The Apple Core

August 19th, 2008

Dell to offer one year warranty extension on GeForce 8600M GT

Posted by Jason D. O'Grady @ 12:57 pm

Categories: MacBook Pro, Graphics, GPU

Tags: Dell Computer Corp., Nvidia GeForce, NVidia Corp., Notebooks, Hardware, Notebooks & Tablets, Jason D. O'Grady

On 8 August 2008 I reported that some MacBook Pros with the NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT GPUs were failing prematurely. Today Dell extended the warranty on their notebooks that use the chip.

According to a post on setteB.IT (Italian | English translation):

Dell will offer 12-month limited warranty enhancement to all worldwide customers of 15 laptop with defective Nvidia GPUs. These Dell laptops use nine models of graphic processor unit, only one of them is also used on MacBook Pro models (15″ and 17″), sold from mid 2007 to now. It’s the GeForce 8600M GT (from 128 to 512 MB). What is Apple doing for these customers and why Nvidia doesn’t say the name of all defective models

August 19th, 2008

Apple releases iPhone 2.0.2, as usual, sans changelog

Posted by Jason D. O'Grady @ 9:45 am

Categories: General

Tags: Software, Apple iPhone, Apple Inc., Software Update, Jason D. O'Grady

Apple today release firmware 2.0.2 for iPhone and the iPod touch. Yipee.

But, once again, Apple is completely lame in the software update department. This screen is a perfect example:

Apple needs to begin implementing a real changelog with its software updates. It’s pretty arrogant to expect customers to blindly download and install their software updates because they offer “bug fixes.”

Like what?

I bet 2.0.2 kills PwnageTool, Cydia and Installer.app. What about new beaconware and remote kill backdoors? Granted, Apple will never give us that level of detail, but what about starting slowly. For example:

• Speed improvements when flipping pages on home screen
• Better support for partial downloads from the App Store
• Fixed a bug in the calendar that …
• Fixed a bug in mail that …

Personally, I’m boycotting this update until I find out what it really “fixes” and I suggest that you do the same thing. Word is that it doesn’t do anything to fix the 3G data reception issue anyway.

I’m interested in your thoughts on Apple’s lack of a changelog. If you’ve found any changes in the 2.0.2 firmware post them in TalkBack.

August 19th, 2008

Google revs Android SDK

Posted by Jason D. O'Grady @ 9:13 am

Categories: Smartphone, Google, iPhone Killer

Tags: Google Inc., SDK, Jason D. O'Grady

Speaking of Android, Google released a new SDK (sdk v0.9_r1) a few hours ago. Some features that caught reader plusminus‘ eye include:

• The new Desktop-Style Home-Screen (moveable and customizable shortcuts. Completely slideable once to left and right!)
• StreetView (awesome implementation, can use Compass if available! Feels just like on the Desktop.)
• The browser (feels faster)
• SMS-Sending
• Ringtones for Contacts
• New Dialer (+ Calculator)

You can find 31 additional screenshots here.

VentureBeat also has posted an analysis of the Android SDK.

August 19th, 2008

Tom Bihn announces first “Checkpoint Friendly” bag

Posted by Jason D. O'Grady @ 7:00 am

Categories: Cases, Luggage, MacBook Pro, MacBook, Bags

Tags: Tom Bihn, Checkpoint Flyer, Notebooks, Hardware, Notebooks & Tablets, Jason D. O'Grady

On Friday 16 August 2008 the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) launched their new “checkpoint-friendly” bag policy. The policy allows notebook computers in “checkpoint-friendly” bags to remain in their case while being scanned, sort of.

In order to qualify under the program the bag must have a designated notebook-only section that unfolds to lie flat on the X-ray machine. The compartment cannot contain metal snaps, zippers, buckles or pockets. If the notebook section of your bag can unfold and lie flat, then you don’t have to remove it from the bag when it goes through the X-ray scanner.

