November 19th, 2009

Apple Tablet - Unofficial, unannounced ... but still delayed

Posted by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes @ 6:27 am

Categories: Apple, Hardware, In the news

Tags: Apple Inc., DigiTimes, Tablets, Notebooks, Hardware, Notebooks & Tablets, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

It hasn’t been announced it yet, heck, there’s not even any official confirmation of its existence yet, but that doesn’t stop rampant speculation that the Apple’s tablet PC has been delayed until the second half of 2010.

DigiTimes has the info:

“Apple reportedly plans to postpone the launch of its tablet PC from an original March launch schedule to the second half of 2010, as the vendor has decided to switch some components and plans to launch a model using a 9.7-inch OLED panel from LG Display, according to sources from component makers.”

Bottom line, parts will be cheaper come H2 ‘10, which makes sense but then again I don’t see why Apple would “delay” a tablet because of this, given that it’s pretty apparent (especially to a big OEM like Apple) that components get cheaper over time. That’s just common sense.

Should we take reports that a rumored product has been delayed seriously?

November 17th, 2009

Apple's "force fed ads" patent more likely related to content, not hardware

Posted by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes @ 5:55 am

Categories: Apple

Tags: Advertisement, Apple Inc., Hardware, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Interesting news that Apple is pursuing a patent application for “forced advertising” - but does this move heralding free devices, or free content?

The New York Times gives us the lowdown on how it’ll work:

The technology can freeze the device until the user clicks a button or answers a test question to demonstrate that he or she has dutifully noticed the commercial message.

My ZDNet colleague Jason O’Grady believes that this move could see Apple introducing a line of ad-supported, or possibly even free, iPhones:

However, someone who doesn’t want to plunk down $100-$300 may be interested in an ad-subsidized iPhone if it brings the initial price down. Heck, Apple could even subsidize the monthly fee, although that’s less likely because most of it goes to the carrier, in this case AT&T.

The piece in the New York Times also mentions that this technology could also be headed to iPods.

It’s interesting, but I find it hard to believe that this has anything to Read the rest of this entry »

November 15th, 2009

Apple nukes Psystar

Posted by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes @ 6:19 am

Categories: Apple, Legal

Tags: Apple Macintosh, Apple Inc., Psystar, Apple Mac OS, Desktops, Operating Systems, Software, Hardware, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

The Apple vs Psystar case has ended rather predictably, with Apple basically nuking the Mac clone maker out of existence.

Florida-based Psystar rose to fame back in February of 2008 when it started to market Mac close systems - basically PCs modified and configured to run the Mac OS. In July of that year Apple threw a spanner into Psystar’s plans by filing a lawsuit against the company. That case has been progressing through the legal system ever since.

However, on Friday Judge William Alsup dealt what seems to be a fatal blow for Psystar by granting Apple’s motion for summary judgment while denying Psystar’s counterclaims.

Basically Alsup ruled that the Mac OS End User License Agreement (EULA) is both legal Read the rest of this entry »

November 12th, 2009

Did Microsoft copy Mac OS for Windows 7? Yes ... uh, wait ... no ...

Posted by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes @ 4:04 am

Categories: Apple, In the news, Marketing, Microsoft

Tags: Apple Mac OS, Apple Macintosh, Operating System, Microsoft Corp., Microsoft Windows 7, Microsoft Windows, Operating Systems, Software, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Yesterday there appeared an interview with a Microsoft group manager who claimed that Microsoft copied the “Mac look and feel in terms of graphics” in Windows 7. This was later denied by Microsoft’s communications manager. So, which is it?

The row erupted over comments made by Microsoft’s partner group manager, Simon Aldous to PCR. In response to the question “Is Windows 7 really a much more agile operating system, in terms of the specific uses it can be moulded to?” Aldous said:

“One of the things that people say an awful lot about the Apple Mac is that the OS is fantastic, that it’s very graphical and easy to use. What we’ve tried to do with Windows 7 – whether it’s traditional format or in a touch format – is create a Mac look and feel in terms of graphics. We’ve significantly improved the graphical user interface, but it’s built on that very stable core Vista technology, which is far more stable than the current Mac platform, for instance.” [emphasis added]

Later that day Microsoft’s communication manager Brandon LeBlanc issued a statement which simultaneously dismisses the comments and blasts Aldous for his indiscretion: Read the rest of this entry »

November 8th, 2009

Worm inflicts Rick Astley wallpaper on jailbroken iPhones

Posted by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes @ 2:20 pm

Categories: Apple, Security

Tags: Apple iPhone, Worm, Cyberthreats, Smart Phones, Viruses And Worms, Security, Consumer Electronics, Personal Technology, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

The first worm targeting Apple’s iPhone is alive and spreading in the wild. But most iPhone owners need not worry about it.

The worm, known as Ikee, is as malware goes, pretty harmless in that all it does is change the lock screen wallpaper to a picture of 80’s signer Rick Astley before looking for other devices to infect. Users who try to un-Rickroll themselves by changing the wallpaper back to the one they want find that Astley is back when the iPhone restarts.

Note: The name comes from the message displayed on the wallpaper: “ikee is never going to give you up.“

Most iPhones are safe from Ikee because the malicious code can only run on devices that Read the rest of this entry »

October 29th, 2009

Apple releases iTunes 9.0.2, kills Palm Pre sync ... again

Posted by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes @ 2:12 pm

Categories: Apple

Tags: Palm Inc., Apple Inc., Apple iTunes, Palm Pre, Smart Phones, Digital Music, Digital Media, Consumer Electronics, Personal Technology, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Apple has released iTunes 9.0.2, which, amongst other things, again kills the ability for the Palm Pre to sync with the software.

