Tannoy i30 iPod dock

We first saw Tannoy’s i30 iPod dock back in January at CES and now we’ve been able to play with it for an extended period of time. Yeah, I know you’re thinking it’s just another iPod dock among the sea of thousands of iPod docks available now, but this UK-engineered dock is much different. It’s leaps and bounds above the rest. Miley Cyrus never sounded so good.

We compared the i30 to Bose’s SoundDock and it beat out the Bose hands down. The SoundDock was more akin to a cheap $20 iPod dock than the grandiose experience people are expected to have with Bose products. The i30’s sound was crisp, unmuffled and undistorted on all levels. It hit lows, mids, and highs with nary an issue. Even with the volume mid-way the sound resonating from the two 4-inch iCT drivers caused others to come over and tell me to turn the volume down. To them I stuck out my tongue and cranked it up.

The sound quality is fantastic. A few peers have told me they’ve put it up against that Zeppelin doodad and they’ve enjoyed the Tannoy much better. It’s a simple design that isn’t so brash and out there. It’s very unassuming until you turn it on. You can plug in other devices including your computer in case you want better speakers. There’s also a video output so that you can watch your iPod videos on a larger screen. A USB port allows you to sync with iTunes from the dock and the included IR remote lets you control everything from the couch or kitchen or wherever you might be.

I’m sad to have to part ways with the i30 because the music on my iPod never sounded so good. The price may deter some of you, but it’s not worth it to be cheap if you don’t have a booming audio system to begin with. I need a smaller setup because of my living situation and the i30 is ideal. I don’t have CDs or any mp3 files on my computer anymore. Everything resides on my iPod and sometimes I like to crank it up and rock out in my apartment. The i30 lets me do that without any distortion or craptastic audio once the volume is turned up. You will want this dock and nothing else. Trust me.

iPod, MacBook Air hard drives can be faster

Hard drives as used in the iPod classic, laptops and mobile devices are set to get faster, matching the capability of full-size computer drives.

Toshiba is set to unveil a line of micro-Serial ATA 1.8-in. disk drives that can operate at spin speeds of 5,400 rpm.

Toshiba said the 80GB MK8016GSG and 120GB MK1216GSG drives are slated to ship to mobile manufacturers and partners in April. The drives weigh about 62 grams, according to the company.

The company plans to show off the drives Tuesday at the Intel Mobility Summit in Shanghai. Patty Kim, product marketing manager at the Toshiba Storage Device Division, who declined to disclose the company's pricing plans for the new drives.

Kim said the devices are based on the 3Gbit/sec. SATA interface architecture of the company's 2.5-in. hard drive systems. She also said the new disk drives support the SATA 2.6 specification and incorporate the micro-SATA connector to allow integration with Toshiba's full line of SATA disk drives. The connector also allows the new drive to be linked to small-design storage devices manufactured by other storage vendors, Kim added.

John Rydning, an analyst at Framingham, Mass.-based IDC, said Toshiba is the first hard drive manufacturer to enable 5,400-rpm speeds in a 1.8-in. device. That capability answers a growing frustration among mobile computer users that they must sacrifice hard drive performance when using ultrathin notebook or laptop computers, he said.

Rydning said that, theoretically, the drive's 5,400-rpm spindle speed and 80GB and 120GB capacity options put performance and reliability of the 1.8-in. device on par with its 160GB 2.5-in. cousin. However, he also noted that IDC has yet to test the device.

"What this means for ultramobile PC makers and users is that they'll have more storage options for the small, thin and light PCs," said Rydning. "It will be a noticeable difference."

Rydning said he expects that other drive makers will unveil similar tools in the coming months. "Demand for capacity on notebook computers has just been amazing," he said. "The trend is pretty clear: Portable computer users really don't want to give up capacity as they switch to notebooks from desktop computers."

Macs is growing AAPL

Apple's Macintosh computers will play a bigger role in the company's growth than the iPhone and iPod, according to industry analysts. CNN Money reports that BMO Capital Markets analyst Keith Bachman today cut Apple's stock target from $160 to $140 per share. Bachman says that the iPhone's growth is slowing and he remains skeptical on Apple's target of 10 million units sold; his own forecast sees Apple moving around 8.5 million iPhones.

Bachman sees the Mac increasing marketshare, and raised his estimate of 8.2 million units sold to 9.4 million. He also raised quarterly estimates from 1.87 million to 2.06 million.

The iPod shows signs of stagnation due to a likely saturated market, noting that the 22 million iPods sold during the January quarter is only five percent higher than the year ago quarter. This is short of forecasts all throughout the industry, and Bachman has lowered expected sales from 54.6 million iPods sold to 51.1 million.

Bachman says that Apple could recover some ground on the iPhone by introducing less expensive models, as well as opening the device to more carriers.

Legal silences iTunes

Apple has fired a cease and desist order against the developers behind the open-source Hymn Project.

Hymn develops software that strips Apple's FairPlay digital rights management (DRM) technology from user's iTunes purchases, allowing music fans to play their music on devices other than those from Apple.

iTunes customers can legitimately lose FairPlay DRM in order to play their music on other devices by burning a CD of their songs, and ripping that CD into a different format.

Hymn has complied with Apple's legal letter, removing download links to its software from its website and warning forum users not to post links to alternate download sources within its forums, or risk a ban.

The Hymn forum moderator wrote: "In no way has this site ever promoted piracy. Those of you who've attempted to discuss such topics know that we take a very heavy handed approach. This was partly to protect us but also because we feel that artists should be compensated for their work. We truly believe that people should be able to free the music they've legally purchased from the shackles of DRM. So, we've attempted through the years to keep a balance of fair use.

"We've complied with the cease and desist and removed all DRM breaking software from the site. But they can't force us to purchase DRM'd music from their store," he added.

iPod News

Griffin Technology Inc., maker of all things iPod, today announced their Reflect(TM) and Courier(TM) carrying cases for iPod are now available for iPhone.

Designed with protection, style and convenience in mind, the newly available cases are now shipping.


Reflect for iPhone
Like polished chrome, Reflect presents a sleek, metallic finish that covers the perimeter of the Multi Touch display. Reflect provides protection for your iPhone as only a hard shell of polycarbonate can while complementing the device's sleek design. A matte black rubberized case back seals your iPhone inside, and provides a sure grip. Reflect is protection for your iPhone that reflects well on you.

Courier

Redesigned with a slimmer look and abrasion-resistant durability, Griffin's updated Courier provides practical transportation and protection for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPod classic. Designed to wrap onto a backpack or shoulder bag strap, Courier securely carries your iPhone and accessories with a heavy-duty hook-and-loop closure and carabiner clip. Courier includes two detachable cases for iPhone/iPod touch and iPod classic/iPod with video and features a hidden zippered pocket for money, keys, or ID.

Pricing & Availability
Griffin's new Reflect for iPhone, $24.99; and Courier, $34.99, are now shipping and available at major retailers nationwide.

iPods in a War Zone

As they prepare for their daily patrols around Baghdad, soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division sync up their iPods, not with songs and movies, but with a laundry list of missions and audio files containing pre-recorded phrases in Iraqi Arabic or Kurdish.

Loaded with special software, the music players help them communicate with the populace and learn the local culture, and they occasionally serve as handy tools in their tactical missions, such as searching for persons of interest. The gadgets have been so useful that troops are now finding new ways to employ the technology.

The Army so far has purchased 300 of the Vcommunicator Mobile LC devices. Since last fall, squad leaders from the 10th Mountain Division's 1st and 4th Brigades have been using the product in Iraq.

Little Training Needed

The simplicity that has made the iPod, manufactured by Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) , so successful as a music player also relates to its combat applications. Solthers simply scroll through as they search for mission data or for spoken phrases. The display shows the sentence phonetically and in script, and the user can play the corresponding audio clip, which also can be synced to an avatar, or computerized character, that gestures according to customs.

Connected to a speaker or megaphone, the device functions as a one-way language translator. Prior to having these devices, troops had to wait for an interpreter before they could engage local residents during patrols.

"We had very little training for the systems, because they're so easy to operate," said Cory Youmans, director for acquisition support at the Army's program executive office for simulation, training and instrumentation, or PEO STRI. "The vast majority of soldiers intuitively know how to operate an iPod."

That was one of the selling points for the product, he added. Soldiers in general are looking for lightweight equipment that is simple to operate and requires little maintenance and power, Youmans said in an interview.

More Than a Translator

The creator of the VCommunicator software -- Orlando-based Vcom3D -- originally designed it to teach soldiers basic Iraqi Arabic phrases. However, now troops are finding new tactical applications for the device, said Ernie Bright, product manager at Vcom3D.

Troops also are uploading maps and other images and content onto the video iPods to assist them at vehide checkpoints and door-to-door searches, said Bright.

If soldiers are looking for a particular individual, they can load a photo of their target and correlate it to Arabic script that asks, "Do you recognize this person?"

Troops also can store sound clips and other pertinent information that they need to conduct mission briefs for small units, said Bright.

Going Nano

The most recent version of the Vcommunicator comes on the new iPod nano, which troops are strapping to their wrists or wearing on lanyards around their necks.

The nano units are much faster, much smaller and more user-friendly, said Youmans. "That's one of the benefits of using commercial off-the-shelf -- the technology advances really quickly," he told National Defense in a phone interview.

The nano variants were completed in time for the 4th Brigade's deployment last fall, he said.

The devices also come in languages that are suitable for operations in Afghanistan. In October, during a training exercise at Fort Polk, La., soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division tested iPod nanos programmed with the Dari and Pashto languages. Youmans said he expects the unit will request the devices for future deployments.

In the latest version, Vcom3D added a "vocabulary list" feature and expanded sections on basic conversation, winning the hearts and minds, intelligence gathering, detainee processing, medical care, training, crowd control and improvised explosive device sweeping.

"Having key phrases in there, a simple thing like, 'Would you like to play a game of soccer,' or 'Can I give your children these gifts,'" helps to build rapport, said Bright.

The vocabulary list is broken down into categories that include Army supplies, medical intervention, directions and colors. An entry for the word pistol, for example, brings up an image of the object. The next screen gives the phonetic pronunciation of the word in the selected language, and then the word written out in script.

Making Life a Little Easier and Safer

The Army awarded Vcom3D a contract for the iPod translator following a request by the 10th Mountain Division for a multifunctional, multimedia language and cultural learning device that was based on the iPod or a Windows Mobile PDA.

The division wanted a system that provided one-way language translation, a mission-specific vocabulary trainer, a multimedia cultural awareness tool, and an authoring tool that would allow units to build or modify phrases into existing missions. The system also needed to be flexible enough so that soldiers could make modifications as needed, said Youmans.

"We found out that the only vendor out there that had a device that met all the requirements was Vcom3D," he said.

As an Army reservist, Youmans deployed twice to Iraq and Kuwait. On his rotation there in 2004, he commanded the 375th Transportation Group.

"I can tell you it would have been nice for my soldiers to have had such a device, because we did not have the luxury of having translators available to support our convoys going up into Iraq. If we had a device like this, it sure would have made life easier for our soldiers going into harm's way," he said.

"As the convoys ran up the main supply routes, sometimes they would get stopped and the local people would come out to see what was going on. Many times, they would get very dose to the trucks and soldiers. Sometimes kids would climb on the trucks ... If we had had the ability to communicate to them in their language, 'please get off the truck, please stay away, we don't want you to get hurt,' we could have avoided an unhappy situation," he added.

Expanding Functionality

PEO STRI plans to deploy a team to Iraq to evaluate how the devices are performing in the inhospitable environment and weather conditions.

"The nice thing is, because they're commercial, they're cheap to replace," he said. Each device costs US$200 to $300.

Soldiers who are operating the iPods already have been inquiring about how to adapt the devices for other applications. One group in particular asked if it would be possible to connect the iPods to a plasma or LCD display at vehicle checkpoints so the images can be seen more clearly, said Youmans.

Bright said the company already is supplying the accessories to make that possible

This year Vcom3D plans to offer a commercial version of its software geared toward travelers, said Carol Wideman, president of the company. She said the company's long-term goal is to make it available on the mobile device of choice.

Apple brand benefits from Idol deal

Apple’s iPod enjoys a sizable share of the market for digital-music players. Its iTunes Store enjoys an equally formidable share of the online music market. And its brand remains one of the most recognizable in the world. So what can aligning its iPod and iTunes offerings with a television program do for Apple, even when the program in question is as popular as the Fox Network’s American Idol?

