| BestBuy's Mac Sale Over Prematurely? |
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With early hints at only modest sales at Apple stores, it comes as a surprise that Best Buy's Mac sale appears to be over. The retailer's site no longer shows the $100-$150 discounts on new Macs.
On Tuesday, we had heard unconfirmed ...
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| | 11/27/2008 7:19 PM (3d 23h 4m ago) |
| MacBook and MacBookPro suffer performance anxiety once the battery is removed |
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Are you one of those thrifty-types who's always looking for an angle, always trying to stretch every last penny? You know who we're talking about: Montel Williams bases whole episodes around you, the kind of person who reuses tea bags and separates sheets of triple-ply paper towels. Unfortunately, it now looks like you now have one less trick at your disposal. According to Zach Honig over at Gearlog, running your MacBook or MacBookPro without its battery (trying to squeeze out an extra month or two of battery life) will cause a significant performance decrease: we're talking upwards of 40 percent. When he checked Apple's knowledgebase, it turns out that this is by design -- processor speed is reduced when the machine detects that its relying solely on A/C to prevent it from demanding more power than the adapter alone can provide (and any nasty shutdowns that would result). We don't know if we buy this line of reasoning, but one thing is certain: if you know what's good for you, you'll leave that battery where it belongs.
Filed under: LaptopsMacBook and MacBookPro suffer performance anxiety once the battery is removed originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 22 Nov 2008 04:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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| | 11/23/2008 4:30 PM (8d 1h 53m ago) |
| Apple Releases Safari 3.2 with Improved Security, Anti-Phishing |
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Apple has released a new version of Safari 3.2 through the Mac OS X Software Update. The latest version of Safari provides improved security as well as protection from phishing websites:This update is recommended for all Safari user...
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| | 11/17/2008 12:18 AM (14d 18h 4m ago) |
| Apple Focusing on MobileMe Improvements in Latest 10.5.6 Builds |
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Apple is still hard at work on the next version of Mac OS X 10.5.6 according to published reports on the hmbt.org.
The latest Mac OS X 10.5.6 (9G35) build appears to focus heavily on testing of MobileMe syncing features for notebook ...
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| | 11/13/2008 5:15 PM (18d 1h 8m ago) |
| Apple Likely to Offer Black Friday Sales |
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Barclay's Ben Reitzes safely predicts that Apple will offer Black Friday sales this year, including $100 price reductions on "at least a few Mac models". Apple has regularly participated in sales on the day after Thanksgiving ("Black Friday") for a...
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| | 11/13/2008 5:14 PM (18d 1h 8m ago) |
| Parallels 4.0 Promises Significant Performance Improvements |
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Parallels has announced the immediate availability of Parallels 4.0. Parallels allows Intel-Mac users to run Windows alongside Mac OS X.
The latest update to their Windows-virtualization software for Intel Macs promises new perform...
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| | 11/11/2008 8:33 PM (19d 21h 49m ago) |
| Software Fix for MacBook Pro Trackpad Issue "Coming Soon" |
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Earlier this week, a number of complaints emerged about a trackpad issue found on the new MacBook Pros. PCPro.co.uk relays one customer's experience:"Every 50 clicks, my trackpad will stop responding for five to clicks," reports one...
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| | 11/06/2008 7:37 PM (24d 22h 46m ago) |
| Your Macbook is too classy to be wrapped in neoprene |
| | Hard Graft's "Held" Macbook Case(Credit: Hard Graft)
While everyone else is rushing out to their local Apple store to buy a mass-produced, cookie cutter case for their new Macbooks and Pros, try to resist the urge and instead look around for something a bit more unique, like the newest "Held" Macbook cases from Hard Graft.
Although they're definitely gender neutral, I personally think this case looks like it was pulled directly off the set of a 1960s James Bond flick. It's actually designed to mimic the look of a leather shoulder holster pressed against a fine wool suit; the entire sleeve is wrapped in a thick heather gray felt with ivory herringbone elastic straps that keep your laptop safe and secure. Of course, all the Hard Graft distinctions are in place as well, including their signature external pocket made from dyed European cow leather and matching pull tab inside.
Hard Graft's "Dapper" iPhone Case(Credit: Hard Graft)
The Hard Graft Shop Window also features cases for your phone (several brands and styles are represented), iPod, Moleskine, eBook, and car keys. Even a foldable mouse pad is available through the site, and at a very affordable price. iPhone cases are only $60 and the "Held" case for your Apple laptops start at $115; not bad, considering Hard Graft strives to only use sustainable materials built independently in Austria in a "medieval Schloss surrounded by vineyards and apricot orchards." No joke, that's what it says on the page! And best of all, imagine how proud you'll feel when you break this baby out at the airport next to a sea of sheep staring drearily at their cookie-cutter neoprene laptop cases. More pictures after the jump.
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| | 11/06/2008 7:33 PM (24d 22h 49m ago) |
| Pingdom posts insight into latest Mobile Me outage |
| | Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, MobileMeDespite the server-side updates Apple detailed last week, the company's beleaguered Mobile Me service is still problematic for many users. Yesterday, we received a number of e-mails complaining that Apple's Me.com domain was reporting 404 errors. Today, the fine folks at Pingdom.com (which monitors website uptime), posted some details about what was going on.
