Apple Of My Eye

SDK Roundup

2008-03-07T05:04:00.000-08:00

At the official SDK release/'roadmap' yesterday, we got much more than we had expected. As well as a large press release entailing the inner workings and functions of the SDK (a little over-complex to post), we got live demo's and the tantalising prospect of gaming on the iPhone. However, the story causing the most uproar at the moment is the announced release of Spore on the iPhone (September release date). The game was demoed, and alongside the other games on show (including Super Monkey Ball), Spore made good use of the technology available, using the accelerometer to manipulate the environment.

Further announcements included Enterprise apps and Apple's new Exchange server accomodation- head over to Apple Insider for the complete story. There was also the announcement that Apple would be restricting VOIP (Voice Over IP) programs that use cellular networks, but would allow those that use Wi-Fi; an interesting prospect.
Native iPhone applications are to be downloaded direct from the iTunes store, and developers will receive a princely 70% of the revenue in monthly installments.

The SDK is available for developers to download now on the Apple website (which is slow due to demand), including a nice iPhone software emulator to aid with the process. However, a $99 membership fee must be paid in order to post applications direct to the iTunes store. The full version (this is only a beta) will be released in June to all iPhone owners, although iPod Touch users must pay a premium.

Reading about this is great, but nothing beats watching Steve do his thing. Head over to the Apple site for a peek.

For those interested in the minutae, Mac Rumors broke down the SDK into four digestable sections:

Cocoa Touch - Multi-touch events, Multi-touch controls, Acceleromter, View Hierarchy, Localization, Alerts, Web View, People Picker, Image Picker, Camera
Media - Core Audio, OpenAL, Audio Mixing, Audio Recording, Video Playback, JPG, PNG, TIFF, PDS Quartz, Core Animation, Embedded OpenGL
Core Services - Collections, Address Book, Networking, File access, SQLite, Core Location, Net Services Threading, Preferences, URL utilities
Core OS - OS X Kernel, BSD TCP/IP, Sockets, Power Management, Keychain, Certificates, File System, Lib System, Security, Bonjour

Apple- #1 In Education

2008-03-03T10:30:00.000-08:00

Apple COO Tim Cook gave the following comment during last weeks Goldman Sachs Investment Symposium:
"We just received word on Monday that Apple surpassed Dell as the number one supplier of portables to US higher education for 2007," Cook claimed. "The ceiling for the Macs is nowhere in sight. Even if the market itself isn't growing, for us, switching Windows users is an enormous opportunity," Cook said.

This is great news, and can be supported by the numerous images of college lecture halls dominated by the Apple symbol. This story comes accompanied by the latest Apple idea, 'iPhone University'. Apple's laptops are highly appealing in education due to their durable, reliable nature, as well as the many great graphic and textual applications for macs only.

3G iPhone... a report

2008-02-29T08:27:00.000-08:00

With news of the now imminent SDK release, the web has been set alight by stories concerning the iPhone. One of the most worrying stories being thrown around is that the SDK 'Roadmap', is just that. A map, leading to the final version of the SDK, suggesting that whatever is released on 6th March may only be a beta version. This is disconcerting, and sends warning signs that Apple might be struggling with the SDK, much more so than planned.

More positive news came in the form of a predicted mid-year release for the 3G iPhone. This news came with a report from UBS (a bank) that Infineon will be providing the new chipset for the 3G iPhone. The German company will providing a solution for the HSDPA platform, including a digital baseband controller, power unit, and radio frequency module.

iPhone SDK- 6th March... Official!

2008-02-28T05:23:00.000-08:00

Go on, Apple, try and wiggle your way out of this one. With a concrete date of 6th March, Apple have now committed to a final release date for the SDK. The above invitation was circulated by Apple two days ago, officially inviting developers and those in the know to the event, taking place in the Apple town hall at Cupertino. If you were lucky enough to get an invite, leave a note. Do you know any more than we do?

Apple Store Down

2008-02-26T05:35:00.000-08:00

Update 3: Got the full scoop. Penryn in both Macbook and Macbook Pro (see here). Check out Mac Rumors and Apple Insider coverage. New NVIDIA graphics cards (still integrated in Macbook-shame). Check the Apple store for full specs.

Update 2: The Macbook Pro's now come fitted with multi-touch, LED screens (on all models) and faster processors. No word on the inclusion of Penryn just yet. The Macbooks don't include multi-touch (why not?), but their processor speed have also been increased.

Update: The store is back up. Well, what have we here. Not only the promised Macbook Pro refresh, but also a nice speed bump for the Macbooks.

Its happening. By the time Tuesday is over, Apple will have at least released one new product, if not more. The Apple online store has been down, worldwide, for about an hour.

Macbook Pro's Tomorrow?

2008-02-25T08:14:00.000-08:00

Sources close to Apple have tentatively revealed that numerous shipments of new Apple products, including Time Capsule and possibly the new iPod Shuffle 2GB, are due tomorrow. The latest idea being flung around indicates that the Macbook Pro will finally be released on Tuesday, shipping immediately.

I must be honest, I'm beginning to lose faith that an update is even coming at all. This is the last Tuesday in February, and that was the indicated release window. So will the new Macbook Pro finally be unleashed tomorrow? Let's hope so...

Best Buy have a registered shipment of the following model numbers, which are possibly the new version of the Macbook Pro:

MB402LL/A - $1999
MB403LL/A - $2499
MB404LL/A - $2799

These price points are identical to the current models, but many Best Buy employees have indicated that the actual 'in stock' date is 3rd March. If this is the case, we have an even longer wait on our hands.

SDK Delayed? Big Mistake...

2008-02-24T10:59:00.000-08:00

According to insider reports from Arik Hesseldahl from Business Week, the iPhone/iPod touch SDK may have been delayed by as much as 3 weeks, moving its scheduled release date from the indicated February window to late March.

Apple have yet to give any indication that this is the case, or any explanation for the delay. Hopefully, Hesseldahl is grabbing at straws, and the SDK will be unveiled sometime later this week.

Unfortunately, Business Week's sources have been reliable in the past, after they announced the upcoming release of an SDK a day before Steve Jobs announced it: their track record for this particular area is solid. Many reports have indicated that the SDK is actually rather complex, and contains many different elements, each respectively difficult.

Multi-Touch: Arriving On Macs in a BIG way

2008-02-20T18:47:00.000-08:00

Apple patents are the key to understanding the next generation of products. The latest submitted, by Wayne Westerman (of Fingerworks), is no different. This patent application shows diagrams directly relating to multi-touch on Mac OS X, illustrating a drop down control panel with advanced multi-touch settings. There are a series of 'chords', or combinations of different fingers, which to different operations. There are already basic multi-touch gestures instated in the Macbook/Pro's, but we can assume that those laptops are not equipped for the advanced gestures. The Macbook Air, however, may be able to adopt these through a software update.

This patent application effectively claims that the new multi-touch trackpads are sensitive enough to detect the various combinations of fingers which are being used. This opens up another world of functionality for Apple, and if the patents keep rolling in, it might be Apple-specific, which will really help to increase their market share. Mac-1 PC-0

Linkin Park- Appearing At An Apple Event Near You?

2008-02-20T08:48:00.000-08:00

Over the next week or so, and Apple 'event' is rumoured to take place. Its purpose, unknown. Its whereabouts, secret. Its attendance, undisclosed. And yet, a couple of days ago, a little bit of the mystery surrounding this event was removed.

Mike Shinoda, lead singer of Linkin Park posted this on his blog two days ago (the important section is bold-i-fied:

"today, we won our second german “echo” award! for those of you in the US, this is the equivalent of the grammy. thanks germany!

in other news, we’re in the middle of the tour with coheed and cambria and chiodos. it’s going great—those guys put on a great show. looking forward to our first show at madison square garden this week (sold out)! also, look forward to a special show that we’re doing in NYC in conjunction with apple…shh…it’s a secret..."

So now we know a little more- the event is taking place in New York, and Apple have enlisted the band to give the show a little more. Its purpose still isn't fully known, but the general consensus is that the event will be used to unveil the SDK (finally!) and possibly unveil the new Macbook Pro. Beyond these guesses, nobody knows. And that, my friends, is the joy of this game.

What do you think the purpose of this event is? And when is it happening?

Macbook Pro 'shortage'

2008-02-18T04:49:00.000-08:00

Numerous Apple resellers and stores are reporting shortages of the notebook, long overdue a refresh. These figures support the theory that we will see a product refresh tomorrow, 18th February, a Tuesday, which is the usual day for Apple updates.

Even Best Buy, a huge corporation and Apple partner, has completely run out of the 15 inch models, and has stated a shipping date of 1-2 weeks. The decreased re-stocking of stores is a telltale sign that the Macbook Pro refresh is imminent. How soon will it come?

Multi-Touch trackpad 'unique to Macbook Air'

2008-02-15T07:14:00.000-08:00

A few days ago, T3 posted an article based on supposed statements from Apple that the multi-touch capabilities of the Macbook Air were down to a software- rather than hardware- update. They have retracted that article, after Apple issued the following statement

"MacBook Air features the most advanced trackpad we've ever made, integrating the multi-touch technology from the iPhone. This integrated feature is unique to MacBook Air."

The prospect of a software upgrade to existing Macbooks and Macbook Pro's had me getting excited. It would add a little more to the already solid products, but alas, it was not to be. We can rest assured that the more advanced trackpads will find their way into the latest incarnations of the Macbook/Pro lines.

Apple TV Take 2

2008-02-13T05:20:00.000-08:00

Yesterday afternoon, Apple TV Take 2 was finally released, after a long wait for the software update to be finished. The new software is available for download directly onto the Apple TV, free of charge, so early adopters will not be stung by this addition.

Movies expire a day after playback, but can be kept on the Apple TV hard drive for a full 30 days. User feedback has been generally positive, with increased performance from the Apple TV itself and a few nice additions, including full Youtube capabilities (login, favourites etc), Airtunes integration (iTunes music can be controlled from Apple TV) and a new startup video.

Films cost $2.99 and the latest films are slightly more expensive $3.99. Another dollar is added for HD versions .

Aperture 2.0, Here We Go

2008-02-12T12:04:00.000-08:00

Update Tuesday, and sure enough, we did get one. It just wasn't the one that we expected. This new version of Aperture sees more than 100 new features added to the popular photo management and manipulation software.

Aperture has long been the program of choice for photo professionals due to its power and integration with the Mac operating system- which is already chosen by most media and graphic designers.

Aperture 2 straps on a new engine and user interface, with plenty of new tools for image editing. One notable new feature is the functionality to easily upload your whole portfolio to .mac, which can then be viewed on the web, iPod, iPhone and Apple TV.

This update can be purchased on the Apple store, for shipment in 1-3 days. If you recently purchased Aperture '1.5', then you can upgrade for $10, as standard Apple policy. Further to this, owners of the original Aperture can upgrade for $100. Standard retail price is $200...

iPhone/iPod price drop...