Plenty, analysts say.

“Apple’s involvement with American Idol brings a number of benefits, including more exclusives to iTunes, closer association with TV and music (particularly emerging artists), and exposure on one of the top-rated shows on television,” said Ross Rubin, director of analysis at market-research firm NPD.

Earlier this week, Apple and Fox unveiled a partnership that links their respective iTunes and Idol franchises. Under the terms of the deal, performances by American Idol contestants will appear on the iTunes Store the day after they’re broadcast on television. American Idol fans can also pre-order performances from their favorite contestants from the iTunes Store, which will be automatically downloaded the day after the show airs. And the store will have the music tracks of the top 24 semifinalists available for purchase for 99 cents per song.

Fox’s American Idol figures to become a common sight at the iTunes Store now that Apple has inked a deal with the reality TV show.

Having the exclusive songs and videos with Fox is certainly a coup for Apple, but that is only a small piece of the puzzle. When it comes down to the real benefits for Apple, it’s all about the brand.

As first reported by Variety, the iPod will become the TV show’s official digital music player while the iPhone becomes its official handset; those products are likely to be integrated into future episodes, similar to products from other American Idol sponsors such as Coke, AT&T, and Ford.

“The Idol stuff shows the ability of Apple place itself along other strong brands and overall reinforcing the coolness of the Apple experience,” said Michael Gartenberg, vice president and research director at JupiterResearch. “By making the placements in different venues, it reinforces the message that Apple products cross demographic boundaries and have appeal to multiple market segments.”

The deal certainly represents the union of two very recognizable brands. Apple’s iPod enjoys a 67 percent share of the market for digital-music players, according to the most recent figures from NPD. The iTunes Store remains a popular retail destination for online music, even with growing competition from rivals like Amazon.com’s Amazon MP3 service—just last month, Apple reported that iTunes had sold its 4 billionth song. As for American Idol, it’s one of the most-watched programs on network television—just this week, the show powered Fox to three consecutive nights of ratings wins, according to entertainment news site Zap2it.

But how much overlap already exists between Apple’s music products and the Idol audience? Given the iPod’s ubiquity, isn’t placing that product on American Idol little more than preaching to the choir?

Not so, says Tim Deal, senior analyst at market research form, Pike & Fischer. “With more than 30 million viewers, American Idol represents an opportunity for Apple to continue to build on a solid foundation of brand recognition,” Deal said. “Apple’s brand strategy cannot remain static simply because it is currently a well-known brand. The company must continually develop ways to reach new demographics, new customers and maintain a high-position in consumer mind-share.”

And that’s important to Apple. While the company continues to sell a large amount of handheld devices—more than 22 million iPods and 2 million iPhones during its fiscal first quarter—the growth of iPod sales has slowed, especially compared to booming growth enjoyed in past years. Keeping the music player at the forefront of people’s minds by placing it on a TV show they’re likely to watch could be part of Apple’s efforts to make sure that its products continue to rule the digital music roost.

Apple's iPod Growth Curve

Steve Jobs' recent price cut on his cheapest iPod -- the iPod shuffle -- could help the company accelerate unit sales growth for the first time in more than a year. But how about revenue?

iPod revenue growth doesn't move in lockstep with iPod unit growth. Last quarter, Apple sold 22.1 million iPods, just 5% more than it did the previous December quarter. But the same quarter, iPod revenue growth increased 17% year-over-year. Why? The new, high-end iPod touch jacked up the average revenue/unit 11% y/y from $163 to $181.

This quarter, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster expects Apple to sell 11.3 million iPods, up 7% y/y and an acceleration over last quarter's 5% y/y growth. But he expects the cheaper iPod shuffles to lower Apple's average sales price, reducing y/y iPod revenue growth to 12%. That's better than the lousy y/y iPod revenue growth Apple saw most of 2007, but a deceleration from last quarter.

Going forward, Munster expects Apple's iPod growth to come from cheaper, wi-fi-enabled, touchscreen iPods. That could bring the average unit price down even more -- bottoming around $157 later this year, he estimates. But he expects higher unit sales to boost revenue growth for the next few quarters.

Apple iPod Finally Gets Stereo Bluetooth!

Although the iPod has been absolutely dominating the MP3 market for several years now, there is at least one feature that has been notably missing from the glossy Cupertino-powered device. If you've been wanting to cut the wires on your music player, this is definitely the iPod for you, because it comes equipped with fully functional Bluetooth A2DP. That's stereo, folks. The bad news is that this functionality is not coming directly from Steve Jobs. Instead, Ed Hernandez had to hack and slash his way through a iPod Video 5G, modifying it in such a way as to provide wireless connectivity. The Bluetooth module was a little too beefy to fit in the OEM housing, so there was actually a little more to this mod. In addition to the $50 Bluetooth module, Ed invested in a $30 clear faceplate (so the blue LED could shine through), a $35 Flash adapter, and a $30-$120 CompactFlash card. The hard drive had to be replaced with CF in order to make room for the BT module. Sounds neat, but Apple needs to seriously include some stereo Bluetooth in the next iPod... or iPhone.

Apple TV Nails It the Second Time Around

The new Apple TV is fantastic!

Downloading and watching recent movies -- in high-definition, from the comfort of your living room -- is a stupendous experience. It could become habit-forming (exactly what Apple probably has in mind.)

First, a little history.

I've had a test unit for months. Because of Apple's (AAPL - Cramer's Take - Stockpickr) long history of innovation, I figured this would be a killer video device that every person on the planet would want to own. You know, like iPods and iPhones.

When I originally received the device I couldn't wait to try it. It handled music very well. But videos that had been downloaded to play on an iPod looked absolutely dreadful when played on my HDTV screen. I was highly unimpressed.

Despite its shortcomings, I thought Apple TV had lots of potential -- but not in that original form. Video playback would have to be improved. Obviously, Mr. Jobs had the same thought.

So, when Apple sent me an email and told me they had just published a major software update for my Apple TV box,,I couldn't wait to try Apple TV 2.0

You already know that I now like what I see (and hear), but first some hardware details.

Apple TV is a very small, single-purpose computer (7.7 by 7.7 by 1.1 inches, 2.4 pounds). It will connect your wide-screen TV via a component or HDMI cable (sold separately) and also to your high-speed Internet connection at home via Wi-Fi (802.11g/n) or Ethernet (10/100BASE-T). Audio is handled by analog RCA jacks or the optical digital port. There's also a USB 2.0 port and IR receiver inside.

The device must be electronically "linked" to either a Mac (Mac OS 10.3.9, 10.4.9 or later) or PC (Windows XP, Service Pack 2 or Vista) desktop or laptop. Your computer's copy of iTunes is the conduit for buying and charging music and video content.

It also comes with a cute little remote to handle music and video choices from across the room. Be careful what you press and where you aim -- the remote also controls any nearby Mac computers.

There are two Apple TV configurations available now. There's a 40 GB model ($229) and the 160 GB ($329) model. Obviously, the larger hard drive is capable of storing up to four times as many audio and video files. Duh!

In a previous life, Apple TV had to connect to your computer to get all of its content. Now, Apple TV connects directly to your iTunes account. That allows you to download and receive content directly to your box. So you know: You can download, watch and listen on your computer or your Apple TV box (the subject of this review).

ITunes' available content pool is growing. In addition to all those music files, you can now rent movies via iTunes. It costs $3.99 for a standard definition movie and $4.99 for a high-definition movie. The rental period is 24 hours. You can watch the movie as many times as you can stand to during that period. After 24 hours, the download disappears.

Once you set up your iTunes account (which means inputting your credit card information), you're all set. Choose a movie, press the button agreeing to the rental, and the movie begins to download. Amazingly, after about 45 seconds or so, Apple TV is ready to let you begin watching.

Appropriately, I chose the fabulous Disney/Pixar feature Ratatouille to test the system. All I can say is wow! Apple TV video quality is spectacular. The audio is pretty special, too. All in all, video rental has never been this quick and easy.

Did I find anything to complain about? If I want to be picky, I could argue that the Apple TV hardware gets very warm to the touch when it's been on for a while. Big deal!
Do I think Apple is on the right track?
You bet.
By adding video rentals to the super-popular iTunes store, Apple is working overtime to control online video rentals just like it does the music download market. The Apple TV box should help the company reach that goal.
This overhaul is so good -- I'm wondering what Mr. Jobs has in mind for Apple TV 3.
I'm sure everyone will want to own one of those devices, too.

Apple special event

Is Apple planning a special event in New York?

Apple seems set to host a special event in New York in the coming weeks, or at the very least to stage an iTunes Live gig there, featuring Linkin' Park.

The band reportedly let slip to fans of plans to perform at an Apple event in New York earlier this week, but warned these plans to be "secret".

Whether it's wishful thinking is unclear, but with Apple expected to introduce its iPhone Software Development Kit this month it's not beyond the boundaries of possibility to speculate on a special event to mark the launch and introduce the first shipping applications from third party developers.

Speculation is gathering such force that even the New York Times is mulling the possibility.

A second report hints that developers are already applying the finishing touches to new software for the iPhone and iPod touch. PocketGamer reports Gameloft CEO Michel Guillemot illustrated his keynote speech on games and mobiles with a slide showing one of his titles running on an iPhone.

"What we do know is that Apple hasn't yet announced its plans for official iPhone downloadable games. But judging by its work with iPod games already, Gameloft is likely to be one of the launch partners," the report claims.

Finally, the BBC today promised iPlayer streaming television would be made available to iPhone and iPod touch owners, "within weeks". Could this indicate the debut of Adobe Flash Player on the iPhone?

The Apple TV update

Apple continued its product-a-week pace for 2008 earlier this week by releasing the Apple TV software update promised at Macworld Expo. And so, in this Macworld Video, I dive right into the new software, giving you an overview of what to expect as well as a tour of the new interface.

The feature highlight of this software update is the addition of the ability to buy media and rent movies from the iTunes Store directly from the Apple TV. Rest assured, we explore that aspect, too.

Download Macworld Video #38

• Format: MPEG-4/H.264

• Resolution: 320 x 240 (iPhone & iPod compatible)

• Size: 14.1 MB

• Length: 7 minutes, 30 seconds

Show Notes

I wrote down some initial impressions of the Apple TV update earlier this week. And if you’d like to continue our full-court multimedia press, Apple TV was among the subjects discussed on this week’s podcast.

To subscribe to the Macworld Video Podcast using iTunes 5 or later, click here.

You can also see a complete archive of all our videos on Macworld’s YouTube channel. Subscribe to that channels and you will be notified whenever we post a new video.

Or just point your favorite podcast-savvy RSS reader to:

New FlowerVest cases for iPod touch, 3G nano

Agent 18 has introduced two new FlowerVest cases for the third-generation iPod nano and iPod touch. The iPod touch case costs $29.99, while the iPod nano vest costs $19.99.

The new cases come in two colors, pink with pink flowers and brown with blue flowers. FlowerVest cases are made of silicon, and provide access to iPod connectors and the touch screen. The nano case also incorporates a clear polycarbonate lens to protect the deviceÕs screen. Both cases include a dock adapter that enables the iPod to connect to a docking device while still in the FlowerVest

Apple patents Podmap, 'speaking Map' device

Apple shows interest in geography, developing GPS-like device

Apple has filed a patent for "podmaps".

Apple's podmaps patent describes the "Creation, Management and Delivery of Map-based Media Items,".

"According to one aspect, personalized media items can pertain to generation and delivery of map-based media items. These media items are playable by a media playback device. For example, when a map-based media item is played by a media playback device, an audio output and/or a visual output can be provided. The audio output can be provided by digital audio, and the visual output can be provided by at least one digital image that is associated with at least a portion of the digital audio," the patent abstract explains.

The company seems to be focused on developing a solution that would enable users to access complete directions and maps using a portable device.

Apple releases Aperture 2 30-day trial

Apple makes trial version of Aperture 2 available

Apple has made available a free trial of Aperture 2, its advanced software for photographers the company updated this week.

The Aperture 2 trial provides a fully functional version of Aperture 2 that you can use and experiment with. While it includes all the features available in a licensed copy, the trial version will expire 30 days after you launch it for the first time. The software is available in English, French, German and Japanese.