It appears that there was an issue with the Me.com redirect. If a user directly typed in http://me.com/mail, he or she could successfully access the server. Trying to access the Me.com domain, however, led 404 HTTP error response with the words "Not Found: Resource does not exist," appearing on the page. This outage lasted nearly seven hours, from 2:29 AM EST - 9:25 AM EST on November 3, 2008. Because the outage occurred at night in the continental United States, most affected users were from Europe, where the outage lasted for most of the work day.
If this was a simple redirect error (which it appears to be), why did it take seven hours to fix? My guess is that no one at Apple was alerted to the problem until someone came into work at 6:00 AM PST and started seeing error request e-mails or had problems accessing the domain.
This is a problem. If Apple is truly dedicated to making Mobile Me a service it can be "proud of by the end of this year," the company should really consider having either dedicated 24-hour Mobile Me IT support (or more support) or figure out a way to resolve errors like this in a more timely matter. Redirect errors or glitches are not uncommon, but any company trying to run an international communications service needs to get on the ball.
Despite my vocal misgivings about the service, before it even launched, I signed up for a 60-day trial in early July -- so I could "eat my own dogfood" -- as they say. And even though my service was extended for free until December, I canceled in September. Why? Because the service proved it wasn't reliable enough... |
| | 11/05/2008 10:05 PM (25d 20h 18m ago) |
| Apple releases Digital Camera Raw Compatibility Update 2.3 |
| | Filed under: Software UpdateApple just released an update for RAW camera support for Mac OS X Leopard, Aperture 2, and iPhoto '08. With this new update, the following list of RAW-format cameras are supported:
Canon EOS 50D
Nikon D90
Sony DSLR-A900
Nikon Coolpix P6000
Apple also notes that this update "addresses issues related to specific cameras and overall stability." You can download this update by opening up Software Update (Apple menu > Software Update) or by downloading the installer package from the Apple Support downloads site.Thanks for the tip, Tony! Apple releases Digital Camera Raw Compatibility Update 2.3 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 04 Nov 2008 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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| | 11/05/2008 10:04 PM (25d 20h 19m ago) |
| Apple: No New Products Before Holidays |
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Apple has issued a statement to Macworld clarifying that there are no plans for any new products before the holiday season."Our holiday line-up is set," Apple spokesman Bill Evans told Macworld.This announcement squashes circulat...
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| | 11/04/2008 8:49 PM (26d 21h 33m ago) |
| Apple to Benefit Further from Dropping Flash Memory Pricing |
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Forbes reports on Apple's "secret weapon" that has helped keep its earnings well above expectations: falling NAND-flash memory prices. And according to Forbes, there are no signs that this trend will abate anytime soon.Tech tracker ...
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| | 11/04/2008 8:46 PM (26d 21h 36m ago) |
| Enjoying a laptop that “simply works better”: the new MacBook |
| | “After months of reviewing Windows desktops and laptops,“ exudes Josh Quittner (time.com), “I put the new $1,600 MacBook through its paces — and it was like returning from a backward country where nothing works only to find your homeland is even better than you remembered.”
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| | 11/04/2008 12:46 AM (27d 17h 36m ago) |
| New MacBooks and MBPs can handle up to 6GB of RAM |
| | Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Hardware, Apple, Macbook Pro, MacBookIs it just me or is it pretty mindblowing what Moore's Law is doing to our computers these days? I remember when 64mb of RAM was great, and even a few years ago, I wondered why anyone would ever use 1GB of RAM (I've got 2GB in my gaming PC, and I still almost think it's too much). But apparently TidBITS has been doing some testing, and they've discovered that not only can the new MacBooks hold 4GB of RAM as Apple recommends for a limit, but stuffing a whopping 6GB in there is possible and doable. There are two DDR3 slots in the new MacBooks and MacBook Pros, and they come with either 1GB or 2GB in each DIMM slot.TidBITS says you can switch out one of those 2GB DIMMs for a 4GB, and voilà, as long as they're the same speed and type, apparently almost everything is hunky-dory. TidBITS says there are two drawbacks: one, that dual-channel architecture requires identical DIMMs, so that's out if you're running a 4GB and 2GB configuration. Plus, it'll cost you an arm and a leg, especially if your leg is priced at around $600, which is what a 4GB stick runs. Even the DDR2 is pricey at that level (then again, if you don't like memory prices, just wait about five minutes, because that's basically how often they change).And for some reason, there's an issue with running two 4GB sticks in there (for a total of 8GB), but TidBITS surmises that may be fixed by the time Snow Leopard rolls around. Personally, I'd love to see a program that needs 6GB of RAM -- maybe a high end 3D modeler or a financial simulator of some kind. But it's good to know that if you really need that much memory (and have the cash to spend on it), there you go.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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| | 11/04/2008 12:42 AM (27d 17h 40m ago) |
| Netflix Watch Instantly for Mac Now Live (for Beta Users) [Netflix Watch Instantly] |
| | As we reported last Sunday, Netflix Watch Instantly was "coming soon" for Mac users. Well, coming soon is today, dear readers. If you're into being a beta user, head over to Netflix to opt in at the sign in page, and give her a try. Of course, there are a few things to understand before you start streaming. You'll need to download Microsoft's Silverlight; and Netflix is imposing a six machine limit (PC, set top, whatever). Additionally, not all movies are available for viewing through the Silverlight player. Still cool though. Bye-bye DVDs?[Venture Beat]
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| | 11/02/2008 11:14 PM (28d 19h 8m ago) |
| Video: New Apple notebooks reportedly include liquid sensors |
