31/09: Wilson Rothman, of Gizmodo, regarding Google Maps Navigation:

You might still see the occasional sale of a Navigon or a CoPilot, because of particular necessary features and because of the onboard map databases (which people who go off-grid prefer), but really, this thing would—and probably will—swallow the GPS app market alive.

Because of that, I am hoping Google’s developers pay close attention to this review, too. The app is still in beta, but there’s a lot of user-interface work yet to be done. Google: If you’re going to knock everyone else off the mountain, at least give us an app worthy of a king.

Joshua Topolsky, of Engadget, has published his review of the Motorola DROID. He likes it, especially the hardware — calling it “easily the best Android phone to date.”

Greg Kumparak published his comparison of the iPhone 3GS and the Motorola DROID on MobileCrunch. Aside from the Palm Pre, these are the only two phones I would currently recommend anyone purchase.

Update 11/6/09: Network World is reporting that the Motorola DROID will have a $30 per month unlimited (which means 5GB) data plan. If you want to add tethering to that plan it will cost an extra $30, doubling the price of data to a total of $60 per month.

Update 11/8/09: HTC DROID Eris

Update 11/12/09: DROID Limited to 256MB of App Storage

Update 11/21/09: Amazon currently has the Motorola DROID for $149.99 with a 2-year contract, that’s $50 off Verizon’s price.

Update 11/24/09: Once exclusive to the DROID, Google Maps Navigation has finally come to Android 1.6.

The Sydney Morning Herald’s Asher Moses claims in a recent piece that Apple has been in discussion with media companies about including their content on the device.

It is understood that Apple has been in direct talks with Australian media companies to launch a new app for the tablet that would allow them to distribute their content in digital form and charge for it.

Moses also mentions that Apple has sent device specifications to Australian media companies, but none of them were willing to talk about the device on the record.

The tablet is tipped to be a larger version of the iPhone. It is small enough to carry in a handbag but too big to fit in a pocket.

It doesn’t sound to me like Moses knows any more information than we already do. The note about the size of the device is interesting, but it could just be based off of previous rumors and speculation.

Apple shops tablet around Australia.

Update 12/8/09: ‘TabletMac’ Trademark and Apple Tablet Pricing

Update 12/28/09: Apple Tablet May be Announced in January

Update 1/6/10: Apple May Ship Tablet in March

Android 2.0 is coming soon and a video tour of the new version has been released.

Android now has a combined inbox for all of your email accounts, double-tap to zoom has been added to the Android browser, as well as support for HTML5 with databases, geolocation, and the new video tag.

Solid improvements.

Android 2.0 Platform Highlights | Android Developers.

Palm has announced that the Palm Pixi will be coming to Sprint on November 15 for $99.99. This was the expected price and not a surprise at all.

However, the expectation of a $100 price point was made back when the Palm Pre was going for $150-200. Currently you can purchase the Palm Pre from Wal-Mart, with Wi-Fi and a faster processor for $99.99.

I guess I don’t understand this decision.

The Official Palm Blog: Palm Pixi arrives on Sprint November 15.

Previously:
9/9/09: The Palm Pixi
6/12/09: Palm Eos/Pixie Confirmed in Pre Code

Update 11/12/09: The Boy Genius has managed to (as usual) get some unboxing pictures of the Palm Pixi before its release. The device is packaged very similar to the iPhone, although I think the plastic tray it sits in looks a little chintzy.

Also, if you’re planning on purchasing a Palm Pixi, Walmart’s wireless partner, LetsTalk, has the Palm Pixi available for $29.99.

An Applesana forum poster has found references to a MacBookPro6_1 and MacBookPro6_2. Current MacBook Pros are 5,5.

9 to 5 Mac has also heard that Apple Store Geniuses are being trained on new quad-core MacBook Pros with delivery of the machines expected at the same time the newly announced quad-core iMacs ship in November.

Since Apple uses notebook components in the iMac, they usually keep the MacBook Pro at parity with the iMac. Therefore, it is likely that if the MacBook Pro is to receive quad-core processors next month, it will be Core i5 and/or Core i7 processors.

I do find it a little odd that Apple would justify changing the version of the MacBook Pro from 5,5 to 6,1. A version change like that would usually mean something a little more significant than the addition of quad-core processors.

MacBook Pros to receive new Quad-core processors in coming weeks? | 9 to 5 Mac.

Update 10/27/09: Gizmodo has heard from Apple that “the holiday lineup is set.” Originally Gizmodo had said that there wasn’t going to be any new Apple products this year, but was later corrected by Apple with the new quote. It’s hard to tell what the change actually means but I think it’s safe to say there won’t be any new products announced and available from Apple this year.

From the Mac OS Forge project page:

The ZFS project has been discontinued. The mailing list and repository will also be removed shortly.

Snow Leopard dropping support for ZFS was the first sign that the project wasn’t going very well. But, now it’s official, the project has been canceled.

John Gruber, of Daring Fireball, has heard that the decision was a legal one. The nail in the coffin was either the CDDL license, Oracle’s acquisition of Sun Microsystems, or the NetApp patent lawsuit against ZFS.

Nearly everyone “in the know” was excited about ZFS, it was a truly revolutionary file system, but I’m excited to see where Apple goes from here. Especially since Apple is working on their own next-generation file system.

ZFS.

Update 10/25/09: Jeff Bonwick, lead developer of ZFS at Sun, has confirmed that Apple abandoned ZFS over licensing issues.

SlashGear and Tinhte.com have managed to acquire images of an unannounced Android device from Dell. The device is called the Dell Streak and will feature a 5-inch 800×480 touchscreen, Android 2.0, Wi-Fi, 3G, Bluetooth, and a 5 megapixel camera.

I’m still not sure whether or not handheld devices is the way Dell should be going. But then again, they don’t seem to be doing too well with the rest of their products.

Tinhte.com has published a video of the device in action to their YouTube account.

Although I reported about the Barnes & Noble nook yesterday, Spring Design’s Alex is the first Android based e-book reader. Like the nook, Alex has two displays, one e-paper display and one touchscreen LCD.

Alex has Wi-Fi and 3G but, unlike many of the recently announced e-book readers, supports “full Internet browsing.” Alex also brings a new feature to the e-book market that they refer to as “hyperlinking text with multimedia.”

Dr. Priscilla Lu, CEO of Spring Design, regarding the feature:

This is the start of a whole new experience of reading content on e-books, potentially igniting a whole new industry in multimedia e-book publishing for secondary authors to create supplementary content that is hyper linked to the text. We are bringing life to books with audio, video, and annotations. This gives readers the ability to fully leverage the resources on the Web, and the tools available in search engines to augment the reading experience.

Alex has a 6-inch e-ink display (seems to be the de facto standard) and a 3.5-inch touchscreen LCD. Users will will be able to capture and cache web content from the LCD screen and “toggle to view it on the [electronic paper display] without taxing the battery life.” Browser bookmarking, history, and settings, are all there.

The focus on web content is what gets me excited about this e-book reader in particular. I’ve mentioned several times in the past that my primary use for an e-reader would be for web content and this seems like the best device for the job. The only downside I’ve found so far is that it’s ugly.

Spring Design.

Update 11/6/09: Maximum PC has had some hands on time with Spring Design’s Alex and, looking through the pictures, I’ve realized I was wrong about the design of this thing. The images of the device that were initial released didn’t do it justice, this thing looks fantastic.

Update 11/8/09: Spring Design revealed earlier this week that it has sued Barnes & Noble for infringing on the design of their Alex e-book reader. Spring Design says that they had been working with Barnes & Noble since spring of this year and that Barnes & Noble stole their idea. After both of these e-book readers were announced it was rather obvious that they both had the same idea. Since Barnes & Noble is an established company with no previous hardware history I wouldn’t be too surprised if Spring Designs allegations were true.

Update 1/5/10: Darren Murph reporting for Engadget regarding the Alex:

the reader was intensely thin and remarkably snappy. We had some gripes with the speed of the Nook, but every action we took on the Alex was relatively lag free. We even downloaded a book and watched it open up immediately, and the touchscreen response was also satisfactory.

He seems to like the device. And, just after looking through the gallery and watching the video, I like the device as well.

Update 1/14/10: Spring Design Partners with Borders

Engadget has learned that Roku will soon be updating their streaming box. The new model will be called the “Roku XR” and will look nearly identical to the current model.

The device will gain 802.11n, a USB port, and will be losing the dedicated reset button. No word on pricing or availability but Engadget’s Darren Murph thinks we’ll know more before Christmas.