Aperture 2 now retails at a lower price of £129. it boasts over 100 new features, a streamlined user interface and an entirely new image processing engine. The application Aperture 2 also provides new imaging tools for highlight recovery, colour vibrancy, local contrast definition, soft-edged retouching, vignetting and RAW fine-tuning, and enables users to post portfolios directly to the .Mac Web Gallery.

The software works with OS X, iLife, iWork, .Mac and Apple print products so any image in Aperture's library can be accessed from within other applications.

Owners of previous versions of Aperture can upgrade to Aperture 2 for £65.

Apple scotches handheld gaming rumour

Apple source dismisses rumoured mobile gaming console claims

Apple has no plans to move into the gaming market, contrary to recent reports.

An Apple "senior development source" allegedly countered recent reports claiming the company has plans to penetrate the games market in conversation with Develop magazine.

This report notes that while Apple recently applied for a patent for what could be construed a mobile gaming system, this does not mean the company intends releasing a product to compete with the PSP.

Instead, that filing indicates the company's interest in expanding its selection of iPod games.

"Apple is very protective of the reputation it has built in the electronics market," the report explains. "Don't hold your breath for an announcement of an 'iGame' console just yet," the source reportedly warned.

Nano-fibers could power your iPod

US researchers have created a nano-fiber textile that harvests energy from movement, paving the way for clothing that could one day power an iPod or other wearable electronic devices, according to a study published Wednesday.

Using the same mechanical principle as a self-winding watch, but on scale measured in billionths of a meter, tiny nano-generators can scavenge "wasted" energy from sound waves, vibrations, or even the human heart beat.

The fibers, developed by a team of scientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology led by Zhong Lin Wang, are covered with pairs of zinc oxide nanowires that produce tiny pulses of electricity in response to friction.

"The two fibers scrub together just like two bottle brushes with their bristles touching," converting the mechanical motion into electrical energy, explained Wang.

"Many of the devices could be put together to produce a higher output," he said.

This method of generation energy from friction is called the "piezoelectric effect."

The fibers could also be woven into curtains, tents or other structures to capture energy from wind motion, sound vibrations or other mechanical energy, according to the study, published in the British journal Nature.

The human body contains many sources of energy that could drive nanogenerators, including blood flow pumped by the heart, exhalation from the lungs, and walking.

Even the act of typing on a computer is a potential source of nano-scale energy.

So far, Wang and his colleagues have made more than 200 of the microscopic nano-generators. The fibers assemblies were each tested for 30 minutes to check durability and power production.

Other kinds of nano-generators driven by scavenged energy aim to power biosensors to monitor a patient's glucose levels, strain sensors for bridges, and environmental sensors to detect toxins.

There remains at least one significant problem before Wang's nano-fibers can become part of our daily wardrobes.

Zinc oxide is sensitive to water, which means that clothes made from these fibers could never be washed, the study said.

Win a MacBook Air and Bento

Macworld's latest competition to win a MacBook Air and a copy of Bento

One lucky Macworld reader is going to win one of Apple’s brand new MacBook Air laptops, pre-installed with Bento, the five-star Macworld Award-winning new personal database from FileMaker that’s as easy to use as your Mac. Three runner-ups will each receive a copy of Bento.

The MacBook Air needs little introduction – Apple claims it is the world’s thinnest laptop, and at just 4mm at the thinnest part, it’s an astonishingly skinny piece of kit.

Bento (five stars, Macworld January 2008) is another product making waves at the moment. Coming from the same company that created the world-class FileMaker database software, Bento aims to give you control over all the information on your Mac in an easy-to-use way. You can manage your contacts, co-ordinate events, track projects, and prioritise tasks. In fact, you can create a system for virtually any kind of personal database you could imagine.

Bento is available now for just £29 from FileMaker.

New look for .Mac Web Gallery

.Mac subscribers gain new Web Gallery features

Apple has informed .Mac subscribers of a series of recent changes to Apple applications and devices to enhance support for .Mac Web Galleries, including recently noted changes to Apple TV and Aperture.

Apple TV users who have downloaded the new 2.0 software update - available starting Tuesday - are able to view any .Mac user's public photos and movies. A new .Mac entry in the Photos menu lets you navigate to any .Mac member's account.

The most recent update to iPhoto, version 7.1.2, lets users upload full-size JPEGs as well as images optimized for 16 x 20-inch prints. iPhoto 7.1.2 also lets users publish standalone albums that don't appear in the Web Gallery home page.

iMovie 7.1.1 also has been enhanced, with the ability to password-protect iMovies uploaded to a Web Gallery, so you can limit the audience for specific movies.

Users can now subscribe to your entire Web Gallery using a single RSS feed; the feed will be updated any time new photos or movies are added.

Finally, Aperture 2.0, also released Tuesday, now features the ability to publish directly to .Mac Web Galleries. Aperture users can also upload original RAW files if they choose, making RAW files available for download.

iPhone grey market booming

iPhones is booming, report claims

A Business Week report claims the iPhone has generated a huge grey market for unlocked units - and that insiders involved at some point in the production cycle for the machines may be involved in the burgeoning industry.

The report claims as many as one million unlocked iPhones may be in circulation across the world, with a particular heavy trade in the devices taking place in the Far East.

The news means 25 per cent of iPhone purchases have gone to users who then unlock the device for use on their chosen network, or for sale to others anxious to use iPhone.

The report also reveals that Czech firm Bladox and its Turbo SIM card may have hit a home run when it introduced a variant of its product last year which was capable of fooling an iPhone into thinking itself to be running an officially-sanctioned SIM card, even when it wasn't.

The report also explains the existence of at least one distributor who claims knwledge of a supplier with access to diagrams and repair guides that Apple would not release outside the company.

Business Week notes that Apple and its partners don't appear to have worked hard enough to end the scourge, but points out that the popularity of unlocked iPhones proves the popularity of the device, and could be good omen for when iPhone ships in as yet unsupported countries.

BusinessWeek readers report iPhone sales in Brazil, Canada, the Dominican Republic, Indonesia, Israel, Nigeria, Peru, Poland, Russia, and the United Arab Emirates.

Vers Audio Vers 2x

As the number of iPod speaker systems on the market increases, seemingly exponentially, some companies have attempted to stand out from the crowd by focusing on design and materials. Vers Audio is one such company, and the Vers 2x , its first offering, successfully employs such an approach.

Unlike most iPod speaker systems, which feature a body made of plastic, metal, or some combination of the two, the Vers 2x’s exterior cabinet is constructed entirely of attractive, cherry-finish wood. More specifically, the company says it uses “hand-crafted, hand-finished, furniture grade cherry veneer” over a wood frame. However you describe it, the smooth-cornered Vers 2x is certainly among the most attractive systems I’ve seek, looking much like the luxury “table radios” that have become popular over the past few years. And the cabinet, 11.2 inches wide-by-6.1 inches deep-by-5.7 inches high, feels exceptionally solid. (At 6.5 pounds, the Vers 2x is also heavier than it appears, presumably because of the real wood.)

But it’s not just the wood cabinet that makes the 2x unique; it’s also the production process, which Vers claims strives to be environmentally-conscious at every step. For example, the system’s cabinet wood is harvested from “sustainable-managed plantation sources” via a process that uses every bit of each tree. Vers also uses screws instead of adhesives and plastic snaps, which is both better for the environment and makes the system easier to take apart and recycle at the end of its lifetime. All packaging, including the protective trays inside, is made from 100-percent recycled paper products that are, in turn, completely re-recyclable, and the company doesn’t use plastic or wire cable ties. Finally, the 2x’s amplifier is a Class-D switching model, which uses less energy than other types of amps, especially when the system is powered down. The 2x is also fully RoHS-compliant. As someone who sees far too much waste—plastic or other—each day while reviewing products, I applaud Vers Audio for this approach.

The front of the 2x hosts two 3-inch speaker drivers, hidden behind a removable, fabric grill. On top is a silver-plastic iPod dock cradle that uses Apple’s Universal design and charges your iPod while docked. Seven silver-plastic dock inserts are included for compatibility with most dock-connector iPods; specifically, insert numbers 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11. There’s also an insert with a flat base for holding non-dockable iPods and other media players; you connect these via the included 15-inch audio cable. Just in front of the dock cradle, and also made of silver plastic, are a power button and a volume up/down rocker switch.

(The 2x works with the iPhone, although not officially — you get the now-familiar onscreen alert about putting the iPhone in Airplane Mode to reduce interference. That said, with Airplane Mode off I heard GSM “noise” only when the iPhone was receiving a call, or when receiving email, text, or voicemail messages.)

The back and sides of the 2x are smooth pieces of wood, save two silver-plastic-encircled ports on the back panel to increase bass response. The bottom panel is made of black plastic and hosts, in a slightly-recessed well, the AC power jack, the aforementioned 1/8-inch auxiliary-input minijack, and a 1/8-inch audio-out minijack for playing the Vers 2x’s audio through another audio system.

Although placing these jacks on the bottom of the system makes for a more-attractive appearance, it also adds a bit of inconvenience. Connecting the included audio cable to the auxiliary-input jack mutes all iPod audio, which means that if you want to use the Vers 2x for both your iPod and a second audio source (such as a computer or another portable device), you need to unplug the auxiliary cable whenever you want to listen to the iPod. But since the jack is on the bottom of the system, you have to turn the unit over to get to the jack (and remember to remove your iPod from the dock cradle first). A better solution would have been for Vers Audio to configure the 2x so that the auxiliary input and iPod audio were mixed together; that would also allow you to, for example, listen to your iPod while still being able to hear your computer’s alert sounds.

Four rubber feet on the bottom of the 2x keep the unit from sliding around and also provide clearance for any cables to exit from underneath.

The decision to use 3-inch drivers with no tweeters and no larger woofer(s) allows Vers to keep the 2x compact, but it also limits the Vers 2x’s audio capabilities. The system is midrange-heavy with no true bass, although decent upper-bass does give a sense of impact. Treble response is also missing a sense of higher-frequency detail; a number of other speakers at or below the Vers 2x’s price offer better performance in this area. On the other hand, the 2x, which houses a 15-Watt-per-channel amplifier, plays surprisingly loud for its size, and even at its loudest volume levels, I heard no distortion.

Included with the Vers 2x is a large infrared remote control with a good array of functions. You get the usual—power, volume, mute, play/pause, back, and forward—but also buttons to toggle shuffle mode, skip to the previous or next playlist, and navigate your iPod’s onscreen menus.

As much as I liked the design of the 2x itself, I wasn’t a fan of the remote. Made of silver plastic to match the 2x’s dock cradle, the remote’s buttons felt a bit cheap. I also experienced a frustrating issue with the remote’s performance. I often had to press a button several times before the command was recognized, even if the remote was only a foot or so away from the system. Other times the remote didn’t work at all. I replaced the battery and tried to use the remote from various angles, to no avail. Finally, I decided, just for kicks, to remove the 2x’s mesh grill. Bingo. The remote worked perfectly, with all functions recognized from 15 to 20 feet away. The grill was apparently interfering with the remote’s infrared signal. I contacted Vers Audio about this issue; the company said it was aware of the problem and has boosted the performance of the infrared system in currently-shipping models, although I wasn’t able to test this.

Whether or not the Vers 2x will appeal to you depends largely on the relative values you place on design, environmentally-focused production, sound quality, and features. For a basic, desktop speaker system, the 2x is up there with the most attractive we’ve tested, is solidly (and sustainably) built, and sounds decent. However, at $180, you’re paying for that design and, presumably, for Vers Audio’s attention to the system's environmental impact (which, as I noted above, I wholeheartedly commend). Similarly, the 2x’s features and sound quality are limited compared to some of the better systems in this price range. Still, I was sad to see the review unit go—it looked so good on my desk.

Apple fixes OS X security bugs

The bug fixes kept coming Monday, as Apple shipped critical security updates for its Mac OS X operating system.

The latest security updates fix 11 bugs in the Mac operating system, including eight bugs in the recently released Mac OS X 10.5, known as "Leopard." Apple released the security fixes in conjunction with an 10.5.2 update to Leopard, which includes dozens of other updates.

Some of the security flaws are extremely serious, and could be exploited by hackers to run unauthorized software on a victim's computer, although Apple did not report any incidents of this occurring.