| | loadUniversalPlayer({playerType: 'small',lumiereQueryType: 'id',lumiereQueryValue: '50004311',useCurrentPageUrl: true,relatedVideo: false,preRollAd: true,hideLeftTab:true,wrapperFloat:'none'});
As klutzy Apple laptop users know, damage from spilled water, coffee, or other liquids is not covered under the standard warranty. To uncover any potential for warranty fraud, it's rumored the Cupertino, ... |
| | 11/02/2008 2:04 AM (29d 16h 18m ago) |
| Microsoft releases Office 2008 update to fix Entourage issue |
| | Filed under: Software, Bugs/RecallsHow long is two weeks? If you're vacationing someplace warm and sunny, it might seem to pass in a flash; if you're in bed with the flu, it probably seems like a lifetime. For Office 2008 users who got bit by a bug in the recent 12.1.3 update, chances are the latter assessment is more on target. Those who ran the 12.1.3 update and met a particular set of criteria (Entourage users connected to Exchange + a secondary POP or IMAP account for personal email) found themselves unable to send calendar invitations or reply to meeting requests. The most straightforward fix was a rollback to the 12.1.2 version; otherwise, using a webmail client or Outlook was the best way to manage calendars. Not fun.Two weeks, though, is what it took for the Mac Business Unit to get a tested patch out the door that resolves this problem. Today, Product Manager Andy Ruff announced on the Mactopia support forum that Office 2008 12.1.4 is now available for download (16 MB, requires 12.1.3 installed), billed as follows:This update fixes a calendar issue in versions of Microsoft Entourage that were updated with the Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac 12.1.3 Update. The issue prevents Exchange accounts in Entourage from sending meeting invitations and responses. This issue can occur when an Entourage identity is configured with more than one mail account. We strongly recommend that all Entourage users who installed Office 2008 for Mac 12.1.3 Update install this update.While this particular fortnight may have been difficult for Entourage users, I will say that this is definitely the fastest response to an Office bug that I have ever seen from the Mac BU; in terms of the development cycle on a suite as large as Office 2008, it's an eyeblink. Kudos to the MBU for its quick action; now, the next prudent PR step is a little bit of transparency about why this bug -- which should have been fairly obvious to anyone who tested with both Exchange and POP accounts configured in the... |
| | 10/31/2008 3:42 PM (31d 2h 40m ago) |
| New MacBooks and MacBook Pros Support Up to 6GB |
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ZDNet points out that memory sales company Ramjet has published on their website that the recently MacBook and MacBook Pros can support a maximum of 6GB of RAM. This configuration is possible with the use of one 2GB and one 4GB stick.
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| | 10/31/2008 3:40 PM (31d 2h 42m ago) |
| Apple Details Ongoing MobileMe Upgrades |
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Arstechnica points to a new support document which details many changes that Apple has implemented into the MobileMe site in late September. Apple points out that since MobileMe is a server-side service, updates occur transparently to all users of t...
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| | 10/30/2008 3:51 PM (32d 2h 32m ago) |
| New MacBook offers “speed in a stylish but compact design” |
| | “If you’re considering a small to midsize laptop of any kind or operating system,” suggests Ken Mingis (computerworld.com) in his review of the new MacBook “you really owe it to yourself to look these over before deciding.” He calls the new MacBook “the most solid-feeling laptop I’ve ever used,” one that “ exudes a feeling of solidity every time you pick it up, turn it on and type on it.” |
| | 10/29/2008 5:48 PM (33d 34m ago) |
| Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard: Cocoa Finder and 64-Bit Changes |
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With the broad seeding of Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard, a few more details have been revealed about the direction Apple is going with Snow Leopard. According to the seed notes, Apple is migrating more towards Cocoa (rather than Carbon) and continues ...
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| | 10/29/2008 5:48 PM (33d 35m ago) |
| Apple Releases iPhoto 7.1.5 Update, Improves Printing Services |
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Apple released a small update to their iPhoto application. The new version brings iPhoto to version 7.1.5 and offers improvements in the printing service:This update improves the printing quality of books, cards and calendars ordere...
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| | 10/28/2008 6:03 PM (34d 20m ago) |
| Netflix Video Streaming for Mac Begins Testing |
| | Netflix, Inc., the world's largest online movie rental service, today announced it has begun the deployment of Microsoft Silverlight to enhance the instant watching component of the Netflix service and to allow subscribers for the first time to watch movies and TV episodes instantly on their Intel-based Apple Macintosh computers. The deployment, which will initially touch a small percentage of new Netflix subscribers, is the first step in an anticipated roll-out of the new platform to all Netflix subscribers by the end of the year. |
| | 10/27/2008 11:37 PM (34d 18h 45m ago) |
| Apple Seeds Snow Leopard 10A190 (Mac OS X 10.6) to Developers |
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Apple has seeded a new version of Snow Leopard (Build 10A190) to developers this morning. Last night they had emailed ADC members that a preview build of Snow Leopard was made available to them, but the download links were not live until this mornin...
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| | 10/27/2008 7:47 PM (34d 22h 36m ago) |
| Netflix wants Mac owners to watch movies, too |
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If you're a Netflix customer and you use its Watch Instantly streaming service, well, you're probably used to not having a lot choices as far as which movies you can watch. And if you're a Mac user, you're used to not being able to use the ... |
| | 10/27/2008 7:38 PM (34d 22h 44m ago) |
| More Apple Notebook Details: Clickable Glass Trackpad, GPUs, Pricing |
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Daring Fireball confirms the leaked MacBook Pro photos from earlier this evening and adds some intriguing details about the new notebook.