Bag manufacturer Tom Bihn appears to be the first company out of the gate to offer a “checkpoint-friendly” notebook bag. Their Checkpoint Flyer Briefcase (US$220) is a briefcase-style laptop bag that includes protective compartment for a notebook computer that flips out.

The Checkpoint Flyer provides the TSA with a clear, unobstructed x-ray view of the laptop in the bag without sacrificing organizational pockets and clean design.

The Checkpoint Flyer is available for pre-order through the Tom Bihn Web site and will ship in late September according to the company. It will be available in red, grey and black.

I don’t have any pictures of the notebook section unfolded but will post them when I get them.

August 18th, 2008

MobileMe subscribers get a 60 day extension

Posted by Jason D. O'Grady @ 7:10 pm

Categories: MobileMe

Tags: Subscriber, MobileMe, E-mail, Online Communications, Jason D. O'Grady

The following email was sent this evening to MobileMe subscribers detailing a free 60 days extension of their service. This extension is in addition to the 30 days that were given back in July.

We have already made many improvements to MobileMe, but we still have many more to make. To recognize our users’ patience, we are giving every MobileMe subscriber as of today a free 60 day extension. This is in addition to the one month extension most subscribers have already received. We are working very hard to make MobileMe a great service we can all be proud of. We know that MobileMe’s launch has not been our finest hour, and we truly appreciate your patience as we turn this around. Read this article for more details.

The MobileMe Team

August 18th, 2008

Garmin Project Bobcat beta software hits version 2.0.0.8

Posted by Jason D. O'Grady @ 10:17 am

Categories: Accessory, Gadget, Software, Mac OS, GPS

Tags: Software, Apple Macintosh, Garmin Ltd., GPS Receiver, Project Bobcat, GPS, Desktops, Handhelds, Consumer Electronics, Personal Technology

I’m pretty partial to my nüvi GPS receiver from Garmin because I’ve always preferred the nüvi’s maps and user interface design to that of their competition. One thing that’s a boon for Mac owners is Garmin’s beta Project Bobcat software for Mac OS X that was announced in January and was recently updated to version 2.0.0.8 in July.

Typically, GPS receivers require that you peck out your destination address on the built-in touchscreen on the device. While fine for occasional use the touchscreen isn’t exactly efficient when it comes to entering long addresses or multiple waypoints. A much faster way to get waypoints into your nüvi is to use their Project Bobcat software for Mac OS X.

Bobcat makes your life much easier by allowing you to transfer waypoints, tracks, and routes between your Mac and your Garmin device, manage your data using your Garmin maps, search for points of interest from the convenience of your Mac then sync them to your GPS receiver. Bobcat is also excellent for removing erroneous and duplicate entries in your Favorites list and for fixing waypoint typos that you never get around to.

Bobcat is another great reason for Mac owners to love the nüvi.

What’s your preferred automotive GPS receiver these days? Why?

August 18th, 2008

Will the HTC Dream be an iPhone killer?

Posted by Jason D. O'Grady @ 9:10 am

Categories: iPhone, T-Mobile, iPhone Killer

Tags: FCC, Apple iPhone, High Tech Computer Corp., Federal Government, Cellular Phones, Government, Consumer Electronics, Personal Technology, Jason D. O'Grady

Sure, we’ve heard about our share of iPhone killers including the Blackberry Thunder, Bold/9000, Samsung Instinct, Verizon Voyager, the list goes on. There are so many of them that I created a special category for them here at The Apple Core. If anything has a chance at catching the iPhone it’s the Google mobile phone platform, Android.

Engadget reports that the long-awaited “Googlephone” may be ready to make its official debut as the HTC Dream handset, which just received FCC approval. According to the FCC filing the handset is listed as type, “Dream” with a model of “DREA100.” The following picture is from the FCC filing:

T-Mobile, HTC and Google are believed to announce the Dream in September with an October launch.