The patches include fixes for Safari, Mail, Launch Services, the Mac OS Directory Services, Open Directory and Parental Controls. There are also patches for several Unix components that ship with Apple's software, including a recently patched flaw in the Samba file-and-print software.

"The Samba bug was expected, since all the open-source distributions released fixes a while ago," said Andrew Storms, nCircle's director of security operations, via instant message.

It's been a busy time for software developers working on some widely used software products.

Apple's patches come a day before Microsoft is set to issue a massive set of updates itself. Last week, the software vendor said it expected to release 12 security updates for a variety of products including critical updates for Windows, Internet Explorer and Office.

Last week other critical patches were also released for Adobe Reader and Apple's QuickTime media player.

Yahtzee comes to iPod

Hasbro's classic dice game Yahtzee is now available for third-generation iPod nanos, iPod classics and fifth-generation iPods. The new game can be purchased from the iTunes Store for $4.99.

Yahtzee is a Poker-themed game in which you have to score the most points by rolling five dice to make combinations in thirteen rounds. It's been a popular family game since it was first introduced in the mid-1950s.

The iPod version, developed by Electronic Arts and licensed from Hasbro, includes multiple game modes and rule sets, help menus and hints, the ability to play against a friend or against a computer component with multiple skill levels, automatic score keeping, an auto-save function and custom sound effects and music.

Apple ships Aperture 2

Far more powerful and cheaper too, Apple updates Aperture

Apple has introduced Aperture 2, the next major release of its photo editing and management software at a new and lower £129 price.

The new version boasts over 100 new features, a streamlined user interface and an entirely new image processing engine. The application Aperture 2 also provides new imaging tools for highlight recovery, colour vibrancy, local contrast definition, soft-edged retouching, vignetting and RAW fine-tuning, and enables users to post portfolios directly to the .Mac Web Gallery.

"Many of the most respected photographers on assignment all over the world trust Aperture to organize, edit and deliver their images," said Rob Schoeben, Apple's vice president of Applications Product Marketing. "With its simpler interface and lower price, anyone can take full advantage of Aperture's power."

Aperture 2 lets users navigate between Viewer and Browser modes with a single key command. Screen real estate is maximized for images with an all-in-one display that lets users toggle between library, metadata and adjustment controls in a single tabbed inspector.

The All Projects view offers a poster photo for every project and has the ability to quickly skim through the photos inside, while the integrated iPhoto Browser offers direct access to the iPhoto library.

The company has tweaked performance in order to make it faster to import, browse and search large image collections. Photographers can caption, keyword and rate images as they are being imported, and the application also lets them export images as a background process in order they can keep working.

Quick Preview allows users to browse RAW images without waiting for files to load, while the Aperture library database has been rebuilt to offer faster project switching and near instantaneous search results, even when working with extremely libraries of 500,000 images or more.

New tools for improving and enhancing images include Recovery for pulling back "blown" highlights, Vibrancy for selectively boosting saturation without adversely affecting skin tones, Definition, which offers local contrast for adding clarity to images, Vignette and Devignette filters for providing professional visual effects and a true soft-edged Repair and Retouch brush for quickly and easily removing blemishes, cleaning up sensor dust and cloning away problem areas.

The software works with OS X, iLife, iWork, .Mac and Apple print products so any image in Aperture's library can be accessed from within other applications.

Owners of previous versions of Aperture can upgrade to Aperture 2 for £65.

T-Mobile clinches iPhone for Austria

T-Mobile has confirmed itself to be Apple's official iPhone launch partner in Austria.

T-Mobile has confirmed itself to be Apple's official iPhone launch partner in Austria.

The company's CEO Hamid Akhavan confirmed these plans this morning, promising the network will begin offering the device in Austria during the first half of this year.

T-Mobile is already Apple's chosen network partner for Germany. The company also confirmed its intent to ship the first mobile phone powered by Google's Android platform in the fourth quarter of 2008.

The news emerges as speculation continues to predict announcements of deals to introduce iPhone in Switzerland, Canda, Spain, Italy, Belgium, and Japan.

GCap makes iPhone radio move

Streaming radio for UK iPhone and iPod touch users

The deal between Apple and GCap to bring radio to the iPhone and iPod touch looks a little clearer this morning with the launch of new streaming radio services for these devices.

GCap has introduced a new way listeners can stream music from the company's UK stations, which inlcude London new music station, XFM, directly to their iPhone (or iPod touch) using WiFi from www.musicradio.com.

They can stream a station, access podcasts, and look up the last five songs played by station. In a pioneering new initiative, listeners can also buy single tracks as played by the station using their device, or get a CD album from Amazon using links provided within the recently played music list.

GCap hopes to develop the iPod service so listeners can tag, or bookmark, news items, interviews and promotions they hear and then return to them when they have more time.

Nick Piggott, GCap's head of creative technology, describes the Apple development as "the work of a bunch of dedicated wizards in our creative technology team, who were determined to find a way of getting radio onto one of the most popular mobile media devices".

GCap believes it is the first radio group in the world to be streaming live radio to Apple's iPod Touch music player and the iPhone.

Two new iPod games available

Apple makes two additional titles available through iTunes

Apple has added two more games to its catalogue of iPod titles available through the iTunes Store.

The company has introduced a new title from Electronic Arts, Yahtzee. This game is available for the third-generation iPod nano, iPod classic, and fifth-generation iPod.

Yahtzee offers multiple game modes and supports solo, against a friend and against the iPod play. The title offers hints and help menus and has unlockable levels.

Apple today also reintroduced Fresh Games' Cubis 2.

Both titles cost £3.99.

Patches keep coming as Apple fixes OS X security bugs

The bug fixes kept coming Monday, as Apple shipped critical security updates for its Mac OS X operating system.

The latest security updates fix a 11 of bugs in the Mac Operating system, including eight bugs in the recently released Mac OS X 10.5, known as "Leopard." Apple released the security fixes in conjunction with an 10.5.2 update to Leopard, which includes dozens of other updates.

Some of the security flaws are extremely serious, and could be exploited by hackers to run unauthorized software on a victim's computer, although Apple did not report any incidents of this occurring.

The patches include fixes for Safari, Mail, Launch Services, the Mac OS Directory Services, Open Directory and Parental Controls. There are also patches for several Unix components that ship with Apple's software, including a recently patched flaw in the Samba file-and-print software.

"The Samba bug was expected, since all the open-source distributions released fixes a while ago," said Andrew Storms, nCircle's director of security operations, via instant message.

It's been a busy time for software developers working on some widely used software products.

Apple's patches come a day before Microsoft is set to issue a massive set of updates itself. Last week, the software vendor said it expected to release 12 security updates for a variety of products including critical updates for Windows, Internet Explorer and Office.

Last week other critical patches were also released for Adobe Reader and Apple's QuickTime media player.

3G iPhone may reach users by midyear

Users may see an iPhone with 3G technology in the next six months, a financial analyst said Monday, citing waning inventory of Apple's current iPhone and the increasing demand in Europe for 3G products.

The iPhone shipments are likely to be weak during the March quarter, and inclusion of 3G technology in the phone could ensure that Apple meets its target of shipping 10 million iPhones in 2008, analyst Richard Gardner of Citigroup said in a research note on Monday. 3G is a high-speed wireless communications standard that provides broadband Internet capabilities to cell phones and mobile devices.

An iPhone upgrade to include 3G technology could help the company forge more relationships with carriers as it builds a European presence. "We believe that lack of 3G has been a significant headwind for iPhone in Europe where 3G is already pervasive," Gardner said.

During meetings with Citigroup, Apple reiterated its plan to introduce the iPhone into additional European countries and Asia by the end of 2008, Gardner said.

In a December report, Shaw Wu of American Technology Research said a 3G iPhone would likely ship around the middle or in the second half of this year after network coverage and battery life issues are addressed.

During the iPhone rollout in the U.K. last year, Jobs said that 3G chips were "power hogs" but also said he expected to see better battery consumption this year. Chip vendors, including Broadcom and Arm, are developing power-efficient 3G mobile chips with multimedia capabilities.

3G is still not widely deployed in the U.S., Wu wrote in a report. Apple could possibly position the new iPhone as a high-end smart phone with the current iPhone being shipped as a more mainstream product, Wu said.

Apple's 3G plans in the U.S. could get a boost from AT&T's announcement last week that it was expanding its 3G wireless coverage to 350 major U.S. markets, including all 100 of the largest cities.

Until the iPhone becomes available in more countries, unlocking numbers will remain high. But as the iPhone's presence expands, "most consumers will prefer to use iPhone on the network with which Apple has a relationship -- only then can they take advantage of innovative features, such as visual voicemail and ongoing software updates," Gardner said.

Up to 35 percent of all iPhones sold since its launch in June have been unlocked and sold in countries where Apple does not yet have a formal relationship with a wireless carrier, Citigroup's Gardner said.

There has been plenty of speculation surrounding the release of a 3G iPhone. Last year, Apple CEO Steve Jobs and AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson separately said a 3G iPhone was coming in 2008, though the exact date is shrouded in secrecy.

Sing along with your iPod

Music and lyrics—these are equally important parts in the composition of a song. But while you can tap your foot or strum along with a tune on your air guitar, you can’t sing along if you don’t know the words. And how frustrating is that?

Lots of CDs provide the lyrics in the liner notes, but songs purchased from the iTunes Store or ripped from your CDs don’t include that information in the file (and your iPod can’t display the digital liner notes that accompany some iTunes albums). Nevertheless, iTunes and your iPod can still help you sing along by letting you add lyrics to your music files. Just as you can add album art to these files, you can insert lyrics into a special field, which you can then view in iTunes or on some iPods—including recent full-size and nano models, the iPhone, and the iPod touch (but only with a $20 upgrade).

Pasting and viewing lyrics

Adding lyrics to a song is easy. In iTunes, select a track, choose File: Get Info or press Command-I, then click on the Lyrics tab. You’ll see a big text field, into which you can paste lyrics that you’ve found on a Web site, transcribed from liner notes, or deciphered when listening to a song (this will work with purchased or self-ripped songs). Click on OK, and iTunes will save those lyrics to that song. The next time you sync your iPod, iTunes will copy your modified music files to it (assuming you’ve set it to autosync—otherwise you’ll have to update the songs by hand).

When listening to music with iTunes, you can view lyrics as your songs play; just press Command-I to bring up the same Info pane. On an iPod that can display lyrics, press the center button four times while a song is playing to view its lyrics (on the iPhone and iPod touch, tap on a song’s album art). You’ll have to squint a bit, and you’ll need to scroll every once in a while to get the backlight to stay on (unless you have it set to stay on permanently), but you can scroll up and down and sing along as you please—just keep in mind that others nearby may not be as enthralled with your singing as you are. To dismiss the lyrics screen, press the center button again (on the iPhone and touch, tap on the lyrics).

Finding the right words

It’s a breeze to add and view lyrics—the hard part is to actually find the lyrics you want. Lyrics, like music, are copyrighted, and a number of court cases have raised questions about whether Web sites can host collections of lyrics, or whether tools to find them are legal (the lyrics-fetching program pearLyrics, for example, was forced out of existence by legal threats). While plenty of Web sites provide collections of lyrics, there’s no guarantee that the sites will stick around.

Canto Pod: This program lets you search for lyrics by song or artist, or for the song you’re currently playing in iTunes.

Many performers provide lyrics to their music on their own Web sites. Bob Dylan’s site has lyrics to all his songs; the official U2 Web site has all of that band’s lyrics; and the Arctic Monkeys include lyrics on their site. Search for your favorite artists and you may find what you’re looking for. If you’re interested in classical music, you’ll find opera libretti online at places such as Lyle K. Neff’s Libretto Homepage, and if lieder or art songs are your thing, the Lied And Art Song Texts Page has more than 20,000 texts in many languages.

To find lyrics on the Web, try searching for the name of a song or artist and the word lyrics in Google. You’ll find several sites to choose from, though these lyrics may not be very accurate; many of the sites seem to exist more to display ads than to provide trustworthy lyrics. One site worth checking out is LyricWiki, a community-generated site that claims to have reliable lyrics; anyone who finds errors can correct the lyrics on the site.

As a last resort, you can type the lyrics yourself from liner notes or even transcribe them while listening to your favorite songs. Of course, this can be hard, as lyrics aren’t always clear, and you may end up with mondegreens—passages you’ve misheard. You’d be surprised how often people think the Beatles are singing “the girl with colitis goes by” instead of “the girl with kaleidoscope eyes” in “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.”