Specifically, Gruber confirms that the new MacBook Pros will have "buttonless" trackpad which is ...
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| | 10/14/2008 8:33 PM (47d 21h 49m ago) |
| Apple Announces New Aluminum MacBooks |
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At their Notebook Media event today, Apple announced two new MacBook models which have adopted new all-metal enclosures, improved graphics performance, and glass Multi-Touch trackpads.?Apple has invented a whole new way of bu...
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| | 10/14/2008 8:33 PM (47d 21h 50m ago) |
| Apple unveils 24-inch LED Cinema Display designed for new MacBook family |
| | The new LED Cinema Display features a stunning 24-inch LED-backlit widescreen display with built-in iSight video camera, mic, and speakers in an elegant, thin aluminum and glass enclosure. Available in November for $899, the LED Cinema Display includes an integrated MagSafe charger, three USB 2.0 ports and a new Mini DisplayPort.
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| | 10/14/2008 8:32 PM (47d 21h 50m ago) |
| Apple introduces new MacBook family |
| | The new MacBook family redefines notebook design while dramatically lowering the entry price for advanced notebook features, including all-metal enclosures, pro-performance notebook graphics, brilliant instant-on LED-backlit displays, and new large, glass Multi-Touch trackpads. The industry’s greenest notebooks, the entire MacBook family meets stringent Energy Star 4.0, EPEAT Gold, and RoHS environmental standards. Starting at $1,200, the new MacBook and 15-inch MacBook Pro are shipping now.
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| | 10/14/2008 8:32 PM (47d 21h 51m ago) |
| Apple schedules laptop event for Oct. 14; leaked photos abound |
| | Filed under: Rumors, Other Events, Macbook Pro, MacBook
Our sister site Engadget received an invitation for a town-hall event in San Francisco about new Apple notebooks, featuring an image of what could be hinting at possible new aluminum enclosures for 13-inch MacBooks.
tw.apple.pro purports to have images of new aluminum cases for the MacBooks. Judging from the height of the ports (and if the photos are authentic) the new MacBooks could be significantly thinner than their predecessors.
In related news, AppleInsider claims to have confirmed that a widely-circulated spy-shot is indeed one from Apple's next generation of MacBook Pro, but is not fabricated from a single "brick" of aluminum, as 9-to-5Mac said.
The top case, however, appears now to include the ports, rather than having them integrated into the bottom case. (This could make case disassembly easier.) The port arrangement appears to include many more ports on the left side of the bottom case, much like the current MacBook.
Combined with earlier images of the back of the LCD and bottom case, the design retains much of the same look that MacBook Pros (and PowerBook G4s before them) have had since January 2001.
Apple's notebook event is scheduled for next Tuesday at 10 a.m. Pacific time (1 p.m. Eastern). Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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| | 10/12/2008 6:38 PM (49d 23h 44m ago) |
| Apple releases Security Update 2008-007 |
| | Filed under: Software Update, Security
Apple released Security Update 2008-007 for Mac OS X Leopard and Tiger users today. The update addresses many specific areas of the Mac OS, including: Apache, ClamAV, CUPS, Finder, and more. A full list of the areas affected by the update can be found on the Apple support website. The update is available for the following systems:
Client systems running Leopard
Server systems running Leopard
Client systems running Mac OS X 10.4.11 (Intel)
Client systems running Mac OS X 10.4.11 (PPC)
Server systems running Mac OS X 10.4.11 (PPC)
Server systems running Mac OS X 10.4.11 (Universal)
You can get the update by downloading the installer package from the Apple support website, or by opening Software Update (Apple menu > Software Update). Continue reading for a change log for this update.Continue reading Apple releases Security Update 2008-007Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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| | 10/12/2008 6:37 PM (49d 23h 45m ago) |
| Apple Migrating to NVIDIA Chipsets in new MacBooks |
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Appleinsider reports that they have "confirmed" that the new MacBooks will utilize NVIDIA's new MCP79 platform. While Intel will continue to supply the main processor for Apple's notebooks, the underlying support chips will be made by NVIDIA: |
| | 10/12/2008 6:34 PM (49d 23h 49m ago) |
| Apple Document Confirms MacBook/MacBook Pro (Late 2008) |
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Apple has published a support document (PDF) specifically for the "MacBook/MacBook Pro (Late 2008)" models. Besides the name, the document is not especially revealing. It appears to be a service document when replacing the display on the new...
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| | 10/12/2008 6:34 PM (49d 23h 49m ago) |
| Apple.com, a retrospective |
| | Filed under: Internet, Apple History
TUAW reader Tyler noticed that Google is celebrating its 10th anniversary by digging up its searchable archives from 2001. He took a peek at some Apple history and shared the find with us. The archives dip into the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine, which I decided to use to dig up a series of archived Apple.com sites. You can surf all the way back to 1996 ... a land where Apple was still Apple Computers, the rainbow apple was still in effect, and web pages were all stuck to the left side of the screen.