2008-02-10T00:34:00.000-08:00

The rumour sites are going crazy at the moment. Obviously not content with their share price falling, Apple have either deliberately leaked fake stories or are actually taking serious action over the next few weeks to combat the oncoming recession.

The newest rumour is that a $100 price drop on both iPhones and iPod Touch's will be occuring over the next 3 weeks. This, to me, sounds a little bit ridiculous, considering that the 16GB iPhone and 32 Gb iPod Touch were released only last week. Surely Apple must have learnt their lesson after last year's debacle, when the reaction forced Steve to offer $100 store credit to the iPhone's early adopters.

Perhaps not- the usually reliable 9to5mac are reporting this news, supposedly suggested by a reliable source. Further to this, the 8GB iPod Touch and iPhone will be discontinued... not likely- why would Apple cut their iPhone line down to just one high-priced model, when the lower priced version is most likely to achieve that '10 million by end of 2008' figure. Whether Apple pulls this off, without a negative reaction, will remain to be seen, but I'm going to step out here and say that this isn't going to happen. It makes no sense to cut prices a mere 3 weeks after a new release...

Apple Event: February 26th

2008-02-09T08:06:00.000-08:00

Given the disappointing Macworld announcements, I was hoping for another Apple event in late March, at best. However, early reports received by both 9to5mac and TUAW have suggested that an event is scheduled for 26th February, probably to officially release the long-awaited Software Development Kit (SDK) for the iPod Touch and iPhone. A little optimistic, perhaps, is the common belief that this event that this event will also be the introduction of the new Macbook Pros, featuring both Penryn chips and Multi-Touch trackpads, among other new features. We can only hope...

Still, the release of the SDK will continue to open doors at Apple, effectively giving all iPhone owners a fully unlocked version, without the bricking that occurs every time a software update is released. Those, we wont miss.

Visit the iPhone development center...

Leopard Spaces Exploit

2008-02-08T01:10:00.000-08:00

With Spaces, Apple may have effectively destroyed the idea of a frozen computer, or 'Blue Screen Of Death', as PC users put it. Mac's are notorious for never freezing, but that isn't quite the case- they're more reliable than PC's, but occasionally the spinning wheel of death keeps going. In these situations, I may have just found a temporary fix, if you can't be bothered to restart your computer.

Yesterday, lifting the lid of my Macbook Pro, my Electric Sheep screen saver froze, and wouldn't progress past the frozen screen. In a fit of frustration, I activated spaces and accidentally clicked on an empty space. The wheel disappeared- I have yet to switch off my computer, and its running fine, as long as I don't enter the one space where the rainbow wheel is, where the frozen screen remains. So, if you, like myself, find you Mac occasionally freezing, this could save some valuable documents and media which would otherwise be lost in powering down your computer. I'm sure many other people are aware of this feature of Spaces, but its not in the general lexicon so I hope this helps you out in some way.

AT&T Expanding To 3G

2008-02-07T10:04:00.000-08:00

After a long wait, AT&T has officially stated that it will be expanding its 3G capabilities across the 100 largest US cities, effective in 2008. Whilst it isn't included in the announcement, the main reason for this must be a 3G iPhone, already in the pipeline.

The increase in transfer speeds will hopefully silence some of the iPhone's detractors, who thought (and rightly so) that the EDGE network was sluggish and couldn't keep up with the next gen requirements of the iPhone. With all the new features, its a shame that the network could let Apple down in such a way, loading pages in safari in minutes, not the seconds which you see in the adverts. And with a multi-year deal between Apple and AT&T, they can't switch to another/multiple providers. So all we can do is pray AT&T get their act together and get the service up and running. The basic transfer speed of 3G is at least three or four times faster than the '2.5 G' EDGE and similar networks, and AT&T are already working on 4G, which will no doubt put 3G to shame.

3G was initially held from the iPhone's feature list due to battery issues and the relative youth of the technology. You have to hand it to Apple- they took a risk, and it paid off big time- 4 million sales and counting. Now, with 3G talk-time extended to 5 hours minimum, it has become a business possibility. And in talks late last year, both AT&T bosses and Steve Jobs let slip that it would be out long before the close of 2008. To keep us happy, Apple, please release the iPhone Nano, a theoretical product which looks ace- see artist impression below.

16 GB iPhone, 32 GB iPod Touch

2008-02-05T14:54:00.000-08:00

Apple, you sly dog. There we were, thinking you had retired quietly to a corner to lick the wounds caused by the Macworld disappointment and the share price. Not quite. Instead, you quietly updated the Apple store today, bringing in a product expansion that could really make a difference.
It was obvious that an iPhone capacity increase was on the way, and I'm relieved to see that the 16 GB SSD drives have been instated, for $499, plus the usual contractual fees. The more important change, however, is the inclusion of a new 32 GB SSD drive in the iPod Touch, boosting its price to $499. The Touch can now compete with the majority of other mp3 players, offering ample space for your videos and music whilst retaining the extra functionality, a spot where most of the competition falter.
Available immediately (ie on Apple and O2 stores now), this is a nice update that will help to improve Apple's market standing in a time of great instability. It would take a braver man than me to keep this announcement locked down until now, but Steve was patient, keeping to the deadline. It has paid off immensely, and most technology bloggers have been surprised and pleased by the extra capacity in the Touch. This simple update has made it a threat to the competition (what is left of it), and might send the rumours of the iPod's waning popularity to the grave. Good riddance...

What goes up, must come down- the iPod

2008-02-05T02:14:00.000-08:00

I was slightly disturbed to hear that Apple is decreasing production of its key product, the iPod in response to slowing sales. A rumoured 10-15% fall in production numbers is a sorry sign that the iPod's popularity is slowly waning. It's not really surprising, given every man and his dog has one now. I'm sure the figures will rise again once a new update hits, or the planned obsolescence of all iPods renders the new Touch versions obsolete.

The good news is that Apple is responding well to the rapid increase in their desktop/laptop market share. In conjunction with the decreasing iPod production, Mac production numbers are said to be increasing 20% over the next month.

Over the next couple of years, I really wouldn't be surprised if Apple's market share more than doubled- all we have to rely on is Microsoft's cack-handedness, constant innovation and that usual Apple touch.

Macbook Pro Inventory?

2008-02-03T09:24:00.000-08:00

The Macbook Pro updates might be closer than anticipated. A previously unconfirmed rumour that some new Macbook Pro's had shown up in Best Buy's inventory database was confirmed a few days ago by some screen shots of the database.

Purported to be 'in stock' on 10th February, the three configurations are priced in exactly the same order as the current models: $1999, $2499 and $2799. The updates will most likely be minor (Penryn Chips, Multi-Touch and possible design change), but will help to give Apple a boost at such a time, when share prices are tumbling.

The date is an estimate, although it fits in with the general trend of early February through to March release date.

Find Out How?

2008-01-31T08:28:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, Apple launched a helpful sub-site called 'Find Out How', specifically designed to help new Mac adopters find their way around the new operating system, programs, and hardware.

Apple's video tutorials are a relatively new addition, but they have been really useful in recent years. The iPhone tutorial was released before the product launch, which allowed fans a chance to fully familiarise themselves with the UI before they even got hold of the product.

Now a part of every major hardware and software release, these guides have been beefed up and expanded to form a nice little sub-site. If you're not a 'read the manual' kind of person, Find Out How is a great alternative that can only help to convince people that moving to Apple is a great, simplistic choice.

I recommend you take a look- even the most advanced Mac user still has much to learn: Find Out How

The Case Of The Missing iPhones...

2008-01-28T13:37:00.000-08:00

Since its release, Apple has long been aware of the fact that a large proportion of iPhones in circulation are illegally unlocked. They've also made their best efforts to crack down on the figures, by releasing software which bricks unlocked iPhones, making them useless decorations.

Many units are totally unaccounted for, and recently compiled data has shown that these are most likely illegally unlocked versions, rather than legit versions waiting in inventory. Estimates for the unlocked European sales lie as high as 40% of the whole. If correct, these figures are a serious warning sign to Apple and their network partners. In order to combat this, the only thing they can really do is to clamp down on those jailbreaking the software updates. The SDK wont hurt either...

Things aren't so dire in the US, with research suggesting that somewhere in the region of 15-20% of iPhones are unlocked. These figures present a serious problem for AT&T, but Apple really needn't worry. People are obviously willing to make the effort themselves to get the iPhone, even if it means paying a premium for an unlocked version or moving to another carrier.

European influence of iPhone much lower than forecast

2008-01-28T06:14:00.000-08:00

iPhone, iPhone, iPhone. That seems to be the general web-consensus as to the product of the moment. And yet, the blistering sales in America haven't materialised over the pond. European sales are seriously lagging behind... Only 70000 iPhones have been sold in the 11 weeks since its German release. Comparatively, over 1 million were sold in the first month of French release, and an estimated half a million were shifted on the opening US weekend.

Despite this, Apple is on track to reach their 10 million mark by the end of 2008, after it was announced at Macworld 08 that 4 million units had been sold worldwide. Just as a passing comment, Apple, sales would really be boosted by a 3G iPhone *hint hint*.

Mac OSX 10.5.2 Drawing Near

2008-01-25T06:16:00.000-08:00

I've been waiting for the first big Leopard update for a while now. Out of the box, it worked beautifully, but as is usual with operating systems, more and more problems developed over the first few months of release. Steve's customary update on the sales figures at Macworld was a comforting one- almost 5 million

A few of the features introduced by Leopard were left slightly undeveloped. Stacks were eye candy, rather than an efficient file organisation system, and whilst the coverflow file view is nice, the functionality isn't quite perfect.

You might think my expectations are a little high, and I would be the first to admit that Leopard shits all over Vista, a cheap imitation which can't even pull off the tricks that Apple mastered with Tiger, years ago. And its no coincidence that Apple's market share is rising rapidly- with the problems Vista presents, Apple's PC's are a perfect alternative, and thus Apple has seen an 'explosive' increase in Mac sales.

The newest seed is said to add a list view to stacks, numerous fixes including specifically to CoreGraphics, BackupCore, DVD Playback, File Systems and Web Content Filter. These are the kind of changes which make Apple that little bit different, and ensured that previous OS's were solid pieces of software, even at the end of their lifecycles. However, noticeably absent is the rumoured AirDisk backups, which were even a feature of the beta versions.

Perhaps Apple are keeping some of the bigger updates for the next seed. We shall see, but the improvements will only help to make Leopard into a more appealing operating system...

Where is my Macbook Pro?

2008-01-23T06:12:00.000-08:00

As is the norm, no Apple products bearing the 'pro' affix where released at Macworld 2008. However, most Apple fans were suprised by the lack of even an announcement concerning the Macbook Pro, long due for a refresh. This shock was reinforced by the quiet, but considerable, Mac Pro update in the week running up to Macworld. If I recall correctly, Apple was quoted as saying that they 'wanted to get the hardware refreshes out of the way before Macworld'. Where then, was the Macbook Pro, a beloved laptop which is probably their best portable to date.