Automated lyric catching

If you have lots of music and want the lyrics for as many songs as possible, a couple of tools can help you do this more easily. Start by checking out Staylazy’s Canto Pod 1.1 (payment requested). This widget automatically checks LyricWiki for lyrics to a song you’re playing in iTunes and lets you choose whether to copy them to that song. (It can also copy lyrics to your iPod by adding them as contacts in Address Book. You can then view them even when you’re not playing a song—great for karaoke.) You can also search manually by entering an artist’s name, a song’s name, or both, and Canto Pod will look for lyrics. If you enter only an artist, you’ll see a list of songs the widget has found, and you can click on the one you want. Unfortunately, Canto Pod appends a few sentences at the end of the lyrics reminding you that the program provided them and mentioning some copyright information.

You can go a step further and automate searching for and adding lyrics as you listen to songs in iTunes. With Eternal Storms Software’s GimmeSomeTune (payment requested; www.eternalstorms .at), you can hunt for lyrics each time you play a song in iTunes (the program won’t overwrite lyrics you’ve already added). If GimmeSomeTune finds lyrics, it pastes them into the song file. The program doesn’t stop at fetching lyrics, though. It can also grab album art and display a floating window with the lyrics (via a keyboard shortcut or a menu selection), and it has a slew of iTunes control features, such as hot keys for controlling iTunes and setting ratings.

Lyrics: Once you find lyrics, you can paste them into the Lyrics field in iTunes’ Info window.

But what if you have many songs and you absolutely must get their lyrics before you head off to work? You could start each song, play it until GimmeSomeTune grabs the lyrics, and then skip to the next one, after GimmeSomeTune has gotten lyrics—but there’s a better way. Doug Adams’s Needle Drop 2.8 script (payment requested) plays the beginnings of your songs, so GimmeSomeTune has time to fetch and add lyrics, before moving to the next song. When you launch the applet, you choose how long to play each song and when to start. Ideally, you’ll want to play each track for 10 to 15 seconds (more if you find that GimmeSomeTune isn’t getting many lyrics, or less if you find that it retrieves lyrics fast) and start each song from the beginning. Select your playlist, make sure GimmeSomeTune is running, then launch Needle Drop. Go eat breakfast, and when you come back you’ll have lyrics for plenty of your songs. Or, if you want to do this for your entire library, set it to run overnight or over a weekend if you have a lot of music.

One note: both of these programs depend on precise song tags. Even minor misspellings, or additional words such as Live after a song name, will prevent the programs from finding lyrics. So if they can’t locate some lyrics, the tags may be at fault.

Singing along

You probably won’t want to use your iPod when you sing in the shower—and the people on the bus around you might not appreciate your voice—but adding viewable words to your songs can help you rediscover the power of great lyrics.

Apple preps digital radio for iPhone

New iPhone technology set to bring DAB to iPhone

Apple is quietly working up systems that will enable users to receive and listen to digital radio using an iPhone.

This news is buried in a report detailing a move away from DAB radio on the part of digital radio pioneer, GCap Media.

GCap Media boss Fru Hazlitt has announced plans to sell the company's 63 per cent stake in Digital One, the national commercial radio digital broadcasting platform.

Complaining that while 10 per cent of UK radio listeners use a digital radio most are simply listening to shows already also available on FM frequencies, Hazlett said: "If you put that against a background of the cost structure of DAB, it cannot be an economically viable platform."

As well as closing down national digital stations TheJazz and Planet Rock, GCap is selling Xfm analogue licences in Scotland, South Wales and Manchester, retaining only Xfm London, a Guardian report states.

For Mac and iPhone users, though, the nugget within the report is buried near the end, where Hazlitt describes the greatest growth opportunities for the company's radio stations to be on FM and broadband. "She also announced a new tie-up with Apple enabling people to listen to digital radio on their iPhone," the report adds.

iPhone drives 'unheard of' data traffic - O2

O2 launches first major UK trial of 3G-boosting femtocell technology

Apple's iPhone is driving "unheard of levels of mobile internet usage," an O2 executive said today.

Apple's UK network partner today announced the launch of the first major trial of femtocell deployments in the UK. The company is working with NEC and Ubiquisys and hopes for a commercial launch of the technology- which improves 3G coverage when indoors - by early 2009.

Femtocells are designed to improve indoor 3G mobile-broadband coverage by re-routing data from cellular networks and onto wired DSL connections, building cellular coverage from the inside out.

If successful, the trial will be rolled out to up to 500 users across the UK in the summer.

Vivek Dev, chief operating officer of Telefónica O2 Europe, said: "Our Apple iPhone is already driving unheard-of levels of mobile internet usage, and the introduction of flat rate data tariffs is expected to increase this further. Both of these place huge capacity demands on our networks, and because so much of that usage is at home, femtocells coupled with DSL could provide an alternative capacity resource."

He stressed the potential of the new technology: "This technology has the potential to support increased growth in the usage and consumption of services and data and could play a crucial role in underpinning the explosive growth of mobile broadband usage."

News of the trial in conjunction with intimations of the impact of iPhone on data traffic is likely to drive a further series of 3G iPhone rumours.

Feeder 1.5 updated for video podcasts

Latest updated to UK-made RSS editor ships

Wales' Reinvented Software has introduced Feeder 1.5, the latest version of the RSS editor for creating news feeds and podcasts..

The latest version sports a new Leopard interface and supports thumbnails for video podcasts with the Media RSS extension. RSS providers also benefit from support for password-less SFTP, and better tagging of MP4 video files, item editing and Sparkle appcasts.

Feeder offers templates, previews, HTML editing and auto-completion for RSS feed creation. It also offers full support for iTunes RSS podcasting extensions, drag-&-drop episode creation, an iTunes Store preview and the ability to tag all popular podcast media files. Feeder can publish feeds and associated files using FTP, SFTP, .Mac and file export.

This version also improves performance when tagging MP4 format files, including those used for iPod, iPhone and Apple TV and has the ability to redirect uploaded enclosure files through sites such as blubrry.com for tracking podcast statistics.

Feeder requires Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger or later. A 15-day trial version is available for download. Feeder 1.5 costs $29.95.

Mac, iPhone password manager updated

iPhone-friendly password assistant 1Password 2.5.1

Agile Web Solutions has introduced iPhone-friendly password assistant, 1Password 2.5.1.

This version, free to registered users, improves 1Password for iPhone and adds support for AutoFill in Mobile Safari.

The 1Password password manager offers integrated anti-phishing technology; an automatic form filler with support for credit cards and multiple identities and deploys a secure database to keep track of site logins, secure notes, identities, credit cards, bank accounts, and software registration information.

It also adds the ability to securely sync website logins from Mac to iPhone/iPod Touch as a standard Safari bookmark. When selected, this bookmark will automatically fill login information on the currently open website.

All the confidential information is encrypted using strong cryptography (448 bit Blowfish encryption) and can only be accessed once the correct Access Code is entered. The confidential information is decrypted within Safari on the iPhone and no internet communication is required. The software doesn't require that an iPhone is jailbroken in order to run.

A single-user license costs $29.95 while a family license is also available for $39.95. A fully functional 30-day trial version is available, along with a free version limited to 20 items.

Safari 3.1 will be 2.5 times faster

Safari update promises significant speed gains

Apple is preparing its latest update for the Safari browser it offers Mac, Windows and iPhone clients - and early reports claim the new version to be speedier than ever before.

Some reports claim the browser runs between 2-6 times faster than Firefox 3, with Computer world claiming the new build to be 2.5 times faster than the existing version of the Apple browser.

"Holy cow is this thing fast! I am currently testing Webkit build r30090 against standard Leopard Safari 3.04. This unoptimized WebKit build version is running circles around the standard Safari browser. It isn’t even close," writes Computerworld.

With todays news of a better implementation of WebKit within Trolltech's Qt mobile applicaition development system, any improvement in the basic WebKit at Safari's heart will also impact Adobe AIR and some Nokia browsers.

Some claim the new version of the browser will soon be made available as a software update for the iPhone.

MacBook Air is light as, well, air

After many years and many laptops, I've finally determined that I ride the periphery in terms of size and function ??? I like them either really big, or really small. The middle-of-the-road 15-inch standard just isn't for me. Thus, the MacBook Air seemed to be the perfect answer to the lighter side of that spectrum. My 17-inch MacBook Pro easily takes care of the heavyweight end.

Whether I'm in the mood for a light laptop or a heavy one, I'm never willing to compromise much on performance. Many people reacted to the MacBook Air announcement as though it were terribly underpowered, lacking options, and generally useless as a laptop, thin though it may be. This is of great concern to me, because I tend to push my computers to the breaking point and run them like that for hours on end.

Apart from performance, there are other considerations. The MacBook Air isn't designed to be a desktop replacement system, and it doesn't have desktop-like specs, unlike the MacBook Pro (see Tom Yager???s review, ???The best notebook you can buy???) and other 2.4GHz-plus Core 2 Duo laptops on the market. Could I live without a bevy of ports and a DVD drive? Could I use the Air to do real work?

In order to find out, I bought one and used it to write this review. In many ways, the Air has caused me to rethink some of my preconceived notions about what I need from a computer (see my ???Deep End??? blog post on that topic). While it was very tempting to bite the bullet and get the 64GB SSD (solid state-disk), I opted to save $999 and get the 80GB 4,200-rpm PATA (Parallel ATA) drive, though I did spring for the 1.8GHz Core 2 Duo instead of the base model running at 1.6GHz.

"Laptop" as misnomer
It's unfair to classify the MacBook Air as a laptop. It's not, unless you're Mini Me. It's an ultraportable, along the lines of the Sony Vaio TZ, though it has a larger screen than the Vaio. It's also faster and cheaper.

The Air arrives in a box that seems way too small to hold a computer, and yes, it weighs nearly nothing. Several times already, I've thought that my courier bag was empty when in fact it's not. Even with the power cord and a few cables, the bag just looks empty. Though the MacBook Air is small and incredibly light, it's also surprisingly solid. It feels like one piece of metal, and even picking it up by one corner, there's no flexing at all. Now, I'm sure it wouldn't survive a trip down the stairs. But neither would most laptops. Then again, given the Air???s light weight, it might have a better chance than most. Either way, I???m not quite willing to run that test.

Part and parcel to the lithe form factor is the dearth of ports. The Air has only one USB2 port, a power connection utilizing Apple's magnificent MagSafe power connector, a headphone jack, and a mini-DVI (Digital Visual Interface) port for connecting to an external monitor or projector. The Air comes with adapters for both a standard 15-pin SVGA connection and a full-size DVI connection.

The ports themselves are cleverly hidden behind a panel on the right-hand side of the system. It's not easy to access these ports without picking up the side of the Air, but it's not really a problem. The MagSafe adapter on the left-hand side of the system is built into the beveled edge and, thus, faces downward at a roughly 45-degree angle. It's the same connector that other MacBooks use, but at that angle, the other power adapters will not be viable if the Air is on a flat surface. The Air's power connector is turned at a right angle, so it fits nicely between the desk and the beveled edge. (You can see a close-up of the MacBook Air's power adapter, and photos of a dismantled Air???s internals, at iFixit.)

The Air is obviously designed to be a traveling companion, and as such, it???s geared for wireless communications using the built-in 802.1b/g/draft-n Airport, though the optional USB Ethernet adapter can tie it to a wired network. Somewhat odd is the lack of a 3G interface. I suppose that the extreme design left little or no room for a 3G chipset, and there are USB 3G interfaces to be had ??? hopefully with a USB connection that will fit the drop-door USB jack on the side of the Air. Given the propensity of third-party vendors to produce all manner of accessories for Apple products, I???d bet that there will be a USB hub/headphone passthrough, possibly even with a 3G interface, appearing at some point in the near future.

The display is a glossy 13.3-inch LCD similar to that found on the current MacBook line, though it seems brighter ??? so bright, in fact, that I found myself turning it down a few notches, which is far better than not being able to make it bright enough. At 1,280 by 800, the resolution isn't as high as I'd like, but I've been spoiled by my 17-inch MacBook Pro with the spacious HD screen. In the bezel right above the display is a 640x480 iSight camera, a staple of Apple laptops. For the stated purpose of the Air, the screen???s 13.3 inches is sufficient, but it almost demands the use of Leopard's Spaces multiple-desktop feature. I generally have lots of apps open, and being able to assign them to specific desktops when they launch, and use Command-Tab to flip through them, makes a huge difference.