I’ve been considering the purchase of a Roku streaming box. The amount of time between receiving a Netflix disc in the mail and sending it back is growing. I don’t use Netflix streaming very often but I think if I had the Roku box I would take advantage of it more. I spend $15 a month on Netflix and would like to feel like I get my money’s worth. But, with word that Roku will be updating the box soon, I’ll certainly wait to hear all the details before making any purchasing decisions.

Roku XR adds 802.11n, USB port and a longing for something more.

Update 10/27/09: The Roku HD-XR has been officially announced (PDF). The device has 802.11n and the rumored USB port is for “future use.” The XR is available now for $129.99. Roku also announced the Roku SD, it will cost $79 and will only have standard definition outputs and 802.11g.

In a few weeks Roku will be launching their new Channel Store which will allow users to view content from additional providers.

Update 11/23/09: Macworld’s Dan Frakes reports that Roku will announce the Roku Channel Store on Monday. The store will have ten initial channels, including: blip.tv, Facebook Photos, Flickr, Mediafly, Pandora, Revision3, TWiT.TV, etc.

The TomTom Car Kit is now available for $119.95 on Apple’s online store. The application does not come bundled with the Car Kit but the product description puts to rest whether or not the kit is compatible with the first generation iPhone.

The TomTom app for iPhone is not included with this TomTom Car Kit. The Car Kit dock is compatible with all iPhone models, but the Car Kit app only works with iPhone 3GS and iPhone 3G

No mention of the iPod touch — sounds to me like it isn’t supported, but I haven’t been able to find any confirmation of that.

TomTom Car Kit for iPhone – Apple Store (U.S.).

Update 10/28/09: AppleInsider has received confirmation from TomTom that the Car Kit and TomTom application are not compatible with the iPod touch and first generation iPhone. When asked if support could be added in the future a company spokesman simply said TomTom has not made any “public announcements.”

Update 11/23/09: A TomTom representative has confirmed on Twitter that they will be releasing an iPod touch compatible Car Kit in the United States soon.

Something I missed from late last week. Om Malik regarding an interview with Mozilla CEO John Lilly at the Play conference:

…he hinted that the company was going to launch a brand new application for the iPhone, though he declined to reveal any details. “Mozilla will release an app to the iPhone App Store in the next few weeks,” Lilly said. “It’ll surprise people.”

Malik speculates that it could have something to do with Weave. Weave is Mozilla’s sync service which is currently a work in progress at Mozilla Labs. That seems likely to me, I definitely wouldn’t guess a browser, as some others have.

Apple has approved some browser-like applications for the App Store, but all of them use WebKit as their rendering engine. The likelihood that Mozilla would build a browser built on WebKit and not on their Fennec mobile rendering engine is essentially zero. I would also be stunned if Apple ever approved an application that used a third-party rendering engine.

Coming Soon: A Mozilla App for the iPhone.

Charlie Sorrel, of Wired, points out that the newly announced 27-inch iMac is only $100 less than Apple’s 30-inch Cinema Display. At prices like that, a few questions come to mind:

• How can Apple continue to justify charging $1,799 for the 30-inch Cinema Display?
• When is Apple going to add some new life to the Cinema Display line?
• Knowing all of this (and knowing that you can use the 27-inch iMac as an external display) why would anyone purchase the 30-inch display?

We’ve all known that Apple charges too much for their displays but the comparison of pricing between the 27-inch iMac and the 30-inch Cinema Display really showcases that. The 27-inch is $100 cheaper, includes a whole computer, and uses a better display technology. The 30-inch is over priced and aging.

So when is Apple going to add some life to their line of displays? The 24-inch is modern but it’s the smallest display Apple offers and costs a whopping $899. The only other display Apple offers is twice the price — there are two displays — it’s hard to even call it a “line” anymore. Apple should give up on the 30-inch and just offer two models, a 21.5 and a 27-inch. This would simplify their offerings and lower the number of LCD panels they have to purchase.

The 27-inch iMac can even be used as an external display. DisplayPort is a two-way connector and with an adapter (sold separately) you can connect another computer, or nearly anything with video output to it. The 27-inch iMac is a much better buy than the 30-inch Cinema Display.

So, knowing all this, why would anyone purchase the 30-inch display? That’s a question I ask myself every time I see someone using one.

Barnes and Noble has officially announced their e-book reader. The device has arguably the best name for an e-book reader to date, “nook.” The device costs $259 and will ship by the end of November. The device uses an interesting interface. It has a color touchscreen underneath its 6-inch e-paper display that is used to navigate through menus and selecting books to read using a coverflow-like interface.

Barnes and Noble will obviously be the source for the content on nook but this device has something other don’t, and that’s sharing.

Share favorite eBooks with your friends, family, or book club. Most eBooks can be lent for up to 14 days at a time. Just choose the book you want to share, then send it to your friend’s reader, cell phone, or computer.

Sounds quite generous, considering nook’s main competitor, the Kindle, doesn’t offer any sharing services.

Nook, eBook Reader, eBook Device – Barnes & Noble.

Previously:
10/17/09: Barnes and Noble E-Book Reader

Update 11/19/09: Matt Hamblen reporting for Computerworld:

The Nook, a $259 e-reader from Barnes & Noble Inc., will hit the booksellers’ stores on Nov. 30. That’s in time for holiday shoppers, but too late for “Black Friday,” Nov. 27, the traditional day of pre-holiday sales by retailers.

Update 11/21/09: The New York Times is reporting that Barnes & Noble’s e-book reader, the nook, is sold out for the holidays.

Update 12/4/09: The nook’s expected ship date has slipped to January 11. This is why some companies announce products when they’re ready to ship.

Update 12/10/09: Barnes & Noble nook Reviews Start Pouring In

Update 12/20/09: Barnes & Noble Sending $100 Gift Certificates to nook Pre-Orderers

On Monday Plastic Logic teased “QUE,” their entry into the e-book reader market. The device will have a capacitive touchscreen that is 8.5-inches by 11-inches.

It seems that Plastic Logic is going to market the device as a platform for mobile professionals, which likely means its features will be heavy in the document management category.

The device uses AT&T for 3G connectivity and it does have Wi-Fi. QUE will be unveiled with full details at CES in January.

QUE proReader.

Update 10/27/09: Electronista is reporting that Plastic Logic’s QUE will be sold in Barnes & Noble stores and will be placed near their nook display.

Aside from the big updates to the iMac, Mac mini, and MacBook, Apple also released a new AirPort Extreme, Time Capsule, and Apple Remote.

The new AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule feature multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) which, along with improvements to the antenna, give up to 50% better Wi-Fi performance and up to 25% increased range than with the previous-generation products.

The Apple Remote has received a big makeover. The remote works just like the previous one did but now has the same silver and black color scheme as the iMac and MacBook Pro does. The play/pause button has also moved below the selection buttons (an odd choice if you ask me)

Previously:
10/5/09: Mouse, iMac, and Other Apple Hardware

From the press release:

Apple now offers a $999 Mac mini that is specially configured with Mac OS® X Snow Leopard® Server. Mac mini with Snow Leopard Server features two 500GB hard drives for a total of 1TB of server storage in the tiny 6.5-inch square by 2-inch tall Mac mini enclosure.

The standard Mac mini starts at $599 and features the same design as previous models. It now starts with a 2.26GHz Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM, NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics, and a 160GB hard drive.

The server model is where the real news is. The new Mac mini server does not have an optical drive but instead has two 500GB hard drives. It comes with Snow Leopard Server pre-installed — this is clearly Apple’s answer to Windows Home Server. The Mac mini with Snow Leopard Server costs $999 and comes with a 2.53GHz Core 2 Duo processor, 4GB of 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM, and NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics.

Apple – Mac mini – The most affordable, energy-efficient Mac..

Previously:
10/20/09: Mac mini with OS X Server and Multi-Touch Trackpad for Desktop Macs
10/5/09: Mouse, iMac, and Other Apple Hardware
9/30/09: Updated iMac and Mac mini Coming in October

From the press release:

Apple® today unveiled an all new iMac® line featuring brilliant LED-backlit 21.5 and 27-inch widescreen displays in a new edge-to-edge glass design and seamless all aluminum enclosure. The new iMac line, starting at $1,199, is the fastest ever with Intel Core 2 Duo processors starting at 3.06 GHz, and Core i5 and i7 quad-core processors for up to twice the performance.* Every new iMac ships with a wireless keyboard and the all new wireless Magic Mouse, the world’s first mouse with Multi-Touch™ technology pioneered by Apple on the iPhone®, iPod touch® and Mac® notebook trackpad.