Apple's last quarter figures were the highest ever, in the history of the company, and the figures must have had Bill Gates and Michael Dell weeping. And whilst large amounts of profit were undoubtedly created by the iPhone and iPod lines, the Macbook lines are the flagship for this company, consistently drawing in a flow of money through their fusion of looks and capabilities. The current generation are still brilliant products (my Macbook Pro is a workhorse if I ever saw one), but they've recently lost a little bit of their edge, through the simple fact that they're getting on a bit.

Rumours have been literally thrown around concerning the Pro update, most recently the proposition of a multi-touch trackpad (as in the Air), SSD Drive options, processor bumps and all the normal ones (multi-touch screen etc). My main hope is that the laptop enclosure is finally updated. I love the way it currently looks (sleek, defined, businesslike, just as a 'pro' should), but it needs a refresh- the current form factor has been used since the Powerbook Days, and its on its last legs.

Please, please, please, Apple, release something special which will quash my fears over your spiraling share price. Put to my fears to rest...

Multitouch trackpads making their way across the Macbook line...

2008-01-21T15:38:00.000-08:00

Its pretty much a given that the fancy multi-touch trackpads recently instated in the Macbook Air will find their way across the whole Macbook line. Just as the iSight camera is now a standard piece of every Apple computer, the 3 finger glide and pinch gestures will become commonplace.

Multi-touch might seem like a 'gimmick' to some, but its another feature to add to the list of 'things' which separate Apple from the crowd. As well as looking cool, these gestures can seriously increase productivity, and become loved by the Apple crowd. Take the two finger scroll, for example- whenever I have to revert to PC, I wonder how I ever lived without it, and most Apple adopters feel much the same.

Multi-touch has been a feature of Mac-portables for a long while now, and current Macbooks/Pros already recognise multiple sources of contact (for the two finger tap/scroll). Once the more sensitive touchpads are instated, Apple can begin to broaden the capabilities of this hardware, and possibly open up multi-touch to software developers. Imagine- software specific motions tailored to each program. A pinch in iTunes could select a specific playlist, whilst in garage band it would begin recording...

I hope Apple fully take advantage of the avenues opened up by this technology. The optimisation of this technology may be a key factor in securing a larger market share, and maintaining the momentum built by the latest round of Apple products.

Macbook Air battery replacement- 'trivial'?

2008-01-19T03:16:00.000-08:00

My immediate concern when Steve Jobs slipped the Macbook Air out of that tiny envelope was the details. The success of this sub-notebook rested solely on that- Apple has taken big gambles with 'dead' markets before, sometimes succeeding, sometimes failing. Take note, however- on the occasions when things go right, its all down to the deets. Take the iPhone, for example- when put in safe mode, a little aeroplane flies on screen to inform you that you are now unable to recieve or emit frequencies. A small, insignificant touch, but if you were to remove these instances, the iPhone wouldn't be any different from the pack.

It looks like the Macbook Air might be one of the cases were Apple loses first time around, only to retreat to a corner and create a new product, which the first incarnation should have been. Its beautifully small, but almost over-engineered, and the price illustrates this. The basic configuration, at $1800, is reasonably priced, but performance increases are costly, and the more developed configuration costs $3100. The lack of a superdrive seriously limits the commercial appeal of this notebook, limiting it to road warriors and Apple completists only. And even the former will have numerous issues with the Air: limited ports, an irreplaceable battery (more on that later), and the unexplainable reason that the $100 external optical drive only works with the Macbook Air.

The title of this post is an important one, and might just offer a form of redemption for Apple. Many technology columnists were initially worried when looking upon the Air's underside, as there appeared to be no easy way of replacing the battery. Further to this, Apple has a long history with battery issues: from the iPod to the iPhone, form often beats function, and Apple doesn't always play by the rules. This time around, however, it appears the battery can be replaced solely with the aid of a Philips screwdriver. The battery is not, it turns out, soldered to the motherboard, and replacing it is 'trivial'. Unfortunately, the price is still ridiculous, at $129. You win some, you lose some.

Keynote 08- The aftermath

2008-01-16T01:45:00.000-08:00

I was really let down by the Macworld 2008 keynote yesterday. Steve Job's keynotes are a thing of lore, and yesterday, his legendary speeches lost a bit of their allure. There was a lack of 'BOOM's, no 'one more thing', and actually, an obvious empty spot, bereft of new, exciting products.

For the last year, Apple could do no wrong. They have released a stream of complete, advanced products, which has directly translated into a build up of momentum, and their shares ballooning to $200. Given these circumstances, the keynote was never going to live up to the collective Apple communities' expectations.

The online community tends to glorify these speeches, but I have already noticed websites such as Gizmodo and Engadget turning a accusing eye to Apple's court. The only way to sum this up is to take an objective look at what Apple 'really' released yesterday. Firstly, we have the success of Leopard, a solid release that really helped Apple to increase their market share following Vista, or 'OS Version Hell', as I like to call it. So far, so good. But from here on, things turned a bit sour.

Next came the release of Time Capsule, essentially a promised feature of the original beta version of Leopard which was removed from the Gold Master at the last minute. After a long wait, we are offered a 'new product', essentially an Airport base station and a hard drive in one. What was wrong with my original Airport Extreme and Hard drive that I had set up for Leopard? Instead, now I have to fork out for a stand alone product, when third party peripherals are cheaper, probably more reliable, and generally preferable.
There was much controversy surrounding the failed first incarnation of Apple TV, the most recent occasion where risky innovation hasn't worked for Apple. Apple TV 2, however, looks set ot work, and the Movie Rentals idea is a solid one. The price is right, with the $4.99 fee sitting somewhere lower than your average Blockbuster.
Next exhibit- the iPod/iPhone debacle. The reality of an SDK is getting ever closer, but Apple thought it would keep us sated to release some new applications for the iPod, ported over from the iPhone. How cool! We get stocks, weather, notes, mail and maps, all for 'free'. That is, if you don't already have an iPod. Early adopters get stung by Apple, just as usual, by having to fork over $20 for five free applications.
And finally, the Macbook Air. I was initially wowed by this thing, and its hard to deny Apple's marketing plan- it fits inside an envelope? 'The thinnest laptop ever' is an excellent piece of computing design and minituarisation, but could have been oh so much more. There are a few areas where the target market (road warriors), will find issues, such as the non-replaceable battery.
I respect and adore Apple, but yesterday they came dangerously close to losing my interest altogether. Its isn't a coincidence that the shares have fallen to $160, and the 'Keynote Index' theory is broken. All in all, Macworld 2008 wasn't successful, and Apple will have to reel out some special products over the next few months in order to regain their impetus. Where were the new Apple Cinema Displays? Where was my iPhone 3G announcement? Where was my Macbook Pro refresh? These, and many more glorious products, were noticeably absent...

Hiatus

2007-11-17T11:44:00.000-08:00

It doesn't take a genius to notice that the figures for this blog have slowly dwindled over the last few months, to the point now where I feel like taking a break. This, admittedly, is my fault. I have had a bit of a tough time over the last month or so, but things are starting to look good again... I am not closing this blog, rather I am taking a couple of weeks to recoup and refocus my efforts. Next time I post I hope to have redesigned this blog and be able to fully commit myself to my posts, rather than writing for the sake of writing. If you like what you've read here, please check back in a couple of weeks time, and I hope you will be impressed with what you see. Thanks...

New 'Get A Mac' advert: Genius

2007-11-12T13:07:00.001-08:00

Since airing their first Macintosh advert (the 1984 one, you remember it?) during the Superbowl, Apple have always had a way with their advertisements and promotions. If you haven't watched the latest series of adverts, head over here now. The success has been so pronounced, in fact, that many countries have recorded their own versions in their respective dialects.

The latest album cuts right to the chase, and is essentially an extended expose of why PC's (and Vista in particular) are inferior.

Apple- Get A Mac advert

Macbook/Pro quitely updated on online store.

2007-10-30T11:11:00.001-07:00

The latest incarnation of Macbook/Pro were stealthily released in the Apple online store this afternoon. I was deterred from buying one last year because, looking subjectively, the components inside the Macbook are noticeably sub-standard in comparison to its price.

Despite this, the current incarnation has sold well throughout its lifespan, but the introduction of the Santa Rosa platform, has (IMO at least) shone the spotlight onto the weaker components such as the integrated graphics card. The new addition offers a more powerful one, the Intel GMA X3100 integrated video card, which whilst still being integrated (a no go for graphic professionals and gamers) it will offer a bit more bang for your buck.

I was hoping for a full update, but over the last few years Apple have been very good about updating components without increasing price, a consumer-orientated touch which is sure to attract customers. My feelings are that a proper Macbook refresh will come next year, possibly with the much-touted multi-touch touchpad which has been doing the rounds lately.

The Macbook Pro lineup also saw a very small update in the form of an extra processor speed option (now up to a staggering 2.6 Ghz) which really sets this laptop apart as the choice for graphics professionals on the move. An extra 250 GB hard drive configuration was added to further update the lineup.

I would be hoping to see a complete refresh around Macworld/WWDC 2008. This would give Apple ample time to test the multi-touch interface which we all desire, a prospect that Steve called an "ongoing experiment" earlier this year; however, with all the patents they keep filing, it looks to be an experiment which they really think could work. What's your verdict on the multi-touch interface? Will it work with a laptop?

Leopard: The First Hour

2007-10-26T14:06:00.000-07:00

I wasn't completely aware of Apple's stealthy allure until this evening I found myself standing outside my local Apple store at 6PM, waiting for Leopard to be released. It was one of those moments when something suddenly clicks, and suddenly I realised I am an Apple addict. Symptoms include wanting things you can't afford, constantly defending Apple from its numerous detractors and spouting techological jargon when someone suggests it isn't the be-all and end-all of computer companies (well, it is...).

Like most Apple followers I have been awaiting the release of Leopard, more to see if Apple can keep the ball rolling rather than to upgrade from the satisfying Tiger. However, given what I've seen today, I want a copy, NOW. From the word 'go' Leopard oozes cool, retaining composure (unlike Vista which has a hissy fit every time you ask it to open the start bar) under heavy loads (i.e. iPhoto, iMovie, CS3 and iTunes all at once). My initial plan for the launch was to buy a copy of this superior OS- heck, I even had a place reserved at the launch, with complementary champagne!- but money issues have prevented me from owning a copy, for now at least.

However, the hour I spent at the store road-testing Leopard was more than enough time to cover the major features and get a general idea of what this new incarnation has to offer.

First off, it's fast. This, hands down, puts the competition to shame in terms of pure speed. In comparison to Tiger on my 2.2 Ghz Core 2 Duo Macbook Pro, every application opened upwards of a second quicker (on the same in-store laptop). Although Leopard is visually more intensive, Apple have pulled off the feat of keeping things running smoothly: the newly added Coverflow in Finder runs perfectly and RAM heavy features such as Dashboard and Expose are as solid as ever.