Do you think that every time someone proclaims some new phone to be an “iPhone killer” Apple engineers tape it up in their lockers, Michael Phelps-style, for motivation? I do.

August 18th, 2008

Apple acknowledges reception problem in iPhone 3G

Posted by Jason D. O'Grady @ 8:52 am

Categories: Steve Jobs, iPhone, 3G

Tags: Apple iPhone, Apple Inc., Apple iPhone 3G, 3G, E-mail, Cellular Phones, Wireless, Consumer Electronics, Personal Technology, Online Communications

According to an email response received from a MacRumors reader purportedly from Steve Jobs, the iPhone 3G connectivity issue affects 2 percent of iPhones shipped and is fixable through a software update. The email response was as follows:

We are working on some bugs which affect around 2% of the iPhones shipped, and hope to have a software update soon.

Steve

According to a poll in my 14 August story about the issue 64 percent or respondents said that they were having problems with their iPhone 3G data reception.

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August 18th, 2008

iRibbit Plus eBay client iPhone now available in App Store

Posted by Jason D. O'Grady @ 8:39 am

Categories: 3G, App Store, 2G

Tags: Apple iPhone, eBay Inc., App, Cloud Computing, Digital Music, Digital Media, Personal Technology, Consumer Electronics, Jason D. O'Grady

Apple has approved iRibbit Plus for distribution in the iTunes App Store. iRibbit Plus is a free official eBay app for the iPhone that is based on the Web app that they created last year that won the 2008 Star Developer award from eBay.

iRibbit Plus is even better than the iPhone app developed by eBay because it includes a killer countdown timer feature (pictured) for bidding in the last couple seconds and a one-of-a-kind alert system to remind you of when auctions are ending.

There are also status alerts on the front page of the app based on what you are bidding and watching as well as total counts.

August 15th, 2008

Just what’s on Michael Phelps’ iPod anyway?

Posted by Jason D. O'Grady @ 7:15 am

Categories: iPod, Music

Tags: Apple iPod, Digital Music, Digital Media, Personal Technology, Consumer Electronics, Jason D. O'Grady

I don’t know about you but I’ve been spending a lot of time enjoying the Michael Phelps Show, er, Summer Olympics this week.

One thing that piqued my interested was the world’s greatest athlete’s choice in music player. In practically every shot of him at the pool Phelps can be seen wearing the iconic white earbuds that are attached to, what else, but an Apple iPod.

So what does the human dolphin listen to before winning Olympic gold medals and breaking world records?

According to the Today Show on 12 August, 2008:

What did I have on today? I think I had Lil Wayne, “I’m Me.” I
think I had that on there

Roger Catlin makes some inferences on 10 August 10, 2008:

Before his 400 meter individual medley in the 2004 Summer Olympics in
Athens, Michael Phelps was listening to Eminem’s “Till I Collapse” on
his ever-present iPod to help him focus. What’s he listening to as he wins gold in Beijing? Nobody has said for certain, but he has said in his own website that he was listening to Young Jeezy at the World Championships in Melbourne. If he was still listening to Young Jeezy in China, the applicable titles might have been:

• “The Inspiration (Follow Me)”
• “Soul Survivor”
• “Tear It Up”
• “Let’s Get It / Sky’s the Limit”
• “Get Ya Mind Right”
• “I Love It”
• “Go Getta”
• “Thug Motivation 101″
• “And Then What”

12/8 Terra weighs in on 8 August, 2008 with some selections from Phelps Hit List on Rhapsody which includes the following tracks:

1. Overnight Celebrity by Twista
2. Burn by Usher
3. Roses by Outkast
4. ‘Till I Collapse by Eminem
5. Smile by G Unit

Regardless of the music Phelps is an obvious phenom, up there with Tiger, Jordan and Gretzky. Apple should step up and offer him a nice contract to endorse the iPod – and they should do it now before Nike signs him up to a long term exclusive endorsement deal.