According to Wikipedia, the Apple.com domain was registered in 1987 (and hacked in '97, as a marginally NSFW prank). Unfortunately, the Internet Archives only go back to '96, so that's what we're working with (if you, for whatever reason, have an image of the Apple website in the late '80s, please do make my day and send it in). Also according to Wikipedia, the 1987 registration made Apple.com the 64th oldest .com domain. These wiki-facts may or may not appear on this semester's final exam.
In addition to being a fun trip through web design history, it's a good refresher on the Apple timeline. Revel in the release of the iPod, iTunes 3, and the blazing-fast 700 Mhz iBook. In the process, you'll gain a full appreciation for the current refresh of the Apple site. If you want to save some surfing time, check out the gallery of some gems from my dig. Of course, intrepid Apple explorers can venture into the cave and see for themselves.
Thanks, Tyler!
Gallery: Apple.com retrospectivePermalink | Email this | Comments
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| | 10/09/2008 4:13 PM (53d 2h 9m ago) |
| Are Apple Laptop Updates Still on Track for October? |
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With the October 14th date quickly approaching, some are speculating that it may be too late to expect an Apple event to be held on that date. That's not to say that Apple can't release new laptops without a media event.
Most of App...
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| | 10/09/2008 4:11 PM (53d 2h 11m ago) |
| Apple to Launch an $800 Laptop? |
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The Inquisitr claims that some Apple retailers have already been given price lists for Apple's upcoming laptops and that there are 12 price points ranging from $800 to $3100. Current laptops are said to have only have 8 retail price points: 3 Macbo...
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| | 10/09/2008 4:10 PM (53d 2h 13m ago) |
| Apple's Notebook Marketshare Growth and High Margins |
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Joe Wilcox of Microsoft-Watch analyzes the latest notebook marketshare data from the NPD Group. He specifically looks at the revenue breakdown and Apple's long term decision to compete at the high-end market for notebooks.
Despite A...
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| | 10/01/2008 3:44 PM (61d 2h 38m ago) |
| Apple Releases Mac OS X 10.5.5 |
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After weeks of developer seeds, Apple has released Mac OS X 10.5.5 to customers. The latest upgrade to Leopard is available through your Mac OS X Software Update. The 10.5.5 Update is recommended for all users running Mac O...
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| | 9/16/2008 4:24 AM (76d 13h 58m ago) |
| Macworld San Francisco 2009 Registration Opens |
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IDG World Expo has announced that registration for Macworld San Francisco 2009 (MWSF) has opened for attendees.
Macworld San Francisco is an annual Apple-focused expo taking place between January 5th-9th, 2009 and at the Moscone Center...
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| | 9/12/2008 3:56 PM (80d 2h 26m ago) |
| Buy a Mac, get Office at 30% off |
| | Filed under: Software, Deals
Until September 8th, you can buy Office for 30% off with the purchase of any Mac at Apple resellers. Visit this Microsoft Promo Page and choose "Save Now".
Students can get additional discounts by purchasing Office with academic pricing. This Student Pricing page offers tips about ongoing student discounts that aren't limited to the September 8th cut-off.
A cheap copy of Office ... what more could you want?Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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| | 9/06/2008 7:38 PM (85d 22h 44m ago) |
| Apple Continues Mac OS X 10.5.5 Seeding (9F32) |
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Apple is continuing its steady stream of developer releases of the next version of Mac OS X 10.5.5 with a new version seeded to developers just last night.
The latest version (build 9F32) provides more minor fixes but continues to have...
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| | 9/06/2008 7:28 PM (85d 22h 55m ago) |
| Final Cut Express 4.0.1 released |
| | Filed under: Software, Video, Software Update
Final Cut Express owners, check Software Update because FCE 4 has just been updated to 4.0.1. The detailed (and I'm serious, for Apple especially, these are detailed) release notes go over what is new and what has been added, but here are the highlights:
Permission issues resolved - There was an issue on Leopard systems where FCE 4 would not open a project if it contained media that the user didn't have permission to access. This has been fixed.
Tons of AVCHD improvements - There are now Easy Setup options for the AVCHD format/codec and better support for AVCHD cameras.
Improved plugin support and stability
You can download the update from Software Update.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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| | 8/29/2008 10:33 PM (93d 19h 50m ago) |
| Apple patent filing details touchscreen tablet |
| | Filed under: Tablet PCs
Trying to divine what Apple's up to from patent applications is never easy, but every now and again the diagrams actually make it obvious -- and it looks like Steve and his elves are hard at work on large-format touch interfaces, possibly for a tablet Mac of some kind. The latest touch-related filing is some 52 pages long and details everything from working with multiple finger inputs to onscreen keyboards how window controls would work, but we're mostly transfixed by the claw-like demon-hands that seem to be operating all this kit -- apparently Apple engineers have the same nightmares as the rest of us. If we had to bet, we'd say that a tablet Mac is still a long ways off, but we've been wrong before -- and there's always a chance Steve's got something wild in store for next month.[Via AppleInsider]Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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| | 8/29/2008 10:27 PM (93d 19h 55m ago) |
| My Favorite Mac Apps: Erica's Take |
| | Filed under: SoftwareSo Victor comes to us and says, "Quick, what are your favorite apps?" Without pausing to breathe or think, the words "OfficeCreativeSuiteQuickeys" tumble out of my mouth. That's because these are the three software packages for Mac that I cannot live without. These three apps are where I spend 80-odd percent of my working life.