Leopard looks beautiful. Unlike Microsoft with Vista, Apple have succeeded in injecting a bit of life into their newest offering without deducting from the overall polish- did anyone like the gargantuan icons in Vista? No, thought not.... I'm not sure about the translucent dock and task bar, but I'll compromise on the fact that the reflective dock is a snazzy addition. The icons in Finder's Coverflow offer a fun method of scrolling through your files and Coverflow is arguably a quicker way of finding files as you need them due to Preview. Stacks are functionally great as well as being eye candy, but I prefer the grid format for now as the volume of items in the fan is limited. To all you lucky Leopard owners, what are you initial feelings towards Stacks? Functionally helpful, or RAM hogging special effect?

Spaces is a lot more useful than I suspected- I was initially unsure about the amount people would use this, but 'the key to its success is its ease of use' (that should be the mantra of Apple). Once you set it up, switching between your different spaces is as easy using the arrow keys and it really does keep your desktop organised.

Unfortunately I didn't get to use Time Machine- arguably the most helpful new feature- due to the lack of attached hard drives in the store. I was also quite annoyed to hear that Apple have pulled wireless support through Airport Extreme, as this would have provided an even easier solution to backing up. However, I'm sure we will be seeing this in the next couple of months, once Apple sorts out any problems (if there were any...).

The new iChat and Photo Booth effects are cool. I even tested the moving backgrounds in the store, where many people were moving around behind me, and they worked seamlessly. I even have a photo as a souvenir (of me, surrounded by a shoal of fish, of course) which I'm not going to post due to embarrassment.

And that about wraps up the features I tested in my short hour with Leopard. What do you think of the new OS: Is it revolutionary, or just a good update? If the rest of the OS is as polished as the features I tested then we can rest assured in Apple's rapidly rising influence in the computer market. It's just a shame I only had an hour with it- may many more follow...

Apple: Ergonomic Simplicity- the story behind the greatest idea in technological history

2007-10-09T08:20:00.000-07:00

Jonathan Ive is a talisman to Apple, albeit a reclusive one who is generally unknown to the world and doesn't like personal questions in interviews. But despite all these 'shortcomings' on his part, he is still an essential part of the make-up of AAPL corp. In fact, once Ive, Jobs and Wozniak leave Apple (probably within the next 10 years) I would bet Apple will seriously struggle to maintain the market share it now has. But whereas the two Steve's make up the more public side of Apple, Ive is (and has been for the last ten years) the creative mind at work, behind the scenes. Who is behind some of the most revolutionary designs over the last decade? Ive- and yet if you mentioned him to Joe Bloggs you wouldn't get a whisper of recognition.

Since Ive rejoined Apple as Senior Vice President of Industrial Design back in 1997, Apple's standing in the technology market has distinctly shifted. Ive dreamt up the brilliant (if risky) iMac G3 in 1998, and from that point onwards a long list of commercially successful and world-renowned products have come out of Cupertino, all based on exactly the same principal as the iMac: simplicity sells. Since the original CRT screen iMac (I know you remember those screens which took up half the desk), every new incarnation has been smaller and more powerful, which if you think about it, isn't exactly the most complex idea. Yet, year on year, Apple's market share is growing, most evidently this quarter, where the combined influence of the iPhone, new iPod lines and the new iMac have all contributed to massively boosted sales, whereas other companies are lagging behind. All three of these product (lines) share strong design parallels- they're all sleek, solid, one part pieces of technology. There are no moving elements: what you see is what you get. As the old saying goes: anyone can use an Apple, and unlike most similar claims, this could be true.

To avoid waffling on about how much I love this company (a huge deal, just for the record) I'm going to cut straight to the point: Ive's idea of ergonomic simplicity has saved this company: on how many other computers do you find slot load disk drives and a magnetic power adapter? None, is the answer, and for this reason, Apple is king of the hill.

Applecare Support: A thorn in Apple's side...

2007-10-03T01:43:00.000-07:00

The last few weeks for me have been an epic saga: after waiting for a month I finally picked up a brand spanking new Macbook Pro yesterday after my first one had an issue with its screen. Now, I'm not going to valiantly defend Apple and say that the replacement process was a breeze, but as I found out just moments ago, every cloud has a silver lining. 20 minutes ago I received an (un)expected call from "the office of Steve Jobs", whereby the voice on the other line proceeded to apologise for the long wait and confirmed that I had received my new baby.

A couple of days ago I was surfing digg on my ancient RM shit-top (which freezes every 3 seconds, without fail) when I came across a flickr photo of a reply from Steve Jobs, who supposedly replies to his emails personally. I thought I would chance it and send an email to Steve saying how disappointed I had been with Applecare in general, and that its a shame the image of such a great company could be tarnished by such a small thing. Receiving a call was the last thing I expected- despite the hundreds of urban legends which insist Steve replied to a person, I didn't really expect my email to receive any reply at all.

However, as nice a surprise as this was, it doesn't wipe the slate clean and erase my feelings about this whole pa lava. Until I latched onto a really helpful guy at the repair service (Group 8, just for reference) I was told numerous different repair time-frames and things were generally unsure. So what is it about Applecare that makes it so inferior to other product support schemes? Well, for a start, it only lasts a year, with a paltry 90 days free-phone support. And as much as I love Apple products, I would be lying if I said they weren't prone to teething problems in the first few months. Get past this benchmark and I would say you can confidently enjoy a lovely couple of years with your new purchase. Mine was one of those laptops which presents a problem within a few weeks...

A month after buying my Macbook Pro I noticed a large blurry spot in the top left corner of the screen, one which appeared rapidly and without cause (trust me- I treated that thing like gold dust). I immediately started freaking out, accusing (wrongly) family members of mistreating the laptop and causing the spot, which I believed had been caused by excess pressure on the interior of the LED screen. In retrospect, this was wrong, but when you've forked out upwards of £1000 on a laptop you don't expect it to become faulty so quickly, right?

Regardless of the wait I've had, this has changed how I feel about Apple- I still think they produce the best products in the business, but somehow they seem less untouchable than they used to. This might just be me, but here's to hoping they make some changes to this in the future...

Me= Mac Specialist?

2007-09-24T10:05:00.000-07:00

After weeks and weeks of waiting for a reply (and sending the same letter over and over again) I received a reply last week, stating that I had been selected for interview as a Mac Specialist at one of the Apple stores in London. Cool, huh? Everythings a bit up in the air at the moment (school is craaaaaazy) so I'm just going to wait and see what happens but hopefully by the time summer comes around I'll have a job waiting for me. Not bad for someone of my age- its a dream summer job.

I would be grateful for any Apple employee's advice as to what you want to hear in an interview, and any general tips as to what the job will involve. Cheers

No internet...

2007-09-07T04:17:00.000-07:00

I'm back at school now, but unfortunately we have no internet in my boarding house... its really frustrating, and one of the effects of this is that I won't be back to full time blogging until it's fixed, which should be sometime early next week. This is a horrible time for this to happen, what with all the new developments at Apple, but I will be covering all the new iPods etc in the near future. Sorry for the internet problems, but I'll be back soon...

Apple Event scheduled for 5th September, says Ars Technica

2007-08-25T12:03:00.000-07:00

Update: It's true- Apple has confirmed our hopes by sending out an invitation to the September 5th event, as shown here:

Things over at Cupertino must be very hectic right now, or at least they will be if they're doing everything the rumour websites say they are. On top of the widepod, Ars Technica are proposing that Apple are scheduling an event for the 5th September, purportedly to release a new type of iPods, as well as refreshing their current models. The full sized iPod refresh should take the form of an iPhone without the phone bit- sources from the far east are claiming they have seen full-screen iPod's, possibly with multi-touch functionality. For the nano, you will have seen the "spy shots" of the widepod that have been plastered all over the web- I'm still not entirely convinced of their source, and I have to say they show signs of photoshopping.

The most intriguing thing is the timing of this event- the 5th is a Wednesday, rather than the traditional Apple Tuesday- the last time they had a Wednesday event was when the iPod nano was launched. Could we be seeing another completely new addition to the iPod line? All will be revealed within the next couple of weeks...

iPod nano spy-shots? Real?

2007-08-23T01:49:00.000-07:00

Yes, it is really that ugly...

Gizmodo posted some spy shots yesterday of what their sources claimed was the new iPod nano. They were forced to take them down when Apple Legal intervened, claiming the photos were their "intellectual property". I really can't accept that this is the new iPod nano- Gizmodo have taken down the photos but the monstrosity you see above is a near perfect rendering of the iPod seen in the spy shots.

However, I strongly believe that these photos are fake; the age-old rumour logo that if Apple Legal is all over a photo/story then it is real seems to be losing its power at the moment. Why didn't Apple remove the photos of the new iMac keyboard? They were around for ages before the new iMac was released, and Apple didn't intervene at all. Perhaps, they have noticed that many technology sites put stock in the fact that Apple Legal intervenes, the rumours are true. This could just be an attempt to mix things up... for my sake, I hope so- that iPod has to be the ugliest incarnation yet, and the "nano" part doesn't really fit it any more. Of course- it could be prototype, but even that doesn't bode well: how could they even consider making this?

The new iPod nano advert:
"Pencil thin, but really wide. Introducing the widePod"
Lets just say it doesn't exactly fit in with Apple's brand image...

iMac review round-up

2007-08-10T11:26:00.000-07:00

Although it may be a little early to tell how the new iMac will fare over long-term ownership, outfits such as Cnet and Ars Technicha have already undergone an intensive reviewing process of the new iMac, released on Tuesday. The overall consensus? That the new iMac is a solid upgrade, both in terms of cosmetic changes and the upgraded interior components. Initial impressions have been generally positive, although the same can't be said for iWork '08- but more on that later. I must admit I wasn't entirely won over by the new super-glossy glass screen, which Apple seem to love- I deliberately chose the matte black screen on my Macbook Pro because the glossy one picks up reflections and dust too easily. However, Ars Technica have said it doesn't bother you when looking head-on at the screen at it isn't generally an issue due to the brightness of the new Apple LED screens, something which I can vouch for.

Other positives have been the keyboard, which is ultra-thin but maintains a certain weight to it which prevents it from sliding around the table. I also heard today that the new iMac is one of the largest pieces of technology to be made out of a single piece of metal- the aluminium casing is one piece, and the sole screw on the exterior is for easy access to the RAM housing. That's pretty impressive, and given this you would expect the iMac to have heat and noise issues, although both Cnet and Ars are confident that these aren't an issue.

All in all, another triumph for Apple. Despite this, I think that SmugBlog writer Don MacAskill's article titled "Where's The Mac" is really on the money- there is a huge hole in their desktop market at the moment between the all in one iMac and the expensive Mac Pro. Here's another few links- this time to the in depth Ars Technica review of the new iMac and the CNET review, which named the 20" iMac as the Editor's choice.