The trackpad is odd. First off, it's enormous. It's nearly 50 percent larger than the trackpad on the 17-inch MacBook Pro, though the single button at the bottom is shorter. This has led to more than a few misclicks, as my thumbs hit the trackpad and not the button. But the capabilities of the trackpad are substantial.

It's designed to be used much like the touchscreen on the iPhone and iPod Touch: You can use two fingers to zoom in and out on images, for instance, and use left-to-right swiping to page through iTunes' album view. In fact, when you view the Trackpad preferences panel, a handy looping video shows these actions clearly. In the right hands, so to speak, this is a killer feature. For some, however, the benefit will be lost. No matter, because it still functions well as a normal trackpad. As with other Apple trackpads, you can scroll using two fingers, and right-click with a two-finger tap. I've always been a fan of the single-finger scroll on the right-hand side of the trackpad, a function that the third-party SideTrack applet can provide, but the current version of SideTrack doesn't support this touchpad yet, so two fingers it is.

The keyboard is more in line with the new external keyboards Apple is shipping with iMacs and Mac Pros, with each key a separate entity against the brushed-metal underlayer. At first glance, I wasn't so thrilled with this layout, but I've found it to be perfectly usable, with solid positive key travel. All considered, it's possibly even better than the current MacBook Pro keyboards, which seem to collect detritus at an alarming rate, a trait they share with almost every other laptop on Earth. Apple has reorganized the Expos?? keys at the top, moving certain functions around and adding Play/Pause, Forward, and Back buttons. It's a minor quibble, but the changes can be a bit annoying. The F12 key no longer shows the Dashboard, for instance.

The lack of an optical disk could be a major problem for some users. Apple offers an external DVD drive ($99) that plugs into the USB port. I didn't bother ordering one because the MacBook Air also ships with software that allows the Air to use the optical drive on either a Mac or Windows system as a native device. I've found that I rarely use the optical drive on my laptops anyway, so this wasn't an issue for me.

Although I opted for the 80GB PATA drive and the 1.8GHz Core 2 Duo CPU, application launching and overall speed of the MacBook Air is perfectly reasonable. It's not a powerhouse, to be sure, but that's the trade-off for the size and portability. I wouldn't use it as a primary video or audio editing platform, but for normal use with my stable of apps, including Microsoft Word, iChat, Apple Mail, CoRD for Windows Remote Desktop sessions, X11, and Firefox, it's more than adequate.

Interestingly, there???s only one onboard speaker, and it???s located right under the right-hand Shift and Return keys. It???s perfectly adequate for system sounds, but it gets tinny with tunes. The stereo headphone jack is the best bet there. On the subject of noise, the Air is very quiet, even with the single exhaust fan running at over 6,000rpm. My MacBook Pro can get loud occasionally when it???s running hard and hot, but the Air doesn???t get above a whisper.

Into the wild
I figured the best place to work with the Air would be a coffee shop, which is essentially its native environment. Within five minutes of sitting down and joining the free Wi-Fi network, one of the three people that had been eyeing me came over and said, simply, "Wow." The other two then came over and after five minutes of the Air being passed around, hefted, and turned over and over, the general consensus was still "Wow." One woman brandished a Dell Latitude like a dirty diaper and announced that it was time for a change.

So I sat, writing this review while enjoying a moment of celebrity among the coffee beans and blueberry muffins, watching the battery meter telling me that five hours of battery life might be possible if I kept the screen brightness low. (Four to four-and-a-half hours is a more reasonable estimate.)

The Air's battery is not user-replaceable. This is a definite negative, considering long-distance travel is made easier with the ability to carry multiple batteries to swap out. However, the battery can be replaced relatively easily by certified Apple techs at a computer store (it???s plugged, not soldered to the mainboard). I predict that several third-party batteries for the Air will be on the market in a few months.

The MacBook Air is not perfect, but it sure is attractive and functional. If you're looking for a desktop replacement system, get a MacBook Pro. If you're looking for a basic laptop, get a MacBook. If you're looking for supreme portability and more than reasonable performance, definitely get a MacBook Air.

Outfitting the iPhone for business

You've heard it all before. The CEO buys an iPhone, falls in love, and leans on IT to shift its stack of tasks to make work-enabling his new gadget IT Priority No. 1.

But as IT departments scramble to sync e-mail and slap together Web apps for Safari-based iPhone access, the question remains: Can Apple's ear-candy crush object draft off this executive effect to true enterprise mobile legitimacy, or are execs' iPhone fetishes jeopardizing the integrity of their company's mobile strategy?

Here we examine the iPhone ecosystem's evolving backdoor bid for enterprise, one that pits security concerns, vendor intentions, and gadget affinities against caution-minded enterprise IT.

Executive inroads to the enterprise
A midsize company providing inventory supply services to schools, government facilities, and other institutions across the United States was perfectly happy with its mobile Palm-based inventory software until the CEO and other high-level execs purchased their own iPhones.

???Suddenly, they were saying, ???Hey, this is really nice,??? and reevaluating their whole handheld strategy,??? says Ben Gottlieb, president of Stand Alone, which provides business inventory software and consulting services to the aforementioned inventory supplier. ???Then came the questions about where the Palm OS was headed and whether their inventory application could be iPhone-enabled.???

Mark Russell, vice president of sales and marketing at U-Line, a Milwaukee-based manufacturer of under-counter icemakers and refrigerators, had an iPhone for fun and a Nokia E70 for work until he accidentally crushed the Nokia device in his mother-in-law???s recliner. Instead of getting a new E70, he asked IT to sync his iPhone with the corporate Exchange server.

???Our IT guy was nervous at first, but when Visto added iPhone capability to its Visto Enterprise Server, he gave it a try,??? Russell says, referring to the mobile messaging service provider, Visto. U-Line was already using Visto to sync its smartphones with Exchange.

Russell is perfectly happy with his business iPhone and has no intention of repurchasing the Nokia or any other device. And according to Daniel Koshute, U-Line systems administrator, several other employees are ready to make the switch as well.

The above examples are not unique. Like the PDAs, USB storage devices, and Wi-Fi devices that came before it, the iPhone is pushing its way through the side door of today's enterprises, thanks to a sexy interface, a superior mobile browser, and executive pressure.

???Apple has definitely achieved its goal of making you smile every time you press a keystroke,??? says Ken Dulaney, an analyst at Gartner.

And it's precisely that smile that has enterprise IT nervous. After all, Apple has very openly targeted the iPhone as a consumer device, doing little to enable it with the security, management, and other features the typical enterprise IT department demands from any mobile platform it supports. Not to mention that Apple???s enterprise sales and support -- or lack thereof -- have not exactly endeared the company to the enterprise in the past. Yet analysts and vendors of smartphone software report that enterprise demand for the iPhone is rising.

???When the iPhone came out, we had a surge of enterprise IT customers asking when we would support it,??? says Senthil Krishnapillai, director of product management for Sybase iAnywhere, which will soon offer an iPhone enterprise e-mail syncing solution. ???They told us that management was asking for it.???

???We???re definitely seeing enterprise interest in the iPhone, mostly driven by executives and rogue users, rather than IT,??? says Matt Parks, director of product management at Visto, which recently introduced iPhone/Exchange/Domino syncing for its Visto Mobile Enterprise server.

IT in the crosshairs
Perhaps most disturbing to IT is the security quandary it faces in supporting the iPhone.

???An enterprise must ensure that whatever device comes into the environment doesn???t breach any of the security policies it has in place,??? Dulaney says. ???Otherwise, they have two choices: Be a hypocrite, or lower their overall investment in security because one breach, no matter how small, is a breach after all.???

Although it does come with VPN capability, the iPhone???s built-in security just doesn???t measure up to those of its more enterprise-focused BlackBerry and Windows Mobile competitors.

???Most enterprises cite two must-have security features for any supported mobile device: the ability to force the user to create a complex power-on password, and the ability to wipe out the data on the device remotely if it???s lost,??? Dulaney says. ???In order to do that, you need the right hooks in the firmware, which Apple doesn???t provide.???

And because they aren???t yet in the firmware, software vendors that support the iPhone, including Visto and Sybase, can???t offer those capabilities.

Other security, usability, and management issues are also conspiring to ensure that the iPhone will not dominate the enterprise any time soon.

As opposed to the BlackBerry, the iPhone doesn???t provide any inherent firewall or data encryption. Now holding up to 16GB, the iPhone's storage capacity gives IT jitters because it can be used to steal large amounts of data from an unprotected PC. Moreover, the iPhone comes with a built-in camera, which many IT departments do not allow as a matter of policy.

???One of the things that really scares me, particularly with government agencies, is that Apple???s core iPhone framework allows it to take pictures or video and record sound without any flashing light or other indicator that anything is happening,??? says Jonathan Zdziarski, research scientist for a security vendor and author of iPhone Open Application Development, which explains how to develop iPhone applications using Objective-C and an open source, community-developed iPhone toolkit.

???This lets Joe Hacker create software that can secretly eavesdrop on conversations and record video, then send the audio or video file anywhere over the network,??? Zdziarski says.

Apple could prevent such hacks by requiring the user to visually authenticate an application's ability to access the camera or microphone much like Leopard does for applications that want to listen for incoming connections, Zdziarski adds.

Others have taken issue with the fact that the iPhone is based on the OS X operating system and Safari Web browser, both of which have been around long enough for hackers to know how to exploit. Yet, at the same time, it???s a closed system, at least until Apple releases a native SDK in late February or early March, so security software vendors are unable to provide protection software for it.

Where???s the road map?
Even when Apple???s SDK comes out, nobody knows whether it will provide the kernel and hardware hooks that security vendors demand. And that brings up another sticking point that enterprises have with Apple: the lack of a publicized road map.

Enterprise IT depends on the technology road maps published by established enterprise vendors such as Intel, Microsoft, IBM, and HP to plan and budget for hardware and software upgrades. Apple???s road maps are a closely held secret.

???Since Apple is primarily a consumer company, they won???t tell you anything until the day of release,??? Gartner's Dulaney says.

In the meantime, according to Zdziarski, some prospective iPhone software vendors and enterprise developers have used the Salesforce.com, are taking advantage of AJAX for the Safari browser, but this doesn???t provide the flexibility and access to the OS that a native SDK would provide.

Another sticking point: Apple???s enterprise sales and support staff are minimal, rumored to be in the teens, although Apple would not divulge this information, and Apple has never demonstrated a real commitment to the enterprise, nor does it have any developed enterprise sales channel.

???Apple needs to develop key enterprise partners to help them get past executive appeal and get traction on the IT side, and they simply haven???t done it,??? says Sean Ryan, research analyst for mobile enterprise solutions at IDC.

As for management, Apple offers nothing even remotely similar to the centralized device management capabilities offered by RIM or Microsoft. There are no tools for monitoring mobile assets or enforcing corporate software policies, and the iPhone???s reliance on iTunes for activation and software updates just doesn???t sit well with IT, nor does the need to send the iPhone back to Apple for a battery change.

Waiting for the SDK
Finally, until the iPhone SDK allows client software installation on the device, there are several outstanding usability issues. Even with existing corporate e-mail solutions, the iPhone doesn???t offer true push e-mail, but rather syncs with the server once every 15 minutes, an eternity for true e-mail addicts. It also offers no native calendar and contact syncing abilities, so users might miss rescheduled meetings.

Meanwhile, enterprise e-mail sync vendors such as Visto, Sybase, and IBM have implemented work-arounds to cope with the iPhone's drawbacks. Because the phone provides no data encryption, IBM plans to provide all its Domino access using Safari, with absolutely no e-mail storage on the iPhone itself, according to Kevin Cavanaugh, vice president of Notes and Domino at IBM. Visto and Sybase take advantage of the iPhone e-mail client, but both provide tight control over attachment-download policies. Sybase???s iAnywhere can remove mail data from a lost or stolen iPhone, but not until the next time it syncs with the server.