The iMac now has a 16:9 aspect ratio, the 21.5-inch model has a resolution of 1920×1080 with the 27-inch model sporting a 2560×1440 resolution. The design has only changed slightly — the glass in front of the display now stretches edge to edge and the iMac’s stand has a cleaner tapered design.

The new iMac follows the MacBook Pro line in gaining an SD card slot. The speakers in the iMac have been redesigned to “deliver louder, clearer sound with better bass response and less distortion.”

The new iMac comes standard with NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics with options for the ATI Radeon HD 4670 or ATI Radeon HD 4850. The 21.5-inch model starts with a 3.06GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 3MB of L2 cache. The 27-inch model has options for the 2.66GHz Core i5 processor or the 2.8GHz Core i7 processor, both of which are quad-core processors with Turbo Boost which will dynamically overclock the processor when you need the extra performance.

The new iMac is available today starting at $1,199.

Apple – iMac – The ultimate all-in-one desktop computer..

Previously:
10/20/09: Mac mini with OS X Server and Multi-touch Trackpad for Desktop Macs
10/5/09: Mouse, iMac, and Other Apple Hardware
9/30/09: Updated iMac and Mac mini Coming in October
8/8/09: Upcoming iMacs to Release with ‘Compelling New Features’

Update 10/20/09: Engadget has a great gallery unboxing and showing off the new Magic Mouse and iMac. Apple has also posted a video of Jonathan Ive, Bob Mansfield, and Scott Brodrick talking about the design of the new iMac and Magic Mouse.

Also, something I missed the first time around but have seen reported by many others: the iMac now supports video input through its Mini DisplayPort connector allowing it to be used as a display for other devices.

Update 11/12/09: Eric Slivka reporting for MacRumors claims that both the Core i5 and Core i7-based iMacs have started shipping.

Update 11/24/09: Engadget reports that many users are receiving their Core i7 iMacs DOA and/or with cracked screens. It’s difficult to tell how widespread the problem really is but if you’re looking to purchase one of these iMacs, at least be aware of the issue.

Update 12/17/09: Gregg Keizer reporting for Computerworld:

Apple has delayed shipping new 27-in. iMacs until it can figure out the cause of flickering screens and other display problems, according to reports from authorized resellers.

Update 12/26/09: Apple has released a graphics firmware update that addresses the screen flickering issue.

From Apple Hot News:

Today Apple introduced the new wireless Magic Mouse, the first mouse to use Apple’s revolutionary Multi-Touch technology. Pioneered on iPhone, iPod touch and Mac notebook trackpads, Multi-Touch allows customers to navigate using intuitive finger gestures. Instead of mechanical buttons, scroll wheels or scroll balls, the entire top of the Magic Mouse is a seamless Multi-Touch surface. Magic Mouse comes standard with the new iMac and will be available as a Mac accessory at just $69.

The rumors were true, Apple has introduces a multi-touch mouse. The new mouse uses Bluetooth — there isn’t a wired version (at least not yet), if you want a wired mouse from Apple you’ll have to settle for the Mighty Mouse.

The top shell is just one big multi-touch sensor, tapping anywhere on the top of the device will click, tap in the upper-right corner to perform a right click. scrolling works by sliding your finger around the surface of the mouse. Swiping two fingers left or right will move through music in iTunes, photos in iPhoto, or web pages in Safari.

The Magic Mouse is available today for $69.

Apple – Magic Mouse – The world’s first Multi-Touch mouse..

Previously:
10/20/09: Mac mini with OS X Server and Multi-Touch Trackpad for Desktop Macs
10/5/09: Mouse, iMac, and Other Apple Hardware

Update 10/20/09: Engadget has a great gallery unboxing and showing off the new Magic Mouse and iMac. Apple has also posted a video of Jonathan Ive, Bob Mansfield, and Scott Brodrick talking about the design of the new iMac and Magic Mouse.

Update 10/25/09: From Jim Dalrymple’s hands on review of the Magic Mouse published by The Loop:

There is only one conclusion you can come to when considering whether or not you should get the Magic Mouse. Buy two, because as soon as someone uses it, you’ll lose the first one.

The Magic Mouse is well designed to fit comfortably in your hand, it works well wirelessly, functions perfectly as a mouse and has gestures to boot. What else do you need?

I ordered a Magic Mouse the day they were announced, currently Apple says it will be delivered sometime between October 28 and November 3. Reading reviews like this get me really excited to try it out.

Update 10/28/09: I just received a shipping notification from Apple. FedEx now estimates the delivery of my Magic Mouse on October 30.

Update 11/6/09: Apple Magic Mouse

From Apple Hot News:

Apple today updated its popular MacBook with a new, durable polycarbonate unibody design featuring a brilliant LED-backlit display, a glass Multi-Touch trackpad and Apple’s innovative built-in battery for up to seven hours of battery life. Inheriting technology and design features from the MacBook Pro line, the new MacBook is an ideal consumer notebook for students and new Mac users, and is available for $999.

Apple has released a redesigned polycarbonate MacBook. With this update Apple has brought the unibody design and the glass trackpad of the MacBook Pro to the MacBook. The MacBook has lost the removable battery in favor of a seven hour integrated battery.

The MacBook ships today for $999 with the following:

• 2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo with 3MB of share L2 cache
• 2GB of 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM
• NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics with 256MB of DDR3 SDRAM
• Mini DisplayPort
• 250GB hard drive

Apple – MacBook – The $999 notebook, completely redesigned..

Previously:
10/20/09: Mac mini with OS X Server and Multi-Touch Trackpad for Desktop Macs
10/5/09: Mouse, iMac, and Other Apple Hardware
8/29/09: MacBook Redesign in the Works

Update 10/20/09: Engadget has a great gallery unboxing and showing off the new MacBook.

Update 10/22/09: MacRumors notices a couple of interesting things found in iFixit’s MacBook teardown.

• There is no external indicator of battery charge state.
• There is no infrared port, meaning that the new model is incompatible with Apple Remotes.

The removal of the external battery indicator is the biggest deal in my opinion. I still have my original MacBook from 2006 and use its battery indicator all the time. Now that I’ve owned one, I can’t imagine purchasing a notebook without this feature.

John Gruber one-upped Dan Lyons’ tease from yesterday morning by detailing the announcements that Gruber claims will be coming later today.

Redesigned MacBooks, redesigned iMacs, an updated Mac mini (including one that ships with OS X Server), a multi-touch “Magic Mouse,” and a multi-touch trackpad were mentioned.

Many of this we’ve all heard before, what’s new is the Mac mini with OS X Server and the multi-touch trackpad that Gruber claims is targeted for desktop Macs.

A Mac mini with OS X Server is a brilliant idea, I’ve seen countless web pages detailing their process of turning the Mac mini into a home server — this is a logical step for Apple to take with the product.

But, the multi-touch trackpad for desktop Macs isn’t something anyone has really talked about. When Apple initially launched new notebooks with multi-touch gestures early last year, I wondered how Apple would bring the feature to desktop Macs. When the multi-touch mouse was first rumored I thought that a mouse would be a perfect way of bringing those gestures to desktops without having to add another peripheral. But, it seems that I was wrong, Apple is going to bring a trackpad to desktop Macs and I’m assuming that it will be used for notebook-like gestures, but I’m almost certain it will be used for much more than that.

Engadget has also found a couple of FCC filings for “a pair of 802.11 a/b/g/n 3×3 access points.” It sounds to me like we might get some new routers too.

What I find odd is that it isn’t like Apple to announce two redesigned computers and two new products without some sort of event. I’m not saying that they can’t, I just find it odd. Apple isn’t one to just push out a press release when they release a redesigned product. Dan Lyons’ tease mentioned that “the people we care about are being briefed in advance,” so maybe Apple is trying something new here, or maybe they didn’t have time to plan an event in time for the holiday shopping season.

Previously:
10/5/09: Mouse, iMac, and Other Apple Hardware
9/30/09: Updated iMac and Mac mini Coming in October
8/29/09: MacBook Redesign in the Works
8/8/09: Upcoming iMacs to Release with ‘Compelling New Features’

Update 10/20/09: An AppleInsider forum poster has listed (what he claims to be) the products that will be announced today.