No multitouch Mac's anytime soon

2007-08-08T00:15:00.000-07:00

"Makes sense for the iPhone, not sure it makes sense in the Mac. Classify that as a research project." was Steve Jobs reply when when lucky reporter asked him about multitouch possibilities on Macs- in shorter terms we won't be seeing multitouch Macs very soon but Apple hasn't ruled out the possibility. In a couple of months this fake iMac promo could be a reality:

Gizmodo/Engadget iMac hands on

2007-08-07T12:10:00.000-07:00

The lucky guys over at Engadget and Gizmodo were lucky enough to be at the Mac announcement and had a hands on. Head over to these links to see some pictures...

Gizmodo hands on

Engadget hands on

Apple Store updating AGAIN!

2007-08-07T11:53:00.000-07:00

Weird, why would they need to update again? A mistake? Or perhaps some new products- stay tuned... I will be blogging constantly for the next couple of hours.

Apple store back online

2007-08-07T11:40:00.000-07:00

Wow: the new iMac is really beautiful- I have to say, I wasn't really blown away by the blurry in conference photos. Well, rest assured, this is a definite step up- you can only compare it to the iPhone with its mixture of aluminium and polished glass. It's also a lot more slimline, and I think this defines what Apple were looking for when they thought "all-in-one" What a beauty... now I've only got to convince my Dad to get one!

The Apple store is accesible again, with the front page occupied by said new iMacs, iLife and iWork. iLife and iWork look to be huge updates: Garage band has a virtual Garage band facility when you can see yourself performing the music live. Damn cool... I will cover the other updates soon...

Both iLife and iWork are $80, and family packs are slightly more expensive at $100- still competitive pricing for what you get. The iMac, on the other hand, is really intriguing. At the moment there are four configurations rather than the 3 which were announced at the event: the high end version of the new iMac costs $2300 with a 2.8 (!) Ghz Core 2 Duo processor. There are two configurations for each screen size, and from what I can see they are all really well priced for their internal components. They do, of course, come with the new versions of iWork and iLife as well as the lovely keyboard and Mighty Mouse. Check out some better hi-resolution photos below, courtesy of Apple.

The new iMac keyboard

2007-08-07T11:28:00.000-07:00

The new iMac keyboard is the same one as seen in those photos a couple of weeks ago. It cuts down the size a huge amount and is much more sleek than previous incarnations. The depth of the keyboard is a third of the current iMac keyboard, which is great, although it means the keyboard might be a tad flimsy; hopefully the aluminium case will counter this. There is the standard version and also a smaller bluetooth type with no full number pad. Just on a side note, the Apple store is still down...

Mac event: Live!

2007-08-07T11:00:00.000-07:00

Update 3: With iLife 08 comes iWork 08: there is one huge new feature by the name of Numbers, an Apple competitor for Excel. All Excel data is transferable, which is good, and Steve assures us that Numbers can make "gorgeous" spreadsheets fast with understandable data and formulas. Great! Other updates include Keynote, Text Edit and Pages which have new fonts and some special themes.

Update 2: Yay, a new Mac mini, just as I thought. There are no details at the moment but unfortunately the form factor is still the same. Just squeezing the last bit of life out of this product line, but any update is a welcome one.

Yep, it still looks the same...

Update: As suspected the iLife software suite is receiving a refresh, one which Steve Jobs says is "the biggest jump since we produced it". iPhoto has new features called "Events," and .Mac Web Gallery. Events allows you to organise your photo albums more easily and .Mac Web Gallery lets you put all your photos on the internet, and other people will be able to edit your albums. This of course also features iPhone integration: photos can be sent to and from the iPhone to your Mac and keep both albums synchronised.

iMovie also shares some of the .Mac characteristics with iPhoto; your videos can be shared through your account and also iMovie videos can be uploaded straight to Youtube. Another cool feature is the ability to change the native resolution of your videos to that of above DVD. Last but not least, iWeb has a few small updates mainly tailored around Google products (Adsense etc...) and a widget interface similar to leopard which can change anything into a widget for your blog/website.

Sorry this is a little bit late, I was having dinner. Now, back to the Mac event which has been unfolding for the last hour or so...

Thus far Steve has shown some pictures of the new iMac, which I think are more aesthetically pleasing than the fake ones we saw yesterday- there are a load of photos at the bottom of the post, from different angles. The general consensus is an upgrade of all the components: faster processors, RAM etc and only two screen options: 20"($1200-1500) and 24"($1800). The keyboard is the same as the images released a couple of weeks ago, but there is also the option for a wireless version minus the number pad.

Steve Jobs is talking about the growth of Macs in the computer industry: at the moment the Mac market share is growing 3 times as fast as any other computer company, which bodes well for the future. On the future topic, Steve says "we will be moving to aluminium and glass" to refresh the Mac line.

Predictions for today's event!

2007-08-07T03:04:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note before the actual event: the following are the things I expect Apple to unveil today at their Mac event in Cupertino:

New iMacs- Brushed metal iMacs, running some faster processors with more RAM, LED screens, a better inbuilt iSight, faster CD drives and basically a better infrastructure. Colour choices available but standard comes in gun-metal grey. Instead of the 4 current configurations there will be only 3, starting at $1199 up to $1799, which is a price drop of $200 from the current high end model.
Mac mini refresh- Just a minor refresh to allow the mini to keep selling for at least a couple more months: core 2 duo processors and a boost in RAM and graphics card. Possibility of flash based memory?
iWork/iLife 08- A definite upgrade coming: there was a mistake on the Apple website recently when a headline proclaimed "Keynote 08". This was rapidly changed, but I am inclined to think an update will be announced today.
New .Mac- there is planned maintenance on .Mac during the exact time of the conference today, which suggests a new version or at least some new features for existing .Mac users.

And just as a wild card guess- some kind of view of the future of the Mac. Multi Touch screens and touch-pads, anyone?

Is this the new iMac? Update: NO!

2007-08-06T02:11:00.001-07:00

Click for a larger version

Update: Rookie error, mister photoshop: why does this photo have a blurry bit around the "iMac" base, just as the Apple cinema displays do? Found out for what you are: a phoney photoshop mistro who obviously isn't as good as he thinks he is...

My my, what have we here? At first glance it looks like the new brushed metal iMac which is rumoured to be released tomorrow. On the face of it there are all the necessary elements of a real photo: the off kilter angle suggests the photo might have been taken from a weird vantage point or in a hurry, and the black background is Apple down to a tee. The iMac is running Leopard and the absence of a mouse and keyboard make it all seem a little more believable. But this is as far as the positives go; on closer inspection of the image data there is clearly EXIF data embedded, which of course means photoshop; this could mean the photo is a fake OR that the two photos were merged together in photoshop. On the positive side, most good forgers remove EXIF data before publishing their creations. The blurriness and offset angle may also be an attempt to hide what in reality is a fairly poor photoshop job...

So, what of the iMac itself? Well, it definitely looks like one of the Apple cinema displays which has had an iSight added and iMac written on the back. In fact, I'm fairly sure that if this is a fake then the forger used the Apple displays as a start point (just as one guy on digg pointed out). However, all things being said, when we do see the new iMac (tomorrow!) it will no doubt look very much like this photo, or I might be wrong and this could be the new iMac! Whatever happens, we all win, because this looks set to be another great addition to the iMac line...

If you need any more proof of why this is most likely a fake, check out this hastily put together guide of how to fake the new iMac using images of the Apple cinema displays

Apple looking further into multi touch

2007-08-03T04:22:00.000-07:00

Another day, another patent application; Apple filed a patent for some new multi-touch gestures back on January 3rd, and this was published yesterday. Instead of the basic ones which are used on the iPhone this patent highlights the fact that Apple is looking into gestures that have certain parameters, such as a thumb and finger or a thumb and 3 fingers. This would suggest that Apple has somehow hugely increased the sensitivity of their multi-touch screens, and the timing of the patent could mean that they are already incorporating it into their prototype Macs. The only thing I'm worried about is how the touch screen can tell the difference between a thumb and a forefinger?

If you look at the patents (below) you can see the token Mac commands as well as some more unusual ones: group and ungroup aren't used too often. The patent was filed half a year ago, and I really hope this means we will be seeing it in some of the new products: possibly the touted iPhone nano. Multi-Touch iMacs being released at this media event in a couple of days?

Wishful thinking, I imagine you thinking, but you can only hope...

Thumb and 1 finger gestures (click for expanded version)

Thumb and 2 fingers (click for expanded version)

Apple 'event' on the 7th of August

2007-08-02T03:06:00.000-07:00

Just as we all suspected, Apple has recently scheduled an event for the 7th August at their Cupertino headquarters. The media have been invited, but they have been forewarned that the announcements will be strictly Mac related. So what have Apple got up their sleeve for this event? Well, the new brushed metal iMac's are the most obvious choice, given the last update was almost a year ago. But what else can we expect?

The event will probably complete the Mac line refresh that Apple started a couple of months ago when they boosted the processor on their Macbook line. After this the Macbook Pro's received a significant update to their processor's, memory, graphics card and screens. However, all of these updates were based on the internal components; form and function weren't changed in the slightest. We will have to see what they have changed for the new iMac but I'm guessing the form factor will have changed, and new colours will be introduced. This will hopefully be the beginning of a completely new line of Mac products: new Macbooks with the Multi-Touch scroll pads and some new Macbook Pro's to boot in 2008. The way I see it, Apple's sales have increased hugely over the last year and now is the time to start producing new, innovative products that will attract even more consumers. The release of new iPods and the iPhone nano will be sure to do this, but instead of holding back (as they did with the iPhone launch) they need to start releasing new products more often...

At the moment I'm a bit frustrated with this company's stagnant nature: for me, adding a little bit of power to the Macbook didn't really count as an 'update': you were just getting more for your money. If you take a look at the Macrumors buying guide, you will see that many of Apple's products haven't been refreshed for almost a year, whereas the average time between each incarnation of the products is normally around 240 days. The main question that begs to be answered is what has changed at Apple? Why, when they are doing so well at the moment, do they choose to concentrate all their efforts on one or two products (iPhone)- putting all your eggs in one basket, if you will. Despite the recent palava concerning the iPhone underselling, I'm sure it will turn out to be a big money maker for Apple. However, I think this wouldn't have turned out different if they hadn't removed engineers from the Mac lines to work on the iPhone. To cap it off; I trust Apple, but if they start to become complacent then they could squander all the progress they've made this year, which would be a huge waste of resources and potentially a danger to their standing in the technology world.

Holidays

2007-07-27T04:32:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, being a mere human means that I have to take a break sometime in the year- I'm on holiday at the moment but will be back to full time blogging on Monday, so bear with me. Thanks for reading, and see you soon...

iPhone nano in the pipeline?