These vendors and others are waiting anxiously for the SDK, after which a number of security and other iPhone enhancements are expected to be offered by third parties, depending on the depth of access provided by the SDK. Meanwhile, AT&T has begun quietly offering business service plans for the iPhone, starting at $45 per month, although with no notable business-focused extras, such as corporate e-mail syncing, as of yet.

Still, the iPhone has a long way to go before moving beyond an executive luxury to becoming a true enterprise player. Much of the momentum depends on Apple???s cooperation and an enterprise commitment it has not demonstrated in the past.

???Apple is doing just fine with consumers and businesspeople who purchase the iPhone with their own money,??? Dulaney says. ???Those two groups make up 85 percent of the 2.5 billion phones out there. What real incentive do they have to screw with the enterprise????

MacBook Air migration gyrations

The first thing I did after pulling my new MacBook Air out of the box was to hunt for a FireWire cable to connect to my MacBook Pro. Historically, this is the way that Apple's Migration Assistant can pull files and settings from another Mac to a new one, saving tons of time installing applications and configuring all the moving parts of a new Mac. After about a minute (and miraculously, the discovery of not one but two FireWire cables), I remembered that this was pointless ??? the MacBook Air doesn't have a FireWire port.

There had to be a way to do this, however, so I fired up the MacBook Air to see what options I had. The initial boot brought me to the familiar migration screen, but with a few notable changes ??? the MacBook Air (and presumably all new Macs) can migrate from an existing Mac using Ethernet. This required loading the Mac OS X Leopard install disc that comes with the MacBook Air into my MacBook Pro, and installing the Air's CD and DVD Sharing application on that system. This installation includes a new version of the Migration Assistant, which is capable of Ethernet migrations. Following that, I was prompted to select a wireless network, presumably to connect with the MacBook Air to perform the migration.

This wasn't a good option for me, however. I needed to migrate at least 50GB of files and applications to the Air, and doing this over 802.11g Wi-Fi would take ages. Luckily, I'd also purchased Apple's USB Ethernet adapter for the Air. I plugged that in, ran a patch cable to my MacBook Pro, and tried again ??? success. I started the Migration Assistant on the MacBook Pro, then entered the security key provided by the wizard on the MacBook Air, and the two systems began communicating.

Unfortunately, it didn't end as well as it began. The migration wizard crashed on the MacBook Air twice while calculating directory sizes from the MacBook Pro, and I had to quit and restart the Migration Assistant on the MacBook Pro. Not only that, but once I had a solid list of users, files, and applications to migrate, I discovered I needed 40GB more space on the MacBook Air. Because the migration wizard doesn't allow detailed file and folder selection, my only option was to move 50GB of photos, videos, and downloads that I didn't need to migrate to another location on the MacBook Pro's disk, then run everything again. This time, I made it under the cut and began the migration. It took around five hours to pull all 60GB of data across the 100Mbps Ethernet connection between the two laptops, but I was consistently able to hit 11.5MBps through that link, which is a very respectable number for a 100Mbps USB Ethernet connection and a 4,200-rpm PATA disk. My MacBook Air was ready to go.

In the days since, I haven???t had a lick of trouble with the Air, or any of the migrated files or applications ??? except for Microsoft Office 2004, which had to be reinstalled. Otherwise, all has been well, and I was able to get to work on the Air immediately without taking hours to reconfigure and reinstall everything. Even if it took five hours to migrate the files, I was able to do far more useful things in that time than reconfiguring a laptop. So overall, it???s a win.

Trolltech goes mobile : MWC

Trolltech integrates development platform with WebKit

Trolltech, a provider of software development platforms and frameworks, hopes to open up mobile application development to web developers with support for WebKit.

Trolltech plans to announce today at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona that it has integrated QT, its development platform, with WebKit, the browser technology used by Apple, Nokia, Google, Motorola and others. The integration should make it easier for developers to build products that integrate online components into mobile phone applications.

Trolltech, a Norwegian company that Nokia recently announced plans to buy, has integrated the tools so that developers can build the bulk of an application using HTML and the rest using C ++. By using HTML to create most of the application, handset makers can save development costs because C ++ engineers are typically harder to find and more expensive to use, said Benoit Schillings, CTO of Trolltech. However, they can still create some features using C ++, which offers more functionality and performance.

A handset maker could decide to use HTML to create features that it might want to tweak to appeal to different audiences. For example, a handset maker may want to enlarge visual items on a page in a phone designed for older people, and they can adapt and customize those features quicker using HTML than C ++, Schillings said.

Even though the applications may be primarily built using HTML, they don't have to be browser-based or require an internet connection, he said. However, he envisions interesting ways to combine offline and online applications.

For example, Trolltech has demonstrated an address book application that phone users can access without going online. The application collects information from a user's Facebook friends, adding photos or other new content from friends' Facebook pages into their address book entry.

The QT WebKit integration will be available as a module in Qt 4.4, which is expected to come out in the second quarter.

Trolltech also planned to release Qtopia Phone Edition version 4.3 in Barcelona, adding support for new features including touch-screens. The new Qtopia Synch Agent syncs data between Qtopia and Microsoft Outlook.

iPhone, iPod touch price cut 'within weeks'

Latest rumour claims iPhone and iPod touch price cuts loom

Apple plans to cut iPhone and iPod touch prices "within weeks", a report claims.

The report speculates Apple will lop $100 off the cost of both devices soon, "perhaps at the late February event". The report - from 9to5 Mac - also claims Apple will phase out the 8GB model of iPod touch at that time.

These price cuts will help generate new sales as Apple prepares to introduce new model 3G iPhones later this year, and reflect fallling memory prices in recent months.

Apple recently introduced new higher capacity iPhones and iPod touch models, each equipped with 16GB and 32GB maximum capacities.

The new raised capacities and speculation of price cuts should also help the company achieve the 10 million iPhone sales company management has aimed at achieving in 2008.

Sennheiser debuts iPhone MM50 headset : MWC

Sennheiser unveils its new MM50 iPhone headset

Sennheiser has introduced a new headset for the iPhone at Barcelona's Mobile World Congress (MWC) show.

The MM50 iPhone is a wired Sennheiser stereo headset that's equipped with an in-line headphone. Additional information regarding this product hasn't yet been disclosed.

Guido Karbautzki, head of sales and marketing, at Sennheiser said: "We concentrated on creating easy-to-use headsets with exceptional sound quality, and expanded our premium headset line for mobile phones."

The company also introduced new Bluetooth headsets and a selection of high-quality tepelphony headsets for the office at the key mobile industry event.

Adobe improves Flash for mobiles

Adobe has released new Flash-based products for mobile phones

Adobe has introduced new software products for mobile phones based on its Flash multimedia technology.

The new products - Adobe Flash Home and Adobe Flash Cast 2 - made their introduction at the key Barcelona Mobile World Congress (MWC) show, which begins today.

The company also revealed that key content providers, including MTV, Nasdaw, eBay, Reuters and Dolce & Gabbana, are using its new mobile solutions to create content for mobile phones.

Adobe Flash Home is a new mobile version of Flash that's desiged for mobile phones and customised for their screens. Adobe Flash Cast 2 is described as "the next generation offline portal solution".

Adobe Flash Home combines customizable data-enabled wallpapers and home screens with live data services, such as news, sports or entertainment channels. This technology has been licensed by operators including NTT DoCoMo, Verizon Wireless and Chunghwa Telecom.

"The time to radically improve the user experience on mobile handsets is now, with Adobe technology leading the transformation of how the world interacts with mobile devices, just as Flash revolutionized the web,” said Gary Kovacs, vice president for product management and marketing, Mobile and Devices at Adobe.

“Content providers worldwide trust Adobe to deliver engaging experiences in print, on the web, in video and now mobile is the target for innovative applications that showcase their brands and unique content.”

In excess of 450 million mobile devices powered by Flash have been shipped to date.

In addition to Flash Home and Flash Cast, Adobe also offers Adobe Flash Lite technology, the company’s award-winning Adobe Flash Player runtime specifically designed for mobile and consumer electronics devices.

Flash Lite 3 with support for Flash Player compatible video is now available in a wide range of devices, including the Nokia N95 series, Sony Mylo 2 and NTT DoCoMo’s 905i series. Mobile users can also experience full user interfaces in handsets created using Flash technology like the LG KE850 Prada, LG KG800 Chocolate, or the Samsung D900.

Apple stores in Belfast, Germany, Switzerland

Apple speeds up European retail expansion plans

Apple has confirmed a quartet of new European high street Apple retail stores, in Belfast, Zurich, Geneva and Munich.

The company is recruiting staff for all its new stores, its first stores in Northern Ireland, Germany and Switzerland. At present, Apple is also hiring for stores in Milton Keynes, Cambridge, Liverpool, Brighton and Reading.

The Belfast store will be situated in Victoria Square. "If you're looking for a rewarding environment in which to build your career using your special skills and talents, and if working at Apple has always been your dream job, you might be one of the passionate individuals we're looking for," Apple says on its site.

The new store openings in Germany and Switzerland have been revealed by a situations vacant posting on the company's local language websites for the countries. Apple hasn't committed to a specific opening date for the new stores.

Macs in charge at Grammy Awards

Macs and Mac support of massive importance for US Grammy Awards

It takes a lot to put on a production on the scale of Sunday night's Grammy Awards. To present the annual music industry honours to the attendees at Los Angeles' Staples Center and to home viewers on CBS, show organizers use more than 450 microphones, 155 tons of lighting, 13,000 amps of power, 19 video screens, 94 speaker cabinets - and an endless amount of Macs.

You may have assumed that Macs played a large role in putting on what has become the largest audio production on television. But until you sit in on a rehearsal for the telecast, as audio engineers are hard at work mixing the 35 songs that will be performed during Sunday's ceremony, and see how extensively Macs are involved in the process, it's hard to fathom just how central the Mac has become to the Grammys.

Every piece of audio from the Grammy stage goes out to one of two remote mixing and recording trucks located behind the Staples Center. The main truck cost in the neighborhood of $750,000 to build, and it's about as state-of-the-art a setup as you're likely to encounter.

During Thursday's rehearsal, it was easy to lose count of the number of Macs in the production truck. But there are 14 Macs on board, according to Joel Singer, audio engineer in charge for XM Production/Effanel. That includes MacBook Pros, Mac Pros, G5s, and a G4 capturing video from the stage. Singer said that the Grammy production team has always used Macs to produce the show's audio, and it will continue to do so.

This pair of Macs are just a drop in the bucket when it comes to the Mac hardware responsible for putting on Sunday's Grammy ceremony.

"Windows frightens me to death," said Singer. "I know it, and I know it well - that's why we chose the Mac instead of Vista or XP."

To make the Grammys sound even better for the viewing audience, Singer and his crew sonically duplicated the first truck and built a second mixing truck that sits right beside the first. When an artist comes on stage, audio mixers John Harris or Eric Schilling start working with the audio. When that song is done, one of them takes the mix settings from the Pro Tools setup on a thumb drive, along with a hard drive that has the audio, and head over to the second truck. While one person is over there, mixing the first song, the other remains in the first truck, starting to record the next rehearsal. When that's done, then they switch places again.

Audio mixer Eric Schilling (seated) mixes one of the songs during rehearsals for Sunday's final performance.

In the past, Singer says, mixes would only have a few short minutes between acts to mix the songs. The second production truck gives them more time to tweak the mix, getting it just right for the final show. When an artist walks onstage to perform Sunday night, the crew in the truck are punching up the settings they worked on during the week, and everything is ready to go.

All of the mixing consoles are made by Digidesign, which makes the Pro Tools digital audio workstation. In fact, a lot of the gear used to produce the Grammys comes from Digidesign. That's what the majority of the recording industry uses, says Hank Neuberger, supervisor of broadcast audio and recording academy advisor, so that's what the Grammys broadcast uses, too.

An up-close look at one of the mixing consoles in one of the two mixing and recording trucks parked outside the Staples Center.

"The votes have been counted, and Pro Tools won," Neuberger said. "Artists and engineers all bring us Pro Tools files--it's ubiquitous in the industry. We need a platform that's universal and that's Pro Tools."

Production work on the Grammys this year will go beyond what you see and hear on television. The first part of the 2008 ceremonies will be webcast, so you can see all of the awards that aren't typically televised. For Mac users, that can be a double-edged sword, especially when production companies skew toward Windows-based technologies. That won't be a problem with the Grammys webcast.