MC207LL/A – K84 BEST BTR- USA
MC238LL/A – MAC MINI 2.26/2x1GB/160/SD/AP/BT-USA
MC239LL/A- MAC MINI 2.53/2x2GB/320GB/SD/AP/BT-USA
MC340LL/A – AIRPORT EXTREME (SIM DUALBAND) – USA
MC343LL/A – TIME CAPSULE 1TB (SIM DUALBAND) -USA
MC344LL/A – TIME CAPSULE 2TB (SIM DUALBAND) – USA
MC408LL/A – MAC MINI 2.53/2x2GB/1TB/NO ODD/AP-BT-USA
MC413LL/A – IMAC 21.5″/3.06/2x2GB/1TB/4670-256MB-USA
MC434LL/A – APPLE VESA MOUNT ADAPTER
MC461LL/A – MACBOOK 60W MAGSAFE POWER ADAPTER – USA

Looks like we’ll be getting a few new Mac minis, an AirPort Extreme, a couple of Time Capsules, a 21.5-inch iMac, and MacRumors has received “unconfirmed word that the ‘MC207LL/A’ product is a MacBook running at 2.26 GHz with a 250 GB hard drive and 2GB of 1066 MHz DDR3 RAM.”

Apple’s online store has been down for a couple of hours now and there are still no signs of changes (on the store page or on individual product pages).

Update 10/20/09: Apple Updates MacBook with LED-Backlight, Glass Trackpad, 7 Hour Battery

Update 10/20/09: Apple Introduces Magic Mouse

Update 10/20/09: Apple Unveils New iMac with 21.5 and 27-inch 16:9 Displays

Update 10/20/09: Apple Updates Mac mini, Offers Server Model

Update 11/6/09: Apple Magic Mouse

Tweetie 2 ($2.99) has been available since October 5. We all know about Tweetie 2′s new features, so rather than do another run through I’ll just make a few points regarding what I like and what I don’t.

The Good

• Pull down to refresh: When viewing your timeline, simply drag past the search bar and a refresh bar will appear. It’s similar to Birdfeed’s infinite scrolling, but a little bit more useful.
• Birdhouse integration: Hitting close after composing a tweet offers you the option to save, save to Birdhouse, or to don’t save your tweet at all. Now I can write drafts in Tweetie 2 and publish them from Birdhouse. The only unfortunate part is that this feature single handedly pushed Birdhouse to my second home screen.
• Nearby map: A beautiful way of viewing nearby Twitter users.
• Favorite indicator: The little star in the upper right hand corner is perfectly done.
• Trend explanations: Sometimes trends show up and I have no idea what they are, tapping the little tag icon in the bottom left corner while viewing the trend gives an explanation of the trend.

The Bad

• Multiple accounts: It’s now impossible to disable multiple accounts in Tweetie, which means that the “Accounts” button will always sit in the upper left hand corner when viewing your timeline, it’s unnecessary clutter.
• Settings: No longer in the Settings application, yet again, unnecessary clutter.
• The black navigation bar: The black bar in timeline view is a little shorter than in other apps. The icons don’t have text underneath them and therefore the bar is shorter. It isn’t a big deal, but at first glance looks strange on the iPhone’s screen.
• Single tweet view: Tweetie 2 still uses the Tweetie 1 style blue bar in single tweet view, not the new black bar. I’ve explored every bit of the application and haven’t been able to find another instance of this old style blue bar.

The Rest

Tweetie 2 is easily the best Twitter client I’ve ever used, and if nothing else, set the bar incredibly high for the competition. I’m not sure how long until other developers react to the feature set in Tweetie 2 but it will certainly make for more positive user experiences.

Loren Brichter has already detailed some of the features to look forward to. Obviously there will be bug fixes but as soon as Twitter flips the switch on new style retweets, per-tweet geotagging, and lists, Tweetie 2 will support those as well.

atebits.

Previously:
10/1/09: Tweetie 2.0 is Coming Soon

Update 11/8/09: MG Siegler has written a piece for TechCrunch detailing the new features coming in Tweetie 2.1. Lists, new style retweeting, and geolocation are there along with a myriad of other features.

Update 11/30/09: Tweetie 2.1 has hit the App Store with new style retweets, geolocation, and lists. I’m loving lists and I’m really happy with the implementation of retweets.

VWZOffers (“Official Verizon Wireless Twitter feed for special offers”) tweeted yesterday morning, saying:

@lanvuch We will be carrying the Palm Pre smartphone early next year.

There was some question as to whether or not (or when) Verizon would be getting the Palm Pre, and now we finally have a time frame.

With the Palm Pre and the Droid, Verizon is actually going to have a competitive phone lineup.

Twitter / Verizon Wireless USA: @lanvuch We will be carry ….

Update 11/19/09: AppleInsider is reporting that Shaw Wu, an analyst with Kaufman Bros., believes that Verizon will carry a webOS-based device in the first half of 2010. As with most analyst notes, it’s hard to tell whether Shaw Wu knows anything more than we do. But, if investors are listening to then he might have some sort of credibility.

12/20/09: Palm’s CES Announcement

Update 1/13/10: Palm Pre Plus and Pixi Plus Coming to Verizon

Electricpig reports of a workaround in the EyeTV ($4.99) application for the iPhone. When connecting to your home computer over 3G, an attempt to stream live television to your device will display a warning on your screen. But, Electricpig says (and I can confirm) that tapping on the text of that warning, rather than the “OK” button will let you stream the content anyway.

Shortly after the find, Apple pulled the application from the App Store and Elgato then issued a statement saying:

Apple has removed the Elgato EyeTV App from the App store this morning, due to concerns about live TV streaming over the 3G network.

Elgato also says that the workaround was enabled because there was some test code accidentally left in. Elgato has already submitted a 1.0.1 update to the App Store that disables the workaround. Oddly enough, overnight the application reappeared on the App Store, the 1.0.0 version, not the update.

The reappearance of the EyeTV app, with the 3G streaming workaround still intact, could show signs that Apple is backing down on this restriction. AT&T has already announced that it will be allowing VoIP applications to operate over their network — could this mean that they will allow streaming television as well?

Whether they do or not, if you already own a copy of this application I would suggest keeping the 1.0.0 version around to use, just in case.

EyeTV backdoor opens 3G TV streaming for iPhone | Electricpig.

Update 10/20/09: The 1.0.1 version of EyeTV has hit the App Store, aside from the regular bug fixes it does break the 3G streaming workaround. I’ve kept the old version rather than upgrading — this is the first time I’ve wanted to keep an old version of an iPhone app and it makes me wish I could tell iTunes that I want to skip an update.

Update 12/17/09: With EyeTV update 3.3 Elgato has added a free 3G streaming feature. No need to keep around that old version of the EyeTV iPhone app. All you need is a My EyeTV account and you can view live and recorded content with your iPhone by visiting http://live3g.eyetv.com/ in MobileSafari.

Verizon and Google have already announced their “strategic partnership” and it may already be taking shape. Last night Verizon unveiled its teaser for the upcoming Android 2.0 powered “Droid” handset.

The device is being marketed as a direct iPhone rival. The teaser basically consists of a list of features that the iPhone doesn’t have that the Droid does.

The device is purported to be manufactured by Motorola but the “Droid” brand is going to be owned by Verizon. The handset is rumored to have an OMAP3430 processor, 5 megapixel camera (which is confirmed in the teaser), a slideout QWERTY keyboard, a 3.7-inch 854×480 touchscreen, and doesn’t seem to run MotoBlur.

John Gruber, of Daring Fireball, points out that the teaser’s small print notes “Droid” as a registered trademark of Lucasfilm Ltd. and is being licensed to Verizon. Licensing this name in particular was a wise choice on Verizon’s part. “Droid” is the perfect name for an Android device and (as Gruber puts it) “sort of implicitly establishes it as the Android phone.”

This also confirms that Verizon isn’t getting the iPhone anytime soon.

Droid from Verizon Wireless.

Previously:
10/11/09: Verizon and Google Partnering on Android

Update 10/19/09: The Boy Genius Report has managed to get some hands on time with the Motorola/Verizon Droid. According to the Boy Genius, it’s basically the best Android device ever made. Regarding the design of the device:

From what we’ve been told, Google had a direct hand in the Motorola Droid. Something to the point of almost dictating every move Motorola made when designing and making the phone.

Interesting indeed.

Update 10/22/09: The Boy Genius Report has some screenshots of the Droid on Motorola’s website. They don’t link directly to the page, so either the page has been taken down or the Boy Genius decided not to make the link public.

Engadget is reporting that Verizon has sent out invitations for a special event to be held on October 28 where they will officially unveil the Motorola Droid.