2007-07-21T04:15:00.000-07:00

Whilst the Apple rumour mills are fairly busy at the moment there seems to be some fairly consistent imformation concerning an imminent release of the so-called 'iPhone nano'. Both DigiTimes and AppleInsider's sources have confirmed that Apple is looking to expand the iPhone family in a similar fashion to the iPod one; this will be achieved by introducing the iPhone nano sometime around the holiday season. Said to be priced between the iPod nano and the full price iPhone so as not to compromise sales, Apple have filed numerous patents suggesting that although the multi-touch interface will remain an onscreen click-wheel will be used to manipulate it instead of a qwerty keyboard. The phone has been dubbed the 'iPhone nano' because hands-on sources say this description best suits it's form factor.

To me, the nano branding would make sense because its already established as an Apple product line. With all these rumours being consistently backed, Apple must be very busy at the moment: what with Leopard coming out in October, the new iMac and iPod release imminent and a whole host of other laptop rumours, things must be nearing full capacity. So how can Apple possibly be producing all these new products at once? There are shortages in many of their product lines, especially the Macbook Pro's, and flash memory is hard to come by at the moment. You do have to wonder if Steve Jobs has waited too long; he obviously didn't want to release the new iPod before the iPhone because it would steal its thunder, but now all these products are being released within a few months of each other...

Why Macs will never be able to compete in the gaming market.

2007-07-18T06:50:00.001-07:00

Mac's will never be able to compete in the gaming market: well, not in the forseeable future anyway. This is, for the moment at least, a sad truth which undermines everything these computer's are meant to represent.I know Steve Jobs pulls off miracles regularly but to solve this problem immediately he would have to instantaneously increase Apple computer market share, something which we all know is impossible (without figure manipulation, anyway). With a market share of 5% and around 30% growth this year, Apple still faces that age old problem of great operating system, one distributor. Whereas Windows Vista is crap and there are many who awknowledge that there are still thousands of computer companies who choose to operate on it, Apple has decided to keep OSX running solely on Macs. And with this 5% market share comes much less support in terms of OSX as a gaming platform; Increasingly, there are less and less games being produced for the OSX platforms, and the hole which Apple has dug for itself is getting bigger and bigger. To look at it from both sides, this is something which Apple is well-aware of: it came as a surprise at WWDC 2007 when Steve Jobs announced that Apple and EA would be reconvening, and I hope this works out well.
Never to be seen again on games?
I realised a couple of days ago that the only thing I hadn't tested out on my new Macbook Pro was the GeForce 8600M GT 128 Mb graphics cards, which to me had been one of the main selling points of the damn thing. The problem was, I had plenty of computer games waiting to be played but they were all PC formatted, so playing them on the mac was out of the question. So I decided to walk down to my local GAME store to buy a game that would work. Upon arrival I was really annoyed because I couldn't find one game in the whole store that would work on my Mac. Instead, I purchased two great games at a low cost (Prey-£5 and Far Cry-£5) which I could play on XP (which I installed on my Mac using boot camp). After firing up XP I installed the games but couldn't play them... after some frantic troubleshooting I found that XP doesn't currently support my graphics card- its too new- and that this was a problem many people with new Macbook Pro's were having. So? The Solution? Upgrade to Vista... not a pretty one, and so I decided to sacrifice the ability to play these games until someone created drivers for XP or Vista miraculously became an operating system that I would want to use.

So, with all these problems, what can Apple do to get themselves out of this situation. As much as I think Steve Jobs is a visionary, he overlooked some serious points when he decided to keep the OSX within Apple itself. In my experience, the only way they can solve this is to keep to their gameplan. Recently, Macs have become more consumer friendly and less niche, something which can only help to increase their market share in the computer market. Alongside this runs the fact that games undoubtably run better on a Mac, just as Mac's are superior to PC's in most other ways. If the market share rise continues up to a point where their portion is threatening Windows', they might just be able to force joint production of new games at equal prices: I bought Prey for PC at the lovely cost of £5, but when I picked it up in the Apple Store in London yesterday it was 'on offer' for £40! With this price gap, Apple can never compete, something which, whilst very sad, is undeniable...

Working for Apple: Cool, but basically unacheivable

2007-07-17T13:44:00.001-07:00

I've only just got my fist Apple laptop but it has already occurred to me that I have wanted to work for them ever since I first set my eyes on an iPod. That was the first time this company entered my conscious, and I uttered the words "That's cool". A fairly typical response, granted, but I get that feeling whenever I open up my Macbook Pro, or turn on my iPod on the way to work, or even walk into an Apple store. This is a source of contention in my family: they say that they understand how I feel, but I shouldn't set my sights on something that probably wont happen. Today I made my first attempt to break into the wonderful world of Apple, and lets just say things didn't go according to plan.

I'm in London doing some work experience at the moment and I made the decision to stop off at the Regent Street Apple store on the way back to inquire about the possibility of working there next year. Located in Oxford Circus (a massive shopping area), the store is token Apple: the outside is made up primarily of glass, and this extends to the interior: once you step onto inside you notice the large see-through staircase and elevator. The Regent Street branch is one of the largest in Europe, with around 35 full time staff (on the floor) in various Studios, One-To-One areas and tills. On my way upstairs I asked one of the employees if there was any way I could get work experience and his short answer was along the lines of 'NO', after which he quickly walked away. After a little more time spent wandering and some perseverance I managed to obtain a card from one of the other employees- the card had an email address for this branch, something that wasn't on the Apple website. My game-plan now is to write a lovely email begging them to let me work there for a couple of weeks.

But lets forget about me; why is getting a job for Apple so hard? I wanted a job far down the chain but you can imagine that it only gets harder as you move towards those who work on the manufacturing side of things. Obtaining a job at 1 Infinity Way, San Cupertino must be nigh on impossible, but its still a challenge I want to take. You can't blame people like Steve Jobs for being vigilant in his selection processes, but why is it so difficult to work in an Apple store? What makes working there so much better than every other retail store? Does anyone reading this post work for Apple? What is it like? If anyone could fill in these gaping holes for me, it would be much appreciated.

Hide-a-pod? The solution to your iPod security issues

2007-07-16T09:11:00.000-07:00

"You love your iPod. It’s a great product. You take it everywhere and you use it every day. But owning a device so desirable and fashionable as an iPod comes with one major drawback . . . the iPod has become a target for theft. So how can you take your iPod out of your home without fear?"

Thats the impressive pitch made by the latest iPod security device, the Hide-A-Pod... so what does this product offer? Well, despite being fake, you should take a serious look at the website, but in short, the Hide-A-Pod is a Zune case that has been emptied of its innards and intelligently engineered to disguise your iPod from would be robbers. Competetively priced at $30, the case is actually a real Zune case and comes with the brown Zune headphones to complete the disguise. Of course, the principle it works on is that the Zune is so damn ugly that no one would want to steal it.. the case is only stocked in brown so as to deter the thieves as much as possible. Just to sidetrack briefly, who at Microsoft decided that faeces brown was a good colour choice for their "iPod killer"?

Its really a shame that this is all a joke; I was quite impressed by the website design and the product idea, but when I tried to buy one I was denied the opportunity. Oh well... I just hope that someone picks up on the fact that whilst being hilarious this is a pretty cool idea for an iPod security device. It offers protection to the iPod whilst delivering a sucker-punch to the Zune creators. That'll teach 'em for creating an 'iPod killer'.

Multi-Touch iPods that run Leopard? WTF?

2007-07-12T05:46:00.001-07:00

I for one have been waiting a long time for a new version of the iPod: I bought one of the "video" iPods when they came out two years ago, but have been since waiting for what Steve Jobs famously calls the "true video" iPod. It just so happens that early this morning some information from DigiTimes was released, stating that Wintek (A Taiwan based company) will be producing multi-touch capable screens for the new iPod which will be released before Macworld in January 2008. However, sources say that Apple is prepping the iPod for an earlier August release, although to me this sounds very rushed. Another addition to the new iPod will be the fact that they will run on an embedded version of OSX (just like the iPhone), something which Steve Jobs confirmed during his internal comapany speech last month. But before you get too exciented, I doubt the iPod will feature significant wireless capabilities or internet access.

If Apple are smart about this, they could really elevate the iPod again... imagine this: due to the iPod running off OSX you can use coverflow to browse your albums, and if you haven't got album artwork you can use the limited internet capabilities to download it from iTunes running on your home computer. With the large touchscreen Apple could even re-design the user interface: in an ideal world it would have a tap and drag interface with integrated organisational tools (similar to iTunes)- you can create playlists and type onscreen to organise your music.

I have a feeling that August is far too early to launch the new iPod: I'm going to place my bets on the fact that the 6G iPod launch will coincide with the launch of Leopard on October 31st. This would allow Apple to install a minituarised version of Leopard onto all the iPods, rather than releasing them in August with a soon to be outdated operating system.
The new iPod or just a pretender?

Leopard set to be the final nail in Vista's coffin

2007-07-11T01:44:00.000-07:00

When Leapord is released on October 31st 2007, you can imagine the whole of Windows waiting with bated breath to see whether Apple has come up with the goods. Unfortunately for them, Vista is a huge mess of an operating system, and feels hugely rushed. All the flashy presentation (shamelessly plagiarised from Tiger) is nice to look at, but it doesn't really disguise the fact that the internal workings of the OS haven't been properly thought through. Rather than rushing to compete with Vista, Apple have waited until their software engineers felt Leopard was ready, releasing a beta for developers at WWDC last month.

So what did they think of it? Well, despite the underwelming Steve Jobs speech, those who were lucky enough to get a copy of the beta have been mostly impressed. The main things people are concerned with are:
1)The aesthetics- from what I have heard the translucent menu bar is less distracting than usual, and the newly 3D dock is pretty nice to look at. Apple have paid attention to every small detail, rounding off the menu bars and making the dock reflective.
2)Spaces- This seems like a really intelligent and helpful idea, and for the most part it works well, clearing your desktop of loads of open applications and putting them into respective spaces.
3)Time Machine- This, it seems, is a fantastic addition: it works seamlessly, and easily keeps track of deleted items even if the trash can is emptied multiple times. Time Machine is a great addition to the Apple OSX's, and gives it a leg up on Vista, which does not contain this functionality. Time Machine is also really easy to use, with a great user interface and single click recoveries.
4)Stacks- A fantastic way to organize files and folders where they can be easily accessed. Also has lovely animation on the pop-up of the stacks themselves.
5)Dashboard/Widgets- This is my favourite addition to the new OS; you can add widgets to your dashboard using Webclip just as easily as Steve Jobs did in WWDC (see video below for WWDC presentation). This opens huge oppportunities in terms of personalising your dashboard to fit your own preferences. I am really looking forward to testing out this new application.

6)New Finder- I didn't really have an issue with this in the first place, but there have been improvements in terms of where and how you can search. The ability to search servers is really impressive, and integrates .Mac into its functionality: it is now possible to share files with other computers on your .Mac network through "Back To My Mac". The integration of cover flow into Finder also ensures more eye candy, which is always good!
7)Quick Look- On Leopard it is possible to view files without actually opening them: at WWDC Steve Jobs looked through PDF's and keynote presentations without opening them.