According to Apple, iTunes 9.0.2 features the following improvements:

iTunes 9.0.2 adds support for Apple TV software version 3.0, adds an option for a dark background for Grid View, and improves support for accessibility.

No mention of the fact that it kills the Palm Pre sync hack that Palm relies on.

If you want the update, check Apple Software Updater, but if you rely on the Palm Pre sync feature, stick with 9.0.1.

October 29th, 2009

What's the key to Apple's success?

Posted by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes @ 1:56 pm

Categories: Apple

Tags: Apple Inc., PC Ad, Microsoft Windows Vista (Longhorn), Product Marketing, Operating Systems, Microsoft Windows, Software, Marketing, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Apple’s weathered the economic downturn like almost no other company, pulling in massive profits without having to resort to deep price cuts. But what’s its secret?

Over the past few weeks I’ve been asking a group of Mac/Apple fans why they thought Apple was doing so well. Here are four possible reasons for Apple’s success:

• Constantly improving, innovative product line
  Apple doesn’t have a huge product line, but the company is constantly tweaking it. Most of the product updates are well thought out and offer the end user extra value. This is attractive to both new and existing customers.
• Advertising
  Apple has a massive ad budget and this allows it to spread the word to a huge audience. When this comes to Macs, this is allowing Apple to aggressively go after those disillusioned PC users. Those funny Mac vs. PC ads are serious business.
• Customer satisfaction
  Apple consistently scores very high in customer satisfaction surveys (the company usually tops the list). Happy customers not only re-buy, but tell others that they are happy, therefore generating further sales.
• Vista sucked
  Given how Vista was widely considered by many consumers to be a failure, this has handed users over to Apple on a plate. After all, for users who were sick of Vista, or just wanted to give the OS a wide berth, Apple is an obvious choice.

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Thoughts?

October 26th, 2009

Piracy and the Apple App Store

Posted by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes @ 12:04 pm

Categories: Apple

Tags: Apple Inc., Myth, Piracy, Business Operations, Corporate Law, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

There are a lot of myths circulating regarding software piracy. Thanks to an App Store developer, we get the chance to dispel some of these myths.

Neptune Interactive and Smells Like Donkey have released data regarding a called Tap-Fu that was released to the App store on Oct 16 2009. Now, Tap-Fu isn’t expensive, in fact it only costs $1.99 (it used to cost a whopping $3.99!!!).

Let’s examine some piracy related myths:

Myth #1: Piracy levels are low

Not for Tap-Fu. One week after launch and piracy levels were at 80%. That’s number is simply staggering.

Myth #2: People pirate in App Store games so they can try-before-they-buy

Maybe, but in this case the conversion rate (that is, number of pirates who bought the full game) was 0%.

Myth #3: Piracy takes time, so doesn’t affect initial sales

Wrong. The time between the game being launched and appearing on a download site was 40 minutes!!!

Myth #4: Piracy and cracking the iPhone is difficult - not everyone could do it

According to the folks behind Tap-Fu, pirating the game “is MUCH easier than actually buying it on iTunes!!“

For App Store developers, these sorts of statistics must make depressing reading. It’s also a shameful indictment of a certain segment of iPhone/iPod touch users who happily pay hundreds of dollars for a device and feel the need to steal an app worth a few bucks.

Want to get a whole load of commercial apps for free, there’s an app for that … unfortunately.

October 23rd, 2009

New Apple ads slam Microsoft and Windows 7

Posted by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes @ 4:10 am

Categories: Ad industry, Apple

Tags: Advertisement, Apple Inc., Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Corp., Microsoft Windows 7, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Predictably, Apple has released new 30-second ads that slam Microsoft and Windows 7.

Here are the ads:

Apple once again homes in on the chink in Microsoft’s armor - the fact that migrating from XP to Windows 7 is a big hassle for users. The message is that if you’re having to upgrade, why not switch to the computer that’s #1 in customer satisfaction - a Mac.

As expected, these ads make no mention of the fact that “Snow Leopard” has been a bit of a pain in the rear for users, shipping out of the box with a vulnerable and exploitable version of Adobe Flash, and, oh yes, that nasty Guest user bug that could hose people’s data.

Still, these ads are, as always, highly entertaining.

October 22nd, 2009

Nokia sues Apple over iPhone

Posted by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes @ 1:44 pm

Categories: Apple, Legal

Tags: Apple iPhone, Nokia Corp., Apple Inc., Wireless, Wi-Fi, LANs, Smart Phones, Wireless And Mobility, Networking, Consumer Electronics

Nokia, the world’s biggest cellphone manufacturer, has said that it is suing Apple for infringing patents on technology used in the iPhone.

The ten alleged patent infringements involve wireless data, speech coding, security and encryption. Nokia claims the infringements apply to all iPhones sold so far.

The specific allegations raised in the lawsuit concern patents relating to three areas of wireless technology.

• GSM
• 3G (UMTS or W-CDMA
• An unnamed wireless local area network (LAN) technology, most likely WiFi.

Nokia claims that Apple is “trying to get a free ride on the back of Nokia’s innovation.”

There’s speculation that Nokia could grab as much as $12 per iPhone sold.

Apple’s shares fell following news of the legal action.