Update 10/25/09: The Boy Genius Report managed to have some hands on time with the Motorola Droid. From the preview:

The Motorola CLIQ was a pretty big disappointment for me personally, but oh man does the Droid make up for it. Sure, there’s a little hype sprinkled in because this is the first Android 2.0 device I’ve had the pleasure of using, but once you move past the initial “wow” factor, the Droid really delivers. Whether it’s Verizon’s ad campaign or Motorola’s that pits the Droid against the iPhone it doesn’t matter. The Droid isn’t an iPhone competitor because nothing at this point in time is an iPhone competitor besides the new iPhone. And things don’t have to be right now. Everyone can eat. So will the Motorola Droid be successful? Absolutely, we think. It will eat in to BlackBerry sales, Windows Mobile sales, and positively murder any lingering Palm Pre sales. It’s that good.

The Droid is the first handset that has actually made me pay attention to the Android scene. The Boy Genius notes the hype surrounding the device and quite frankly, that could be the reason I’m finally paying attention. But from what I’ve seen, the device looks good. I do agree with the Boy Genius though, nothing really competes with the iPhone at this point. Apple has found their market share and will continue to sell new phones to those customers, everyone else is left fighting for the remainder of the market.

The Boy Genius Report appears to have removed the page from their website, so I’ve linked to a Google cached version of the page.

Update 10/29/09: Motorola DROID

Update 11/8/09: HTC DROID Eris

The BlackBerry Storm2 (that’s right, there’s no space) has officially been announced, Vodafone has already put it up for preorder and it will ship October 26. There is no announcement yet but I would guess that it will show up for Verizon shortly after October 26.

The device has a 3.25-inch 360×480 capacitive SurePress touchscreen, 802.11b/g, 256MB of flash memory, 3.2 megapixel camera, and GPS.

Walt Mossberg has published his review of the device and oddly he has chosen to review the BlackBerry Storm2 and the Motorola CLIQ in the same article,  indicating to me that he believes these are “me too” handsets.

Regarding the “improved” SurePress screen:

The screen now stays still when tapped, providing tactile feedback electronically instead of mechanically. This allows for faster, smoother typing.

It sounds like RIM has learned from their mistakes. But  knowing where all competing handsets are in terms of functionality and usability, I don’t know why anyone would choose the Storm2.

Smart Phone Review: Motorola CLIQ and RIM Storm2 | Walt Mossberg | Personal Technology | AllThingsD.

Previously:
5/15/09: CrackBerry Posts BlackBerry Storm2 Pictures

Update 10/17/09: This is quite humorous; according to RIM’s comparison table, the following has changed between the Storm and the Storm2:

• The original Storm does not weigh anything, the Storm2 weighs 5.64oz.
• The Storm2 now has Bluetooth v2.1+EDR, Bluetooth Stereo Audio, and DUN
• The original Storm did not have a color display or backlighting.
• The Storm2 has a slightly shorter battery life.
• The Storm2 now has twice the onboard and flash memory, now 2GB and 256MB respectively.
• The Storm2 does not have sleep mode.
• The Storm2 has Wi-Fi and is capable of connecting to 850/900/1800/1900Mhz GSM/GPRS networks.

It’s almost as if they forgot to edit the page, or they forgot to input the correct data.

Update 10/19/09: A user on CrackBerry.com’s forum has posted screenshots that appear to be from Verizon’s intranet detailing the BlackBerry Storm2 launch. According to the screenshot, the device will come to Verizon on October 21 and will have some sort of “MiFi” functionality.

Update 10/22/09: CrackBerry reports that a BlackBerry Storm2 dummy unit has been spotted at Best Buy.

Update 10/25/09: Engadget has found that the BlackBerry Storm2 will likely be available for Verizon on October 28 for $179.99.

Update 10/28/09: The BlackBerry Storm2 is now officially available from Verizon for $179.99.

Hardmac is citing sources that claim that Apple is currently testing Intel’s latest Xeon processor, known as Gulftown, for their upcoming Mac Pro refresh which might come early next year.

The processor sports 6-cores with a total of 12 threads for each CPU alongside 12MB of shared cache.

Hardmac also claims that the new Mac Pro will feature 10Gb ethernet and will support 16GB RAM modules which would bring its total RAM capacity up to 128GB.

If true, the extra RAM and CPU horsepower will likely be well received by video professionals who are ready to take advantage of that kind of speed, not to mention the ability to quickly move large files around with 10Gb ethernet.

Hardmac.com : Le “Macbidouille” in English – Future Mac Pro: Apple to Enjoy Short-Term Exclusive Use of Future Xeon CPU?.

Gizmodo managed to uncover some details and images of the upcoming Barnes & Noble e-book reader. The e-reader is set to be released next week at a special event in New York City and has been under development for years.

The device runs Android and has a layout that is  like no other e-reader on the market. It will have a 6-inch e-ink display up above with a multitouch LCD display below.

The device seems to have 3G although there is some question as to which carrier will be used for its network access. There is no word on pricing but the device is said to be targeted at a price point below that of the Kindle’s.

There wasn’t any mention in Gizmodo’s article as to whether or not this device would have a web browser. I would love to see a web browser in this device, I don’t find myself wanting to read books all that often but the ability to read longer form articles from the web on an e-ink display would certainly cut down on the eye strain.

Exclusive: First Photos of Barnes & Noble’s Double Screen E-Reader – Barnes and Nobles reader – Gizmodo.

Update 10/19/09: The Wall Street Journal (redirected through Google to get past their pay wall) reports that the Barnes and Noble e-book reader will be announced tomorrow. The device will be named “Nook” and will cost $259.

Update 10/22/09: Barnes and Noble ‘nook’

Update 12/10/09: Barnes & Noble nook Reviews Start Pouring In

Update 12/20/09: Barnes & Noble Sending $100 Gift Certificates to nook Pre-Orderers

Yesterday Apple sent out an email to developers informing them that free applications are now allowed to take advantage of in app purchases.

In App Purchase is being rapidly adopted by developers in their paid apps. Now you can use In App Purchase in your free apps to sell content, subscriptions, and digital services.

You can also simplify your development by creating a single version of your app that uses In App Purchase to unlock additional functionality, eliminating the need to create Lite versions of your app. Using In App Purchase in your app can also help combat some of the problems of software piracy by allowing you to verify In App Purchases.

This is a pretty huge change and I can see all of the “lite” applications that have cluttered the App Store disappear in favor of free demo applications with in app purchases that enable full functionality.

The one worry I have with this is the question of how it will affect users (or families) with one iTunes account and many devices. My girlfriend and I share an iTunes account, between the two of us we have two iPhone 3GSs, a second generation iPod touch, and a first generation iPhone. The worry is caused mostly by the confusion as to whether or not I will be able to download the same content (or enabled functionality) on a different device without having to pay the fee over again.

Right now, if I purchase a set of songs for Tap Tap Revenge 3 on my iPhone 3GS the only way to download that same content on my girlfriend’s device (without having to pay again) is for us to share a Tapulous account as well, this isn’t exactly how one would expect it to work. On the other hand, I’ve purchased a few add-on packs in Ramp Champ and have been able to download them for free on other devices.

I guess the answer as to whether or not you’ll have to pay per device will be decided based upon what authorization mechanism the app developer uses for their in app purchases.

Daring Fireball Linked List: Apple Now Allowing In-App Purchases for Free iPhone Apps (Link Requires iPhone Developer Account).

Update 10/16/09: Boxcar and Rolando 2: Quest for the Golden Orchid are already taking advantage of the new in app purchases policy.

Boxcar is now free and includes push notifications for your first service (Facebook, Twitter, or email) with each additional push services costing $1.99 (Twitter trends is just $0.99).

Rolando 2: Quest for the Golden Orchid includes the first chapter for free with subsequent chapters costing $0.99 or $1.99. You can also purchase all of the chapters through in app purchases for $4.99.

This is a strong indication that (at least the serious) app developers are going to use this as a way of giving away free demos with the ability to upgrade to the full version. Although, there is still no solution to transitioning current fully paid app owners to the new free-plus-in-app-purchase versions, which would simplify development and help to de-clutter the App Store.

Update 10/17/09: To end the confusion over whether or not you’ll have to pay to re-download in app purchases, I’d love to see in app purchases be dealt with like app updates — syncing back to iTunes just as app updates would.

I’ve also realized that there is a possibility that a developer would pull some of their content out of the application, if you needed to reinstall the application, the in app purchase content could be gone forever.

Update 10/22/09: Freeverse has concluded that the App Store’s “Top Grossing” list does include in app purchase sales. Flick Fishing is behind Top Gun on the regular sales list, but their positions are flipped in the top grossing list.