By the time I can pause and reflect, I realize that I have picked three apps that provide the least Mac-like user experience. With all the rich and beautiful OS X software landscape out there, I've picked the plain but reliable dinosaurs. They're ugly. They're ported (at least Photoshop and Office are). They work.
This isn't to say that I'd change my list upon further thought. Between Word, Excel, Illustrator, Acrobat, Photoshop, and Quickey's Macros (so I rarely have to actually touch a mouse, eek), these packages get the job done. Throw in the equally ugly Eudora mail program (the original, not the almost unusable open source update that's floating around) plus Apple's cadre of less beautiful utilities, namely Terminal, Safari and TextEdit, and we're talking maybe 90% of my work time.
Sure, I've used Apple's Mail, Preview, iPhoto, iWork, Pages and so forth but I always end up going back to the more capable name-brand power-houses. The user experience might not match the slick Apple software but my efficiency goes way way up.
As for the built-in Keyboard prefs or QuickSilver, QuicKeys gives me all the programming control I need for creating and executing my macros. If I'm going to do a job more than once, I'm probably going to write a macro, whether it's sorting my mail or writing my TUAW posts.
In the end, I'm really happy with my paleo-software. One of the big reasons that I'm still (still!) using my 733 G4 Mac as my primary computing machine is that I know I'll have to re-buy these programs should I switch fully to Intel-based computing.
Instead, I'll hang with my favorite dinosaurs and keep getting the job done... |
| | 8/28/2008 7:41 PM (94d 22h 42m ago) |
| Mac OS X 10.5.5 9F23 and New Safari 4 Seeded to Developers |
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Apple has seeded yet another version of Mac OS X 10.5.5 (9F23) to developers on Friday as well as a new version of Safari 4.0 Developer Preview, according to AppleInsider.
The latest Mac OS X 10.5.5 seed came just days after the previo...
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| | 8/25/2008 9:34 PM (97d 20h 48m ago) |
| Apple tops customer satisfaction survey |
| | “The latest rankings from the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) show that Apple has dramatically outpaced its rival computer makers in the hearts of U.S. consumers,” reports Asher Hawkins (forbes.com). The ACSI survey “ranks Apple at 85” out of 100, “11 points above the computer-maker industry average.” In fact, “Apple’s rating is also an all-time high for the computer industry.”
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| | 8/21/2008 3:09 PM (102d 3h 13m ago) |
| Apple MagSafe Replacements Are Now Free [Magsafe Replacement] |
| | In our anecdotal experience, Apple has been pretty good about replacing clearly faulty MagSafe power adapters—the ones that split or fray from faulty manufacture. But now they are making their replacement policy official and offering free MagSafe replacements for the MacBook (13-inch Late 2006), MacBook (13-inch), MacBook Pro (15-inch Glossy), MacBook Pro (17-inch). (We read that as all models that use the MagSafe power adapter). Bring in your bad MagSafes to any Apple retailer and they'll take care of you. [Apple via Cult of Mac]
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| | 8/20/2008 12:51 AM (103d 17h 32m ago) |
| Fantasktik taskbar app for Leopard |
| | Filed under: Software, Odds and ends
Fantasktik is a taskbar app for Leopard that makes it easy to see what windows and applications are open, and to switch between them. Dockland Software, the developer of Fantasktik, announced in a press release today that the app is available for US$9.99 through the end of September. On October 1st, the price rises to US$14.99.After installing Fantasktik, a small taskbar appears either just below the menu bar or just above the Dock -- you can set the location from System Preferences. The taskbar shows all of your open applications and windows in small icons, and by hovering your cursor over the icons you see a preview of the window contents. The preview is powered by Core Animation and provides a look at all open windows for an application through a MultiTouch-like interface called Click and Slide. You can minimize the Fantasktik taskbar by clicking one of the small buttons on either end, and double-clicking an application icon collapses or expands all window icons associated with that app.Fantasktik requires Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard. A 15-day free trial is available from the Fantasktik website.Permalink | Email this | Comments
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| | 8/20/2008 12:32 AM (103d 17h 50m ago) |
| Apple Accelerates Mac OS X 10.5.5 Seeding (9F17) |
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Apple has accelerated the Mac OS X 10.5.5 seeding with build 9F17 delivered to developers last night. The latest build still lists no known issues and provides fixes for iCal, Mail Sync, Back to My Mac and Core Animation.
While diffi...
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| | 8/19/2008 5:27 PM (104d 55m ago) |
| Apple Provides 60 Day Extension to All MobileMe Subscribers |
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Apple has sent out emails to MobileMe subscribers tonight revealing that they are extending all MobileMe subscriber accounts by 60 additional days:We have already made many improvements to MobileMe, but we still have many more to mak...
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| | 8/19/2008 5:27 PM (104d 56m ago) |
| AppleInsider: Mac OS X 10.5.5 hits 9F13 |
| | Filed under: OS, RumorsAppleInsider reports that the Mac OS X team is squashing ever more bugs, and has released version 10.5.5 build 9F13 to developers. Unlike prior builds, Apple released it without any known issues.
The article notes that Apple has made 115 corrections to Mac OS X code as a part of the 10.5.5 update. Improvements to power management, mail sync, preferences sync, networking, firewall, kernel, file system, and the Mobile Me preferences pane are all expected to be included.