All in all, Leopard is looking as if it is going to be a solid progression for Apple: although there are some flaws in the beta handed out at WWDC Apple have had months to correct their mistakes. The list of things above is a very small proportion of the 300 new features making their way into Leopard: if they are all integrated with the same kind of useablity then Leopard will turn out to be a fantastic operating system. Click the following link to see some of Apple's official videos concerning a few of Leopard's new features.

Where next for the iPhone?

2007-07-09T00:33:00.000-07:00

It seems at the moment that Steve Jobs has the world in the palm of his hand- after massive commercial success with the iPhone stateside the obvious question arises: where to go next with this cool product? Many people have already questioned how it stands up as a $600 cell phone, touting the call quality as "poor" and the touch-screen "hard to get to grips with". The thing is, it will be undeniably succesful in my opinion: you would be hard pressed to find a more popular product launch in the last 100 years, and this will no doubt continue. There are websites devoted to the dismantling and "cracking" of the iPhone, where people take a look at its inner workings and ways in which they can use it on a provider other than AT&T. But if Apple is going to keep the fanboys sated they will need to come up with something special for the next generation, just in the way they did with the iPod: the 3G iPod was far superior to its predecessor, incorporating new features and larger capacity into a smaller, more attractive shell.

But what can Apple do? The glaringly obvious solution would be to make the next iPhone 3G: even Steve Jobs says he's unhappy with the speed of the EDGE system, and there is huge room for improvement in this department. Another thing, as I mentioned earlier, is the shoddy call quality: a slight oversight from Apple... considering its primary function is a phone, you would expect it to work flawlessly as a mobile. The main problem with the iPhone is that Apple might have concentrated too much on the other aspects such as its function as an iPod; Apple were right when they said the iPhone was "the best iPod we ever made"... it's also the worst phone they could have made, other than the adress book and conference call capabilities (which save it).

One of the main selling points for the iPhone is its user interface and lovely glossy touchscreen: reviews in the press have said that this isn't so much of a selling point because typing isn't as easy as it looks in the adverts. Those who have abnormally large sausage-fingers will find hitting the right key hard because your hands will cover at least 2 of the on-screen keys. It's a scenario similar to The Simpsons: when Homer dials a number- "Sorry, Sir- your fingers are too fat to dial this number". Although the predictive software on the iPhone is very advanced, it cannot correct all the mistakes people make when typing on the touch-screen keyboard.

Although the iPhone has had a massively succesful launch, the aftermath backlash has shown that many people are far from satisfied with their new product. Apple will have to produce something special if they want to keep everyone's interest in this product: as the cartoon at the top of this post shows, miracles are the only thing that can help the iPhone live up to our expectations.

Best Mac widgets for bloggers

2007-07-08T05:22:00.000-07:00

I've got over the initial phase of owning a macbook, where you are simply in awe of the new machine. The next phase involves copious amounts of experimentation as you try out different button combos and widgets on your Dashboard. My favourite thing I've found is the speech recognition software, but I'll talk more about that some other time. The topic of this post is the best widgets I've found so far: specifically ones tailored towards bloggers such as myself. Dashboard is a very useful tool: it allows you to have a variety of different functions at the press of a button... I have found a few widgets which are great, such as Dashalytics. For those of you who don't use Google Analytics, it basically shows who is visiting your sight, where they are from, when they came, how long they stayed for and what they were looking at. It is an invaluable tool which I use every day in order to optimise my blog: in particular its good to know which posts are most popular so you can write more in the same style. Dashalytics basically compresses all the information into a widget, so you don't have to open safari to see your latest stats.

Another really good widget for those who run websites and blogs is Widsense. Another one of my favourite Google services is Adsense: in simple terms Adsense is the placement of adverts on your website/blog which relate to its content. These ads generate revenue for you on a per-click basis, and in this way, you can make money. The widget relating to this service is Widsense: again, this compiles all your Adsense account information, allowing you to easily view how many clicks your ads get each day, and how much money you are earning...

Apple to lower itunes album prices

2007-07-06T09:35:00.001-07:00

In a move confirmed today by some of Apple's iTunes representatives, the Apple music store will see lower prices for albums across the board. After an announcement yesterday that Universal would not be continuing their partnership with Apple, there must have been some nervousness in the Apple headquarters. It seems the announcement that many albums' prices will be lowered to around 6 dollars could not have come at a better time.

Artists who will be selling cheaper albums include LCD Soundsystem, Peter, Bjorn and John and Hot Chip, and I'm certain we will see many more music labels signing up over the next few weeks. As an added bonus, some of the tracks are iTunes Plus, so there is no DRM. This- and the fact that the albums are cheaper than you would find them in a bargain bin- will only help to close iTunes hold on the internet music market. So if you're contemplating puchasing a new album over the next few weeks, check out iTunes before you head down to your overpriced local record store...

Macbook Pro- Day 2 and still going strong

2007-07-06T00:12:00.000-07:00

It's really wierd that when you have been waiting so long for something and you finally get it, it takes on some kind of higher meaning. During a rainstorm last night, I was awoken because I though water was dripping through the ceiling onto my beloved Macbook Pro. Normally I would have slept right on through it, but the thought of a drenched Macbook Pro brought me out of my slumbers. The good news is that it was all just my imagination, and after a couple more hours of use the Macbook Pro is still going strong. I am starting to learn more about the UI (User Interface), such as how to scroll down using two fingers, and the way the touchpad works. I calibrated my battery yesterday, and downloaded a few more widgets (try iStat Pro, the best one I've seen so far.

Another thing I noticed when testing the laptop was the battery indicator on its underside: by pressing a button on the battery, you can see how much battery remains without turning on the Macbook Pro. Not new, I know, but still very handy... I tried out a few more of the programs yesterday, such as Adress Book and iTunes, which are both solid pieces of software; I know the functionality has been around for a while now but Cover Flow is fantastic: seeing all your albums artwork fly by and then picking one out is much more satisfying than choosing from a list, don't you think? This evening I am thinking of trying out Boot Camp and installing XP.

Apple files Multi-Touch mouse patent

2007-07-05T13:19:00.000-07:00

Take a closer look; you may have glanced over the image above this post, but if you know your way around Apple's product you will be able to see that this is a wireless Mighty Mouse with a twist. All those little squares and arrows you see on the image are the pieces of technolgy which are used in Multi-Touch, Apple's latest innovation. The accompaniing notes will have a completely transparent shell, with a strong light source contained inside. The multi-touch effect is created when the user touches the shell; reflecting some of the light back where there is contact. The internal sensor then uses positional software to interpret the user's movements. In theory at least, this could help move all of Apple's computer products forward without requiring Multi-Touch to be integrated into the hardware. This would present a low cost way of furthering Apple's lead in terms of innovation.

We can only hope that they do something good with this idea, rather than using the patent as a barrier to other companies who are considering testing out Multi-Touch.

Macbook Pro Review- The Redux Version

2007-07-05T00:23:00.000-07:00

I was so infatuated with my new Macbook Pro last night that I couldn't bear to be separated from it, and thus I didn't really want to write a review. Instead, I wrote a little bit about my first thoughts: this post is a redux review, if you like.... I am now at work so I can't play with my new toy!

Well, there are many things I didn't cover in my "review" yesterday, and they are mostly small things. The weird thing is, with Apple products, its the small things that make the difference. For example, I was astounded when my Mac picked up our wireless network as soon as I turned it on, even as it was still installing the Operating System. Once you get Safari up and running, you will notice that pages load very quickly, much quicker than your average PC web browser such as IE or Firefox (until Safari for Windows came out..): this is partly to do with the pipelineing of Safari-it loads pages before all the information has been obtained, rather than waiting until everything has been transferred to your computer.

I was really curious to see how the Macbook Pro deals with sound as it has unusually large speakers on either side of the keyboard. I copied the new Editors album into iTunes yesterday (quickly, but more on that later), and then blasted out the first track at full volume. I'm not bragging, but this laptop must have the best speakers on the market: by making them bigger, the sound quality is great, without that trademark tinny feedback- the compromise you make with small speakers. As an added bonus, the audio team at Apple have somehow managed to produce lots of bass from the speakers, something which I have never seen in a 15" laptop. The CD drive, as I highlighted early, is very quick whilst remaining quiet. The only time it makes any noise is when you put a disk inside, one of the features which I love most about this piece of technology. In terms of its speed, it copies CD's fast, although it takes about a minute to get up to full speed. Once the CD is inside there is no audible noise, and the drive has not caused any scratches on any of my test CDs so far.

One of the main selling points of an Apple computer is the software it comes packaged with. Previous incarnations have had people complaining that there is nothing to replace theOffice suite (Word, Excel) you get but that problem has been eliminated with the invention of Boot Camp and Parallels. The presentation of Vista shows massive similarities with Tiger, which was around before Windows had even thought of creating a new OS. Can you imagine what Leopard's going to do to Vista's (already poor) market share? I can only laugh: Vista is pretty crap, and isn't having the impact expected: Leopard is going to come along and whipe the floor with Windows, hopefully increasing Apple's market share in the computer market. But enough on that: the software included is really cool to use: things like Photo Booth and Garage Band are great time wasters and you even get free trials of .Mac, Aperture and Office Mac. Aperture is a great way to test the inbuilt camera, which has seen an upgrade from 1.3 to 2 Megapixels.
Finally, something which has been covered many times before, but I just can't get over why someone didn't think of it before. The Magsafe system (whereby the power cable is held in by magnets, and pops out if pulled) is so smart, and it really works. Tugging the power cable accidentally no longer results in your laptop crashing to the floor or being pulled off a surface: the power adapter simply pops out. This cheap idea really makes you think... most companies would want their laptops to fall and break, as then consumers would buy a new one. Apple are different: they really do care about their customers!

Its the small things which count? As Apple shows with this intelligently designed product, that definitely is true. Well, over the next few weeks I'm sure you will probably be seeing a Redux Redux version, as I discover more about the latest addition to the Macbook Pro line.

Me= Now the owner of a Macbook Pro

2007-07-04T12:21:00.000-07:00

I can't quite express how I feel right now, but today something happened which I have been waiting for for a long, long time. Due to a great deal of luck and some extreme generosity from my parents, I am now the proud owner of a 2.2 Ghz Macbook Pro. Yes, one of the new ones, with the Santa Rosa platform and the LED screen.

I'm not sure why, but when I started inquiring about the new Macbook Pro's a couple of weeks after they were released, I was sent a message saying that there was limited stock. After calling all my local stores every couple of days, I was so happy today when the representative at my local store told me they had 5 in stock. My Mum went down (I was at work) this morning, and came back to the house clutching a nice looking box labeled Macbook Pro. When I got home, I was so excited about this amazing piece of design that I took about 10 minutes getting the box open. After I did that, I was again privy to one of the most intuitive pieces of packaging I've seen in my life.