9 to 5 Mac was recently sent a note by an AT&T spokesman regarding an article on their website that claimed that iPhone tethering would be coming in 2009.

Just reading again – where did anyone promise tethering by [end of year]? Where did you see that? We promised MMS by end of summer and ended up being a few days late for that…

Tethering has been available in other countries since iPhone firmware 3.0 was released back in June. There have been ways of enabling it here but none of them officially supported by AT&T and Apple. And, you would have to pass on updating to firmware 3.1.

There is still a glimmer of hope that this was just a nitpicking AT&T employee simply pointing out that a time frame hasn’t officially been announced, but it’s probably safe to say that tethering is a 2010 thing.

By the way, for those of you lucky enough to purchase Netshare before it was pulled from the App Store: it still works.

AT&T: Tethering is probably going to be a 2010 thing | 9 to 5 Mac.

Previously:
7/1//09: Appmodo Still Claims $55 as Tethering Price
6/25/09: Enable Tethering and MMS Using MobileSafari

Update 11/14/09: AT&T on iPhone Tethering and Verizon Ads

The new format is based on H.264 and AAC audio and has a resolution of 960×540, which is exactly half the height and width of 1080p. Sanyo has already announced two camcorders that shoot in this format by default.

The idea behind the new format is to speed up importing and editing by keeping the video in its originally recorded format throughout the entire process.

It’s interesting that Apple would put this in a .0.x update, especially with all of the press that it has been receiving. I don’t really see this as being a big deal, iMovie has been importing HD video as 960×540 for quite a while now. The only change is that now camcorders will begin recording in that format natively.

iMovie ’09: About the iFrame video format.

Erica Ogg:

For the past month, some Mac OS X users have been reporting their personal data missing after logging into their guest accounts, and Apple now says it’s working on finding a fix.

“We are aware of the issue, which occurs only in extremely rare cases, and we are working on a fix,” an Apple representative said in a prepared statement Monday.

Some users are reporting that after logging out of the Guest account in Snow Leopard, which usually wipes the data from the Guest account’s home folder, they find  other users’ home folders wiped as well.

Although this bug may be rare, it is still a nasty one. I would suggest disabling the Guest account until Apple issues a fix.

Apple acknowledges Snow Leopard data loss issue | Circuit Breaker – CNET News.

Update 10/17/09: Jonny Evans, of 9 to 5 Mac reports that Mac OS X 10.6.2 beta fixes the Guest account data loss bug. It’s difficult to tell when the update will get pushed to regular users but Jonny Evans thinks it will be released very soon.

Seth Weintraub, of 9 to 5 Mac, has received a tip that Apple is developing an FM Tuner application for the iPhone and iPod touch. The application is said to be able to run in the background, just like iPod.app, and will offer functionality similar to that in the new iPod nano.

The iPhone 3GS along with the second and third generation iPod touch have been able to receive FM radio signals but the feature has yet to be supported in software.

Weintraub’s source says that the hold up is due to the integration between the radio app and the iTunes Store. While listening to a song you would be able to tap a button that brought you to the song listed in iTunes, then you are just one tap away from purchasing the song.

Weintraub also mentions that the iPhone 3GS and current iPod touch supports 802.11n in hardware which could also be turned on in the future. But, I haven’t been able to confirm that the iPhone 3GS’ hardware supports such functionality. The only references I’ve found to the iPhone 3GS having support for 802.11n were in rumors before the devices launch.

In-house Radio.app in the works for iPhone and iPod touch | 9 to 5 Mac.

Previously:
4/9/09: iPhone 3,1 Parts Shipping, 802.11n, Video Editing, and More

Update 1/4/10: 802.11n Coming to the iPhone

If you didn’t already know, there was a botched SAN upgrade at Danger and since there was no backup in place, Sidekick users experienced catastrophic data loss. T-Mobile has already halted the sale of Sidekick handsets. This is just another example of the disregard Microsoft has for their customers and their customers’ data.

On Monday T-Mobile offered hope to some of their affected customers.

Recent efforts indicate the prospects of recovering some lost content may now be possible.

T-Mobile has also offered a $100 “customer appreciation card” to those whose data is unrecoverable. Not exactly the best solution but at least they’re trying.

Whether they recovery the data or not, this is just out-and-out incompetence.

Previously:
10/9/09: Windows Mobile 6.5

Update 10/14/09: Daniel Eran Dilger writing for AppleInsider:

the fact that no data could be recovered after the problem erupted at the beginning of October suggests that the outage and the inability to recover any backups were the result of intentional sabotage by a disgruntled employee. In any other circumstance, Microsoft or T-Mobile would likely have come forward with an explanation of the mitigating circumstances, blaming bad hardware, a power failure, or some freak accident.

I still blame incompetence but this is an interesting theory.

Update 10/16/09: Roz Ho, vice president of Premium Mobile Experiences at Microsoft:

We are pleased to report that we have recovered most, if not all, customer data for those Sidekick customers whose data was affected by the recent outage. We plan to begin restoring users’ personal data as soon as possible, starting with personal contacts, after we have validated the data and our restoration plan. We will then continue to work around the clock to restore data to all affected users, including calendar, notes, tasks, photographs and high scores, as quickly as possible.

Update 11/19/09: T-Mobile has resumed sales of the Sidekick. I don’t know why anyone would purchase a device from Microsoft/Danger again but if you’re so inclined, you can do so.

Apple has already told Electricpig that they will be “releasing the open specs for iTunes LP soon, allowing both major and indie labels to create their own.”

This is a little different than the $10,000 production fee Gizmodo heard about last week.

But, for those of you who are too anxious to wait, iTunesLP.net is attempting to build a group of tutorials with all the information needed to build your own iTunes LPs.

iTunesLP.net has already released an iTunes LP for Walt Disney’s Fantasia. You’ll need to bring your own music, but this shows a lot of promise for bands and indie labels alike.

iTunesLP.net – About.

Previously:
9/15/09: iTunes LP and Extras Destined for the Apple TV
9/10/09: iTunes 9
7/27/09: Apple’s Project ‘Cocktail’ Coming in September

Update 11/27/09: Apple Releases iTunes LP and Extras Developer Documentation

In an interesting turn of events the FCC may investigate Google over Google Voice. The concern is that the service blocks some numbers in rural areas claiming that it is too expensive to connect. Federal law prohibits traditional carriers from blocking such calls.

AT&T has complained about this to the FCC saying that Google would have an unfair advantage if they didn’t have to follow the same rules as the other carriers. But, as we all know, Google Voice isn’t a traditional carrier. In fact Google Voice is barely usable without pairing it with a traditional telephone service.

This is just one more flare up in the ongoing feud among Google, Apple, and AT&T. Things will eventually get sorted out and I have a hunch that the FCC will get what’s best for users.

AppleInsider | U.S. lawmakers want tables turned on Google Voice.

Previously:
8/7/09: AT&T Lifts Restriction on VoIP Over 3G
9/19/09: Google Un-Redacts Its FCC Filing
8/22/09: Apple, AT&T, and Google Respond to the FCC

Update 10/14/09: From AT&T’s latest letter to the FCC (a copy of which can be found on TechCrunch):

But Google’s call blocking begs an even more important question that the Commission must consider as it evaluates whether to adopt rules regarding Internet openness. If the Commission is going to be a “smart cop on the beat preserving a free and open Internet,” then shouldn’t its “beat” necessarily cover the entire Internet neighborhood, including Google? Indeed, if the Commission cannot stop Google from blocking disfavored telephone calls as Google contends, then how could the Commission ever stop Google from also blocking disfavored websites from appearing in the results of its search engine; or prohibit Google from blocking access to applications that compete with its own email, text messaging, cloud computing and other services; or otherwise prevent Google from abusing the gatekeeper control it wields over the Internet?

Harsh words indeed. AT&T also says that Google Voice is blocking calls to an ambulance service, church, Benedictine nuns, doctors, etc. This feud is getting more interesting by the day.

Update 10/28/09: The Washington Post is reporting that although Google is still blocking some phone numbers, they have reduced the number of blocked numbers to fewer than 100.

Update 1/2/10: VoiceCentral Returning to the iPhone

DoubleTwist is a solid product and it just got better. DoubleTwist now features an integrated music store powered by Amazon’s MP3 store. The interface is simple and much more straight forward than iTunes. The only downside is that it doesn’t appear to have album charts or genre categories.

I’ve been passively watching DoubleTwist for a while now and although I wouldn’t consider using it myself (because of my iPhone) I would suggest it to anyone who wants an iTunes-like interface for syncing any non-Apple device.