AppleInsider expected that the update would be released to the public in "the coming weeks."Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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| | 8/15/2008 2:01 AM (108d 16h 21m ago) |
| Ten ways OS X rocks |
| | Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, OS, Software, Cool toolsSmashing Magazine does a good old-fashioned "why OS X is so much better" piece -- ok, well they're not that blatant (it's actually focused on the "top ten usability highs"), but with all of the iPhone/App Store news going around, it's kind of refreshing to see some nice, traditional Mac praise.So why is OS X better than other (*cough*Windows*cough) operating systems? Metaphors play a huge part -- when you use a Mac, you're not just browsing through files or using plugins, you're flipping through what look like album covers, or pulling up a "Dashboard." And everything is extremely intuitive -- it's clear upon first look at the screen what does what or where to find certain features of the operating system.Every system has problems, and OS X is no exception. But using it day to day, OS X definitely gives out all kinds of "wait, it was that easy?" and "just works" moments. And that's why we're such big fans of it in the first place.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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| | 8/15/2008 2:00 AM (108d 16h 22m ago) |
| MacBook Air with Penryn launch imminent? |
| | Filed under: Laptops
File this rumor under the "sure, that makes sense" category. Granted, PhoneNews may not be the go-to source for Apple rumors, still, the site's reputable enough to at least give this one a listen. It claims that national retailers have been alerted to an imminent announcement of a new revision to the MacBook Air. More specifically, PhoneNews claims that the MBA will move away from the stop-gap, 65-nm Intel processor dusted-off special for Apple (and now Voodoo's Envy 133) in favor of Intel's latest "standard" 45-nm Penryn processor. If true, then we're talking about possible clocks ranging from 2.26GHz to 3.06GHz (up from 1.6GHz or 1.8GHz), a 1,066MHz FSB (up from 800MHz), and appreciable increase in CPU power draw to 29W (up from 20W). We can also expect better GMA X4500 integrated graphics assuming Apple adopts the Centrino 2 chipset. To offset the potential degradation in mobility, PhoneNews asserts that Apple will beef-up the battery and replace the 45W MagSafe adapter with a 60W version like those found with existing MacBooks. With this rumor and all the others related to Apple's lineup of MacBooks, we wouldn't be surprised to see Apple announce some kind of special media event sometime soon.Update: It's worth noting that Intel also plans to release a few low and ultra-low voltage Penryns in a 22-mm package (same as now) around the September timeframe. Though these would decrease, not increase, the power draw as described by PhoneNews.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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| | 8/14/2008 4:19 PM (109d 2h 4m ago) |
| Microsoft Office 2008 updated to version 12.1.2 |
| | Filed under: SoftwareEarlier today, Microsoft released the 12.1.2 update to Microsoft Office 2008, downloadable via MS Software Update and from the MS website. The 160 MB update requires Office 12.1.1 and, in addition to security fixes, resolves several bugs. The hit list includes two of my personal annoyances: Word's sluggish launch speed and Entourage's insistence on truncating URLs after the ampersand character. The full list of changes is in the continuation of this post.Installed the update? Let us know if you see any dramatic performance changes, gotchas or improvements.Thanks to Erik Schwiebert for the heads-up (and best wishes from TUAW for a speedy recovery).Continue reading Microsoft Office 2008 updated to version 12.1.2Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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| | 8/14/2008 4:44 AM (109d 13h 38m ago) |
| Apple market value exceeds Google's |
| | Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Apple FinancialDigital Daily, part of the Wall Street Journal's All Things Digital site, is reporting that Apple's market value is now greater than that of Google. The current market capitalization of Apple is US$159.37 billion, squeaking by Google's market cap of US$157.56 billion. Next in Apple's sights ought to be the old man on the block, IBM. Their current market value is around US$170 billion. It may take a while for Apple to catch up with Microsoft, though -- at the present time MSFT is worth about US$255 billion.What's your take on when Apple will overtake IBM? I'm betting on April 1st, 2009.Financial information from Forbes.comRead | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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| | 8/14/2008 4:41 AM (109d 13h 41m ago) |
| New Apple Cinema Displays Finally at MWSF 2009? |
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Readers interested in new Apple Cinema Displays may have to wait just a bit longer.
Apple has not significantly updated their Cinema Displays in years. Apple currently offers 20", 23" and 30" monitors at $599, $899, and $1799, respe...
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| | 8/09/2008 9:32 PM (113d 20h 50m ago) |
| Apple Seeds Mac OS X 10.5.5 (9F9) |
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Apple has seeded developers with a new version of Mac OS X 10.5.5 (Build 9F9) to test. The latest seed comes just one week after the prior seed.
The newest seed lists 24 new fixes addressed in this seed with a focus on Sync Services, ...
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| | 8/09/2008 9:31 PM (113d 20h 51m ago) |
| ZFS (and Snow Leopard) to Speed up Solid State Drive Performance? |
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Infoworld reports (via MacsimumNews) that Samsung has been working with developers to boost solid state drive (SSD) performance in operating systems. Samsung announced Wednesday that it has been in talks with Microsoft to boost performance in Window...