The coolest thing about Apple products is their simplicity: once I got the thing out of it's box and unpackaged all the accessories, I turned on the laptop and it began the initialization sequence (Apple ID etc..). Once I had restarted after installing updates, it worked perfectly, straight out of the box. That in itself is a very impressive aspect of this product, but it only gets better as you spend more time with it. The first thing you notice when you take it out of the box is its design: its hard to deny that this laptop is a sexy machine, all sleek silver and perfectly rounded corners. The next thing is the screen: one of the main selling points of this laptop is the fantastic LED screen: the resolution is nothing short of incredible and the contrast ratio must be huge (bright whites, and dark blacks.

Once you log on, you will be struck by the speed of the machine- rather than tacking things together like most PC producers, Apple have put together a well rounded machine with fully integrated systems, and it shows. The processor is very quick, and doesn't struggle under heavy usage due to the 2Gb of RAM which is 667 Mhz, a step up from the previous incarnation. There is also a better graphics card this time around, but I haven't had time to test the 3D abilities of the Pro. In terms of the hardware, I can't really fault it, other than the fact that it's quite expensive (although you are paying for a quality product).

Said laptop is calling to me at the moment, so I'm going to have to stop there before I bore you. I would be more than happy to continue writing about this if anyone in the blogosphere is curious about the new Macbook Pro. If you want to contact me about some particular aspect of the laptop, leave a comment.

Apple Ipod Shuffle Review

2007-07-04T00:26:00.000-07:00

It was my Mum's birthday on the first of July, and I was curious when my Dad gave her the final present, a small, curved-edged box. Upon ripping off the packaging, I could see just from the top of the packaging that this was an Apple product. Once all the wrapping paper had been removed, there lay a lime-green second generation iPod shuffle, presented beautifully in a translucent perspex box. This might sound really pretentious, but I think that with Apple products, the packaging is part of the product, and they always work hard to make it look great. This pays off: I don't know anyone who has thrown away the packaging for an Apple product... it is a work of art, even without the product inside it. In the case of the shuffle, it was housed in a clear perspex box with a hinged opening mechanism, but the only thing visible in the box was the shuffle. Underneath a piece of white card (in the lower half of the box) lay all the essentials: the headphones, the USB cable, dock etc.

So, what of the shuffle itself, I hear you thinking... well, it does exactly what it says on the tin (or perspex box; delete where applicable). It's so light, durable and easy to use that you can actually forget it's there if you want to... To break it down into a bit more detail, the ipod shuffle uses a standard 1GB flash drive with no movign parts; it never skips- even under constant movement. It is housed in an attractive aluminium case, which has very few buttons; a clickwheel of sorts, a repeat/shuffle button and an On/Off button. Because of the very few moving parts and buttons, the shuffle can be used by anyone, whatever their technlogical tilt. As I said, my Mum doesn't really use computer's that much and has never had an mp3 player before, but she was able to identify immediately with the basic working of the iPod shuffle.

My Dad purchased the shuffle in the USA for a competetively priced $80. With 1 GB of storage, this is a good price and capacity for a casual mp3 user, although some might find the lack of a screen frustrating, as there is no way to scroll through your songs. However, in this point lies the joy of the Shuffle: you can dump it in its dock at the beginning of each day and your computer (with iTunes, of course) will randomly select a selection of songs to fill up the iPod. This ensures that each listening experience is different: you never know what you're going to hear next. If you don't like the idea of this, then you can always create a playlist with a pre-determined track order, but I think that removes the unique selling point of this mp3 player.

All in all, the shuffle presents a good continuation of one of Apple's smaller product lines: it updates some of the features of the older generation whilst making the product smaller, more durable and easier to use. The shuffle functionality is really intriguing for the casual user, although those who have more music should buy an mp3 player with more capacity and a screen.

700,000 iPhones sold over 3 day period

2007-07-03T12:35:00.000-07:00

Official figures have not been released yet, but there has been confident speculation that over 700,000 iPhones were sold over the 3 day period since Friday. This would make the iPhone launch the biggest of any commercial product ever, which is very impressive. Apple can be confident in the fact that although they have not produced the best specced product, the great user interface has attracted a huge audience: with this insight it looks like that 10 million target could be reached by the end of the year. You can only hope that now the iPhone hype is over, Apple will transfer more resources back to their other products and release them to the same success.

Another interesting tidbit: Steve Jobs is giving free iPhones to everyone who has worked for Apple for over a year. Business Times figures state that the official figure will be 17,000. That's a lot of iPhones to give away, but its great that Apple are showing their reliance on their employees.

Big picture, Big iPhone

iphone.com purchased by Apple

2007-07-03T07:02:00.000-07:00

You would think that a company who are known to have "street-smarts" like Apple would think things through before launching a new product. But no, instead of looking over the net to see what domains were available, Apple named their product the iPhone. Now we have all heard of the Sisco-Apple debacle which occured when Apple first tried to name their product, but it turns out that there have been more recent going-ons concerning the phone. According to sources, Apple have been losing a huge amount of potential website traffic due to one website, www.iphone.com. If you click that hyperlink, you will notice that it redirects you to the Apple website, but this was not always the case. The domain name, previously owned by entrepeneur Michael Kovatch, was bought by Apple yesterday for an undisclosed seven-digit sum. The funny thing is, Kovatch was planning to build a business around the title iPhone since he aqcuired the domain in 1995, but it looks like Apple beat him to it!

Multi-Touch to be integrated into Apple computers

2007-07-02T10:50:00.000-07:00

Imagine my surprise when a "source" revealed earlier this morning that there was to be a serious upgrade on the macbook line this October to coincide with the release of Leopard. It seems Apple were waiting for the dust to settle after the iPhone weekend before releasing any information or continuing work on any of their other product lines; it was announced this morning that half a million iPhones were sold over the weekend. But I'm not writing this post to talk about the iPhone, which I think has received more than enough coverage over the last couple of weeks. I heard through the grapevine early this morning that Apple is going to be integrating multi-touch™ software into their computers over the coming year. In particular, the macbook was mentioned, which would lend itself well to a multi-touch upgrade. There has even been talk of including multi touch technology in the touch-pad of the 13.3" notebook, rather than making the whole screen multi-touch compatible, which would likely rack the price up by a large proportion of the original cost.

Whatever Apple chooses to do, there is a massive amount of potential in terms of how this could affect the way Apple laptops work. If they play their cards right and fully patent this technology on laptops, then they could increase their market share considerably (from the 6% they have at the moment). Think about it; can you imagine how cool it would be to scroll through your iTunes library with cover flow on your small multi-touch scrollpad whilst doing some intense photo editing with CS3?

Multi-Touch in action

One iphone not enough for Steve Wozniak?

2007-07-01T07:57:00.000-07:00

Just found some images over at AppleInsider of Steve Wozniak, Apple's co-creator, who was first in line at Santa Clara retail store, just as he had said he would be. He waited patiently for hours to buy the phone, even though Steve Jobs had promised to send him one on Saturday. And his reason; he wanted to "see the future early" and the wait in the line was a celebration: as the iPhone had finally been finished.

Wozniak sounds really cool; although he was treated like a VIP once inside the store, he was perfectly happy to mingle with the crowd whilst in the queue, and he stayed behind after he clamped his hands on the beatiful little box housing one of the phones, rather than making a quick exit. He even handed out t-shirts similar to his own, all of which said "The line starts here" on the back.

The iPhone "sell out" that didn't happen

2007-07-01T04:52:00.000-07:00

Update: The 1800 or so AT&T have sold out of iPhones, according to official spokesperson Mark Spiegel. The status of the apple stores around the USA wasn't revealed. If you are looking to order off of the Apple website, they will be shipping the 8GB versions in around 4 weeks.

Well, it seems the initial hype for the iPhone which caused thousands of people to wait in massive queues was slightly over exaggerated; once the dust setteled- from the iFever that has dominated the press for the last 6 months- it turns out that there are still piles of iPhones sitting idly in stores across the USA. Gizmodo have said that when they called up a selection of Apple stores every one had a plentiful supply of the phones. This bodes very well for Apple and Steve Jobs in particular; rather than having a dry spell for the next few months whilst more of the phones are produced, Apple's sales can continue to rise because they have produced more iPhones than the initial demand. If you were on of those who didn't bother to visit your local AT&T dealer or Apple store, get down there now and you might have a chance of laying your hands on one of the phones before they sell out. Just bear in mind that you might have an excruciatingly long wait before you can actually start using it; there have been thousands of complaints that people's iPhones aren't activating. It seems the AT&T EDGE system is struggling with the initial demands of that many iPhones, but I'm sure that will settle down.

One of the lucky people who got one at the New York store

iPhone roundup: reviews etc...

2007-06-30T13:37:00.000-07:00

You would have to be totally unaware not to notice the huge amount of column inches and TV time the iPhone is taking up at the moment: in the days leading up to its release at 6 PM yesterday there was an anticipation so large no other technological product of the last decade can compare in the sheer amount of excitement it creates; there were people queuing at stores all over the USA, some of who didn't even know what the iPhone was! From the "iLoser's" who were waiting patiently outside the New York Store since Monday to guarantee themselves one of the phones, touted by some as "the next generation of mobile technology"- this smart little piece of technology has been hard to miss. In the aftermath, I've decided to do a round up of- in my view at least- the most comprehensive and up to date iPhone reviews and related news on the internet.

1. Cnet review(video and text)
2. PC World comprehensive review
3. Gizmodo iPhone unboxing
4. Thinksecret iPhone dismantling
5. Comparative review against Nokia N95, Palm Treo and other smartphones
6. iPhone first impressions from an iPhone blog
7. Engdadget's hands on in HD
8. PC World stress test
9. First guy to drop his iPhone!
10. iPhone interface high resolution shots
11. "iLoser" Steve Wozniak interview
12. Walt Mossberg's video iPhone review
13. David Pogue's iPhone review (text and video)

I'm sure there are thousands of reviews on the net that aren't in these lists, and I'm sorry if I missed anyone really important out. However, these are the reviews that I think are concise and get straight to the point. Roll on the period in time when I can actually afford to buy one of these things, and they are released in Europe.

The "boring" introduction!

2007-06-30T08:30:00.000-07:00

Well, just for the required introduction, I am obviously a massive fan of Apple- I love their products, both in terms of the way they work and their lovely ergonomics... Before I peel back the layers and get under the skin of this amazing company (both deliberately bad puns; I just had to get that out of my system), I will just introduce myself: It has long been a dream for me to work out at 1 Infinity Way, San Cupertino (Apple Headquarters if you were wondering) under Steve Jobs, but I know that there is a very low chance of this dream becoming a reality. Oh well, you can only hope, huh? I am currently the proud owner of a 30 Gb 5th generation iPod and am going to buy one of the new 15 inch mabook pro's in the coming weeks. As any apple afficionado would, I have the normal habit of following all the apple news with bated breath, and thought that now is as good a time as ever to start writing about Apple, what with the release of the iPhone yesterday evening.

I can only hope that this blog will someday lie among the greats in apple news, such as Macrumors and Thinksecret. Welcome to The Apple Of My Eye.