Sync, Play & Send to BlackBerry, PSP, iPod, iPhone with doubleTwist.

Update 10/20/09: DoubleTwist has announced that the software now syncs with the iPhone and iPod touch. They are currently only supported with the Windows version, but it shows promise.

Amazon has announced a new international version of the Kindle. This new model will be able to download content in over 100 countries and territories. It has the same specs as the current 6-inch Kindle but features cellular networking from AT&T.

Amazon isn’t going the simple route and calling this new version “The Kindle International” but is instead calling both 6-inch models the Kindle, differentiating them with parenthetical phrases, e.g. “U.S. Wireless” or “U.S. & International Wireless”. It’s more confusing then it needs to be.

The International Kindle (as I am going to call it) will be available October 19 for $279. The current Kindle is seeing a price cut to $259, which is getting even closer to the all important $199 price point.

Shortly after the announcement of the International Kindle, Amazon spokesman Drew Herdener told TechFlash that an international version of the Kindle DX will be coming “sometime next year.”

Kindle with U.S. Wireless $259
Kindle with U.S. & International Wireless $279

Update 10/14/09: Some more information has been trickling out about the International Kindle. Not only will you be charged $1.99 for downloading a book from your archive while overseas, but the Kindle’s web browser will be also disabled while outside the US.

Update 10/22/09: The New York Times reports that Amazon has dropped the price of the International Kindle to $259 and will no longer sell the Kindle with just U.S. Wireless.

Verizon and Google have announced a “strategic partnership” to develop Android based smartphones.

Verizon Wireless and Google plan to co-develop several Android-based devices that will be pre-loaded with innovative applications from both parties as well as third-party developers. The family of Android phones on the Verizon Wireless network will come from leading handset manufacturers.

I would consider webOS, iPhone, and Android to be the only mobile platforms doing anything interesting. Of those three, Android will be the first to land on Verizon.

The only high-end handsets currently available for Verizon are BlackBerrys, and that will soon change. This is the first indication that Verizon is ready to fix their awful hardware lineup.

Groundbreaking Agreement Between Verizon Wireless and Google to Leverage.

Update 10/18/09: Verizon Debuts Teaser for ‘Droid’ Handset

Update 11/8/09: HTC DROID Eris

Reviews of Windows Mobile 6.5 have been published and things aren’t looking good. Motorola has already passed on it and I haven’t managed to find a positive review in the whole bunch.

Here are some choice bits from John Herrman’s review on Gizmodo.

Windows Mobile 6.5 isn’t just a letdown—it barely seems done. […] It’s a superficial update, and not a very thorough one. It’s an interim product, and a vain attempt to hold onto the thinning ranks people who still choose Windows Mobile despite not being somehow tethered to it until the tardy Windows Mobile 7 comes out, whenever that may be. And it won’t work.

I’ve never been too fond of Gizmodo but I can respect the fact that they get right to the point, the above quote lives within the first three paragraphs of the review.

Regarding the Windows Mobile Start Menu:

This one, though, feels more like a design concept than a final product. For example! The only tool you’re given to sort apps is a “Move to Top” command—no dragging, no alphabetical sorting, nothing except this bizarrely-chosen menu command that makes organizing apps feel like completing some kind of horrible puzzle game.

On the majority of user interface changes in Windows Mobile 6.5:

The remaining interface changes are subtle, and intended almost solely to make Windows Mobile 6.5 bearable to use without a stylus. (Though don’t get me wrong—most WinMo 6.5 devices will, damningly, still come with styluses.) It doesn’t really feel like a redesign—it feels like someone went through 6.1 and adjusted a few values. Add a few pixels of menu spacing here, some plasticky highlight graphics there, and BOOM. 6.5. Let’s go to lunch.

After looking through the screenshots of 6.5, it almost looks like Microsoft could only be bothered to fix areas that users will see most often. Go any deeper and it looks like a hybrid of 6.5 and past versions of Windows Mobile.

Herrman sums it up nicely with this:

I’d like to think that 6.5′s stunning failure to innovate is a symptom of a neglected project—maybe Microsoft just needed something, anything to hold people over until the mythical Windows Mobile 7 comes out, whatever it is.

No wonder the world’s biggest maker of Windows Mobile phones’ profits are down.

Update 10/9/09: Microsoft’s Windows Mobile Marketplace “copy protection” has already been cracked. And, the developer who circumvented it claims that it only took him 5 minutes to implement.

Update 10/14/09: Regarding the Microsoft/Danger Fiasco

Update 10/14/09: Microsoft’s Pink project is on the verge of collapse. Electronista regarding the project:

The very existence of the project is also thought to have caused (or soon to be causing) problems with many partners of both Microsoft and Danger. Just by developing a self-branded phone, Microsoft is expected to mirror what occurred with the original Zune and alienate remaining Windows Mobile hardware partners, such as HTC. It may drive these supporters further towards Android, Symbian and other competing platforms, the newer source said.

Microsoft insists on keeping the project separate from from other teams within Microsoft, inevitably causing the Pink team to repeat work and ignore any advice from the Windows Mobile or Zune teams that could have benefited the Pink team in the long run. Microsoft’s mobile strategy is by far worse than any other company’s and, unless it gets changed, could render all of their efforts in the space completely useless.

On Monday Adobe announced that Flash CS5 Professional will allow developers to write applications and compile code to run on the iPhone and iPod touch.

John Loiacono, head of Adobe’s Creative Solutions business unit:

We are ecstatic to announce that we’re enabling you to use your Flash development tools to build applications and compile them to run natively on the iPhone.

Adobe and Apple have had a relatively public battle over Flash on the iPhone, and for developers, this might be the next best thing to running Flash in the browser. This announcement was made at Adobe’s Adobe Max conference in Los Angeles where Adobe also announced that Flash was coming to Windows Mobile, Palm webOS, Android, Symbian, BlackBerry. The only major smartphone platform missing from the list is the iPhone. This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone, I don’t expect Flash to come to MobileSafari anytime soon.

If you are interested in the technical details Louis Gerbarg has poked around an IPA file produced using Flash CS5, while Adobe’s Aditya Bansod talks about how the compiler works.

There are already CS5-built apps available in the App Store, including:

• South Park Avatar Creator
• Fickleblox
• Red Hood

A public beta of Flash CS5 will be available later this year with the final shipping version coming sometime next year.

Although Adobe will have a heck of a time supporting this (Apple’s not one to worry about competing development environments), I personally don’t have any problem with people building apps for the iPhone using CS5. As long as those applications work well, I’ll use them. I’m not too fond of the idea that there will be developers without access to UIKit but I can get over that, as long as the apps don’t look too weird.

Flash-built apps heading for the iPhone | Software | iPhone Central | Macworld.

Just a day after Vonage announced the availability of their VoIP application for iPhone and BlackBerry, Ars Technica reports that AT&T has announced that their VoIP over 3G policy has changed.

AT&T Mobility CEO Ralph de la Vega:

iPhone is an innovative device that dramatically changed the game in wireless when it was introduced just two years ago. Today’s decision was made after evaluating our customers’ expectations and use of the device compared to dozens of others we offer.

This is a smart move for AT&T and may show signs that the network wants to win back loyalty of their customers. This announcement may also affect the FCC investigation over Google Voice. Although AT&T was not involved in the decision to not approve Google Voice, this announcement will surely be taken into consideration by the FCC.

Apple spokeswoman Natalie Kerris spoke with the Associate Press about the announcement.

We are very happy that AT&T is now supporting VOIP applications. We will be amending our developer agreements to get VOIP apps on the App Store and in customers’ hands as soon as possible.

Josh Silverman of Skype also reacted positively to the news on the companies weblog.

All of us at Skype applaud today’s announcement by AT&T […] that it’ll open up its 3G network to Internet calling applications such as Skype. It’s the right step for AT&T, Apple, millions of mobile Skype users and the Internet itself.

This truly is the right move for AT&T, with this and the recent enabling of MMS, AT&T seems to be on the right track. You can be upset with them for not making these decisions and policy changes earlier but they clearly didn’t understood the impact that the iPhone was going to have on their network. I wish these changes were made sooner, but I’m just glad they’ve finally come.

Previously:
9/19/09: Google Un-Redacts Its FCC Filing
8/22/09: Apple, AT&T, and Google Respond to the FCC
8/4/09: Apple, AT&T, and Google Voice

Update 8/14/09: FCC May Investigate Google Voice

DigiTimes is reporting that Foxconn Electronics will be Apple’s manufacturing partner on the upcoming tablet. They claim that the device will hit the market in the first quarter of 2010 and will have a focus on e-book reading.