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| | 8/09/2008 9:31 PM (113d 20h 52m ago) |
| Ars: Jobs agrees MobileMe not up to Apple's standards |
| | Filed under: Bad Apple, MobileMeHow often does Apple admit a mistake? It's a once-in-a-blue-iMoon occurrence, but now that Ars Technica is reporting the contents of an internal Steve Jobs all-hands email regarding the MobileMe launch challenges we can add one more instance to the tally board. Jobs apparently acknowledges that trying to rush the MobileMe migration while pushing iPhone 3G hardware and iPhone 2.0 software out the door (not to mention the iTunes App Store) may have been too much to bite off at once.The money quote from the letter (yet to be confirmed by TUAW sources) is here:"The MobileMe launch clearly demonstrates that we have more to learn about Internet services," Jobs says. "And learn we will. The vision of MobileMe is both exciting and ambitious, and we will press on to make it a service we are all proud of by the end of this year."Ars also notes that MobileMe management will now be centralized under iTunes exec VP Eddy Cue, who will be leading the charge for all Apple internet services across the board. We've all been through the MobileMe ups and downs during the first weeks of the service; it's nice to know (belatedly) that Apple top brass is clued in.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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| | 8/05/2008 7:40 PM (117d 22h 42m ago) |
| Apple Releases iTunes 7.7.1 Update |
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Apple has released an update to iTunes to version 7.7.1. The update includes "fixes to improve stability and performance." iTunes 7.7.1 is currently available through Apple's Software Update.Use iTunes 7.7 to sync music, video, and...
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| | 8/02/2008 2:36 PM (121d 3h 47m ago) |
| Apple Seeds Mac OS X 10.5.5 (9F5) |
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Apple has seeded the first version of Mac OS X 10.5.5 (Build 9F5) to developers tonight. This is the first new seed of Mac OS X since the released of Mac OS X 10.5.4 on June 30th.
Apple instructs developers to focus on testing a numbe...
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| | 8/02/2008 2:35 PM (121d 3h 48m ago) |
| Security Update 2008-005 Released, Addresses DNS Vulnerability |
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Apple has released Security Update 2008-005 via Software Update. The update patches several vulnerabilities including a much-publicized DNS/BIND server vulnerability where an attacker could cause a Mac OS X DNS server to direct clients to forged web...
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| | 8/02/2008 2:34 PM (121d 3h 48m ago) |
| Intel to Deliver Quad-Core Mobile Processors Next Month |
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Intel announced that it would be releasing its first quad-core processor for laptops next month."We're bringing quad-core to mobile in August," said Sujan Kamran, regional marketing manager for client platforms at Intel in Singapore....
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| | 7/23/2008 1:30 PM (131d 4h 52m ago) |
| Apple's U.S. Market Share Continues to Grow |
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A pair of quarterly research reports released today reveal that Apple is continuing to experience growing U.S. market share among PC shipments.
Gartner's report pegs Apple's share of U.S. PC shipments for the second quarter of 2008 at ...
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| | 7/23/2008 1:24 PM (131d 4h 59m ago) |
| Apple Sends Apology Letter, 30-Day Extension to MobileMe Customers |
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Today, Apple sent out an email to MobileMe customers apologizing for the rocky transition from .Mac to MobileMe.We have recently completed the transition from .Mac to MobileMe. Unfortunately, it was a lot rockier than we had hoped. |
| | 7/23/2008 1:23 PM (131d 4h 59m ago) |
| Apple Prepping for Notebook Refresh? |
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Signs are starting to appear that Apple may be prepping for a revision of their Mac laptops in the near future. Following up a previous Commercial Times report that pointed to a Q3 (July-September) order for MacBook displays, the paper now reports t...
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| | 7/23/2008 1:22 PM (131d 5h ago) |
| Apple Announces $1.07 Billion in Profit for Q3 2008 |
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Apple announced their 3rd Quarter 2008 Financial Results today. Apple posted revenue of $7.46 billion and net quarterly profit of $1.07 billion (or $1.19 per diluted share). This compares favorably to revenue of $5.41 billion and net quarterly prof...
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| | 7/23/2008 1:11 PM (131d 5h 11m ago) |
| Apple Hints at a 'Product Transition' and a New Product Soon? |
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Apple's financial results conference call today was littered with references to future products coming from Apple. While some degree of optimism ("very excited about future") is the norm during these financial results calls, there was more discussio...
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| | 7/23/2008 1:06 PM (131d 5h 17m ago) |
| Extended MobileMe Email Outage Due To Server Issue |
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Apple has posted a support document suggesting that the continuing MobileMe email outage affecting 1% of MobileMe users is due to a "serious" issue with one of their mail servers. Affected users have been unable to send or receive email since the tu...
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| | 7/23/2008 1:05 PM (131d 5h 18m ago) |
| Apple adds another month free for some MobileMe trials |
| | Filed under: MobileMeFor our friends and neighbors in the UK (and elsewhere: see the update below), the MobileMe quagmire continues to fester. Infinite Loop is reporting that some users were erroneously charged to the tune of £121, and Apple is offering those users another free month of service.
Apparently, when someone tries to create a trial account in the UK, a 50p pre-authorization is placed on the user's credit card. (Not unlike buying fuel and paying with a credit card.) Unfortunately, instead of 50p, someone mashed the keypad, and users were billed £121 instead.
For debit card users, it's worse: the money is actually removed from your account, of course. Once the mistake is corrected it takes as much as a month for the funds to reappear.
Apple is, of course, refunding the charges for credit cards, and "working to have these holds removed earlier" for debit card users.
These users now have four months to try the service.
Update: According to some of our commenters, this affects users in Germany, France, Switzerland, Belgium, and Canada too. Wow.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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| | 7/23/2008 1:02 PM (131d 5h 20m ago) |
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