The sources indicated they believe the tablet PC features will focus more on e-book functionality rather than music, and that based on Apple’s marketing strategy, long battery life, quick Internet connectivity and an easy-to-use user interface will be key features of the device.

DigiTimes also quotes a source saying that the device will have a 10.6-inch display, which is very close to the 10.7-inch display mentioned in iLounge’s “Ten New Details on the Apple Tablet.”

Foxconn said to be tapped to make Apple tablet PC, shipments expected to begin in 1Q10.

Previously:
9/17/09: Another Report on the Apple Tablet
8/24/09: Steve Jobs Has Been Focusing on the Tablet
8/13/09: Brian Lam Talks to Insider About Apple Tablet

Update 12/8/09: ‘TabletMac’ Trademark and Apple Tablet Pricing

Update 12/28/09: Apple Tablet May be Announced in January

Update 1/6/10: Apple May Ship Tablet in March

From Wilson Rothman’s review of the Garmin Nuvifone G60 on Gizmodo:

• The resistive touchscreen reminds me of phones circa 2006, bad for everything but big-button tapping.
• Sometimes the accelerometer just stops working completely.
• It’s crashy—screens froze twice while I was writing this, forcing a full-on hard restart.

It’s also worth noting that the review has a “What’s Bad” section, but a “What’s Good” section is mysteriously missing.

Garmin Nuvifone G60 GPS Phone Review: Do Not Buy – Garmin Nuvifone – Gizmodo.

Previously:
4/20/09: Garmin-Asus Nuvifone G60 May Have June Release Date

Update 10/8/09: David Pogue on the Nuvifone G60′s resistive touchscreen:

But whatever technology Garmin (and Asus, its computing collaborator) chose for the Nuvifone’s touch screen was a balky mistake. You have to really bear down to make it register a click, and “flicking” to scroll a list works only sometimes. The rest of the time, it registers a click on whatever item was beneath your finger at the start of the flick. It’s wildly frustrating.

Update 10/14/09: Darren Murph of Engadget Mobile on the Nuvifone G60:

Honestly, you probably know already if the nüvifone G60 is right for you or not. At $299 on contract, you’ve got a lot of smartphone options, and unless navigation is your number one priority, almost any of them are superior to this.

Update 10/28/09: That $299.99 price point didn’t last too long. Although AT&T is still charging $299.99 (after mail-in rebate), Amazon has the Garmin Nuvifone G60 available for $99.99. I had some time with the Nuvifone at my local AT&T store and it isn’t good. It’s only a matter of time before this device is either discontinued or is available for free with a 2-year contract.

John Gruber, of Daring Fireball, has made his “if-I-were-a-betting-man wagers” for upcoming Apple hardware. He believes there will be a new iMac, MacBook, keyboard, mouse, and a speed-bump/price-cut on the Mac mini.

Gruber had previously predicted Blu-ray was coming to the iMac but now believes that it has been taken out. I’m not sure what has been going on at Apple lately. With the missing iPod touch camera and now the (supposed) missing Blu-ray drive in the iMac, Apple has really been dropping the ball in terms of new features.

He also thinks that rumors of the new mouse having “some sort of integrated touchpad dingus to replace the scroller ball are sounding good.”

Mac4Ever (Google Translated) was the first to describe updates to the Mighty Mouse, saying that it will be “100% touch.” Meanwhile, Engadget has managed to find actual filings for the new keyboard and mouse on the FCC’s website. I’ve often wondered how Apple would translate all of their multi-touch gestures to the desktop realm and this seems to be the perfect solution. And, I really hope that Apple gets rid of that god-awful scroll ball, it only lasts a week or so before it gets too gunked up to work.

In the above Mac4Ever report, they also mention a new Apple remote. I had glossed over this rumor when I first reported saw it but with everything else seeming to come together I have to reconsider. Mac4Ever says that the new remote is aluminum but they don’t know what product it is associated with. The Boy Genius Report had previously posted a product mockup image of a touch-based remote to be released for the Apple TV. I don’t know if these two rumors are related but they are worth mentioning none the less.

Previously:
9/30/09: Updated iMac and Mac mini Coming in October
8/8/09: Upcoming iMacs to Release with ‘Compelling New Features’
6/30/09: Cheaper iMacs May Be Coming This Fall

Update 10/7/09: Interestingly, Microsoft has also been working on multi-touch mice and a video demo of their prototypes can be seen on Engadget’s Viddler account.

Also, TechCrunch reports that Man & Machine has been granted the trademark for “Mighty Mouse.” This could mean that Apple’s upcoming multi-touch mouse won’t be called the “Mighty Mouse.” Honestly, I’d rather Apple bring back the “Apple Pro Mouse” name anyway.

Update 10/17/09: AppleInsider has received word that Intel’s Core i7 quad-core processors may be in the next iMac update. The article notes that they haven’t been able to confirm this rumor with 100% certainty but with pricing of this chip the way it is, I wouldn’t be surprised if it was at least a build to order option.

Update 10/20/09: Mac mini with OS X Server and Multi-Touch Trackpad for Desktop Macs

Update 10/20/09: Apple Updates MacBook with LED-Backlight, Glass Trackpad, 7 Hour Battery

Update 10/20/09: Apple Introduces Magic Mouse

Update 10/20/09: Apple Unveils New iMac with 21.5 and 27-inch 16:9 Displays

Update 10/20/09: Apple Updates Mac mini, Offers Server Model

Update 10/20/09: AirPort Extreme, Time Capsule, and Remote

Update 11/6/09: Apple Magic Mouse

Craig Hunter puts into words what we have all been thinking:

Clearly, other companies know how to sync painlessly with iTunes music (see RIM’s Blackberry Media Sync for example), so why doesn’t Palm develop a syncing solution for their own hardware? The exact reason is unknown, but my guess is that it’s a combination of things. Perhaps Palm doesn’t have the resources to develop their own sync app. Or maybe they want some publicity. Or maybe they just want to push Apple’s buttons. Who really knows. But I seriously question the strategy and brains of any company that ties critical product capabilities to the unsupported use of their competitor’s software. I mean, really? Can it get any more ridiculous? Can you possibly send a more mixed, less confidence-inspiring, “we’re a bunch of hacks who can’t provide our own sync software for our products” message to customers?

At first I thought that Palm would try out iTunes syncing, hoping that Apple wouldn’t do anything about it. As a backup I assumed that when Apple did block it Palm would simply release a dedicated syncing application that they had waiting in the wings. It’s safe to assume that Palm doesn’t have a dedicated application waiting in the wings, iTunes syncing is Palm’s syncing solution.

On Palm, Competition, and iTunes Sync.

Previously:
7/24/09: How Palm Re-Enabled iTunes Sync
6/17/09: Apple Posts Knowledge Base Article Regarding Pre iTunes Syncing
5/29/09: Palm Pre Syncs Media with iTunes

Update 10/30/09: iTunes 9.0.2

Update 11/18/09: webOS 1.3.1 Does Not Enable iTunes Syncing

Seth Weintraub, of Computerworld, reports that Apple has purchased PlaceBase. PlaceBase is a company that made a product called Pushpin, which was a mapping API. It is possible that Apple could use PlaceBase as a replacement for Google Maps on the iPhone and iPod touch.

PlaceBase’s CEO, Jaron Waldman, is now listed as part of the “Geo Team at Apple” on LinkedIn. A team that may not have existed until the acquisition.

Apple’s relationship with Google has been souring for a while now. With Android, Chrome, and Chrome OS, Google has been releasing (or announcing) products that compete directly with Apple. This clearly can’t make Apple very happy, especially since Google’s CEO, Eric Schmidt, was on Apple’s board during those announcements. Most recently Google and Apple have been in a bit of a spat with the FCC regarding Google Voice’s “rejection” from the App Store.

Oddly enough, Google has started including sponsored results in searches done with the iPhone’s Google Maps application. The sponsored results are shaded yellow (as they are in Google search results) and appear at the bottom or top of results pages.

Google and Apple are both incredibly innovative companies and I hope that this breakup isn’t detrimental to Apple and Google’s products.

Previously:
9/19/09: Google Un-Redacts Its FCC Filing
8/22/09: Apple, AT&T, and Google Respond to the FCC

Update 10/14/09: Google has announced that Art Levinson has left Google’s board. Levinson will remain a member of Apple’s board. There is obviously tension between Google and Apple, this is one of the last ties the two companies had to one another (aside from the obvious bits of technology used in Apple’s products).

Update 11/30/09: Apple Taking Maps to the Next Level