"We are all Mac guys," Neuberger said. "One of the highest priorities we had was to make sure the webcast worked on Safari because our members are overwhelmingly Mac users."

Yahoo has rejected Microsoft buyout bid

Yahoo board rebuffs Microsoft offer

Yahoo's board of directors plans to reject Microsoft's unsolicited $44.6 billion takeover bid, The Wall Street Journal reported Saturday, citing as its source "a person familiar with the situation."

According to the report, the source said the Yahoo board has determined that the $31-per-share offer "massively undervalues" the online services company. In addition, Microsoft's buyout bid doesn't take into consideration the business risks that Yahoo would be taking if it entered into an agreement that in the end might not be approved by government regulators, the source told the Journal.

According to the Journal, Yahoo's board intends to send Microsoft a letter on Monday, detailing its position.

A Yahoo spokeswoman declined to comment on the report today. "We are not providing details on the board's review process," she wrote. "Yahoo's board is carefully and thoroughly evaluating the Microsoft proposal in the context of all of the company's strategic alternatives, and will pursue the best course of action to maximize long-term value for shareholders."

Microsoft, which announced its offer for Yahoo on 1 February, couldn't be reached for comment today. The offer is a combined cash-and-stock deal; in announcing the bid, Microsoft said Yahoo shareholders could choose to receive either cash or Microsoft stock, although it added that the total consideration would be equally split between the two forms of payment.

Yesterday, published reports said that Yahoo's board was meeting to discuss the offer.

Yahoo is still evaluating other options, including a search advertising partnership with Google, according to today's report by the Journal. It also may still be open to a longer negotiation with Microsoft: The Journal said it was told by the source that Yahoo would be unlikely to consider any offers below $40 per share.

If so, that would require Microsoft to raise its original offer by at least 29 per cent, or about $13 billion. In other words, the cost for Microsoft to become a more credible rival to Google in the search and online advertising markets could start at about $57.6 billion.

Google has been doing what it can to scuttle the Microsoft takeover bid, including playing the antitrust card by asking, in a blog post by one of its executives last Monday, whether Microsoft might "attempt to exert the same sort of inappropriate and illegal influence over the Internet that it did with the PC?"

Microsoft quickly shot back, issuing a statement saying that a combination of it and Yahoo merger would "create a more competitive marketplace."

Samsung develops smartphone chip

Low power multimedia chip for mobiles

Samsung Electronics will update its mobile processor lineup with a new chip that combines a 667MHz processor core with hardware acceleration for multimedia, including 3D graphics and video, the company said Sunday.

The S3C6410 mobile processor is made using a 65-nanometre process and is designed for use in smart phones and navigation devices. To be shown at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this week, samples of the new chip will be available to device makers in May with volume shipments planned to begin during the third quarter.

The S3C6410 combines a 667MHz Arm processor core with a hardware video accelerator that supports multiple video formats, including MPEG4 and H.264. The chip, which supports a variety of smart phone operating systems, including Symbian, Windows Mobile and Linux, can capture and replay video using less power than would otherwise be possible, thereby extending battery life, Samsung said.

The chip has also been designed to work with a variety of memory types, including DRAM and flash memory, which should give device makers more flexibility when designing future products, the chip maker said.

Pricing for the S3C6410 was not disclosed.

32GB iPod touch

When Apple unveiled the iPod touch our reception of it was lukewarm. Its video wasn’t as bright and defined as that of the iPhone. It offered an unnecessarily hobbled set of features—the Calendar application, for example, didn’t allow you to add or edit events and it lacked applications such as Stocks, Weather, and Notes. And its playtime didn’t measure up to Apple’s estimates. Slick though the touch screen interface was, many were disappointed that the touch didn’t live up to the dream of the “phone-less iPhone.”

The 32GB iPod touch released by Apple Tuesday demonstrates that today’s iPod touch very nearly does.

Getting the picture

Apple addressed the most egregious video performance issues—where dark video and photos were really dark and lacked contrast—in the iPod touch 1.1.1 update (). After applying the update, video on affected iPods improved. Yet even with the update our original 16GB iPod touches didn’t produce video as bright and defined as did an iPhone, though what it did produce was watchable.

The quality of my 32GB iPod touch’s screen still doesn’t match that of either of my iPhones. Its display has a yellower cast and is darker than my iPhones’ displays. Fortunately you’re unlikely to be bothered by these issues unless you have the touch next to an iPhone and compare the two as I did, in which case you might be the tiniest bit envious of the iPhone’s display.

Added applications

Apple eventually allowed adding and editing events within the touch’s Calendar application through a free software update. The iPhone’s “non-phone” applications remained missing in action, however, until Steve Jobs announced a $20 add-on package of iPod touch applications at the recent Macworld Expo. These applications—Mail, Stocks, Maps, Weather, and Notes—are included with iPod touches sold today.

They work just as they do on the iPhone other than providing links to calling functionality. For example, you can ask an iPhone to dial a phone number embedded in a Safari page or contact. Obviously this feature doesn’t exist on the iPod touch. Just as with an iPhone running version 1.1.3 of the iPhone software, the iPod touch, with its 1.1.3 software includes the Maps application enhancements as well as the ability to place web clippings on the Home screen, rearrange icons on that Home screen, and add additional Home screen pages to accommodate those web clippings and the third-party applications that Apple will make available later this year.

Better battery management

Apple has found a way to squeeze more life out of a battery charge. With the 1.1.1 iPod touch software my iPod touch played music continuously for just under 17 hours—five hours short of Apple’s claim of 22 hours of continuous audio play. My new 32GB iPod touch, running software version 1.1.3, played for 26 hours and 36 minutes—four and a half hours longer than Apple’s estimate. As with the test files on my 16GB iPod touch, these were AAC files encoded at 128kbps of lengths between two and six minutes. WiFi was switched on and EQ and Sound Check turned off. Screen brightness and volume were set in the middle, and the touch was configured to Auto-Lock after one minute.

At this point I don’t know what to attribute the increased playtime to—whether there’s something special about the 32GB iPod touch or the latest software manages power better. With that in mind, I’m retesting the audio playtime on my old 16GB iPod touch (which is running the 1.1.3 software and includes the $20 add-on application pack) to see if the latest software gives the battery a boost. I’ll post results when I have them.

Macworld’s buying advice

If you’ve held off on purchasing an iPod touch because it hasn’t offered enough of the iPhone’s functionality or storage, it may be time to reconsider unbuckling your credit card. Granted, the display could be a bit brighter and its color a little more balanced. I still desire external volume controls. And it’s been a long time since you’ve been asked to pay $500 for a 30-ish GB iPod. But the inclusion of Mail, Stocks, Maps, Weather, and Notes has transformed the iPod touch. Now, not only is it a solid and attractive portable media player, but, finally, a darned fine Internet communications device as well.

Exploring iTunes movie rentals

The MacBook Air grabbed most of the attention at last month’s Macworld Expo. But as far as I’m concerned, the most important deal to come out of the annual Mac trade show was Apple’s decision to offer movie rentals through its iTunes Store.

In this Macworld Video, I spend some time exploring iTunes movie rentals—how to find movies you want to rent, download rentals, transfer them to a device like the iPod or iPhone, and extend their playtime past the 24-hour limit.

Download Macworld Video #37

• Format: MPEG-4/H.264
• Resolution: 320 x 240 (iPhone & iPod compatible)
• Size: 20.5 MB
• Length: 6 minutes, 10 seconds

Show Notes

Be sure to revisit Peter Cohen’s first look at iTunes movie rentals for an overview of how the service works.

I tackled the issue of locating iTunes rentals in Thursday’s Playlist blog entry. An earlier Playlist entry covered the workaround for watching rentals even after the 24-hour window expires.

To subscribe to the Macworld Video Podcast using iTunes 5 or later, click here.

You can also see a complete archive of all our videos on Macworld’s YouTube channel. Subscribe to that channels and you will be notified whenever we post a new video.

Or just point your favorite podcast-savvy RSS reader to: http://rss.macworld.com/macworld/weblogs/mwvodcast

iPDA supports Entourage 2008

ZappTek has announced the release of iPDA 4.1, a software application that enables your iPod to act as "a replacement PDA." A free update for registered users of version 4, iPDA costs $19.95.

iPDA lets you copy Microsoft Word, PDF, Apple Pages, RTF or text documents to the iPod. The software also supports information transfer from Gmail, Apple Mail, Address Book and iCal.

Version 4.1 adds support from Entourage 2008, the latest major revision of Microsoft's e-mail and personal information management software. Other new features include the ability to display Gmail messages in their own Gmail folder on the iPod, improved RSS feed processing and a fix to the News downloading option to account for U.S. election news.

iPDA requires Mac OS X v10.4 or later and an iPod.

Anti-iTunes alliance attracts DOJ enquiry

Universal's attempt to put together an online music service to rival iTunes has fallen foul of US regulators.

Universal and Sony-BMG have been touting plans for an online music retail service called Total Music. A service the two major labels hope will reduce Apple's dominance of digital music retail sales.

However with Universal and Sony-BMG between them accounting for around 50 per cent of the world's total sales of music, officials from the US Department of Justice (DoJ) have called the labels in to ensure no anti-competitive anti-trust market shenanigans.

Both labels have received letters from the DoJ asking them about their plans as regulators begin an enquiry into the consequences of the plan.

Apple patents set tongues wagging

47 new Apple patents were published in the US this week

An astonishing forty-seven Apple patents were published by the US Patent and Trademark Office yesterday, running the gamut of new invention and technologies.

Perhaps attracting the most attention is a patent describing new Apple TV functions, including the use of a more versatile remote control, support for iChat, potential support for integrating broadcast TV programming into the Front Row interface and support for widgets.

Widgets could be for sports scores, news headlines, iChat sessions, effectively anything at all. Such support would be a major step toward transforming Apple TV into an interactive broadcasting medium.

Additional patents explain new tools for use inside an audio editor, a scrollbar enhancement for browsing data and methods for distributing files across networks to multiple clients.

Patents also exist for personalized search and filtering, card payment systems and remote control instruments.

Rendering, imaging, and other applications are also described within the hefty raft of patents, available for perusal through the US Patent and Trademark Office.

Apple last month confirmed a 33.7 per cent year-on-year increase in the company's research and development spending during its December quarter.

iTunes allowance feature slammed by lawsuit

lawsuit hits iTunes

Apple has been targeted in yet another patent infringement lawsuit, this time regarding the allowance feature offered through iTunes. An iTunes Allowance allows users to send a monthly iTunes Store credit to a family member, friend, or colleague

Restricted Spending Solutions has filed suit against Apple, claiming it developed a solution for a "controlled entertainment spending account" in 2001, a solution it gained patent of five years later.

The company claims Apple has had full knowledge of its patent since at least 7 July, 2005. It seeks damages for what the complaint terms "irreparable injury". It also wants Apple to stop offering allowances through iTunes.

The lawsuit was filed on 6 February.

Apple launch event this month?

Mac rumours fly as Apple insiders

Apple seems set to host a product launch event at the end of the month.

Reports on TUAW and AppleInsider claim the company to be putting together the pieces for such an event.

While no specific information is available, the reports claim the company will use the purported event to demonstrate new product updates.

The second report claims 26 February as a likely date for such a launch, in common with Apple's established traditions that date takes place on a Tuesday.

Current speculation favours updates to the MacBook Pro, integrating Intel's 45-nanometre Penryn chip, the launch of a software development kit for the iPhone / iPod touch, and a much-mooted introduction of a 3G-savvy iPhone model.

UK MPs expenses fiddle buys iPods

UK MPs may be buying iPods

UK MP's could be buying iPods – with the taxpayer footing the bill due to a loophole in the way they apply for expenses, the Daily Mail reports.

A little known "perk" means MPs can "fiddle thousands" on expenses because they don't have to submit a receipt for anything under £250.

MPs have been lobbying for a 22 per cent pay rise, though the Labour government is pushing for a 1.9 per cent raise.

With the average back bench MP receiving a salary of about £50,000 per annum, they can console themselves with another loophole which lets them claim £400 of shopping every month - again, with no receipt.

These perks were revealed to a tribunal that's exploring whether MPs should offer a breakdown of what they claim under the second home allowance.

"If an MP puts in a claim of £100 for food and he had really bought an iPod, we would pay the £100 on the assumption that it was for food and not for an iPod," explained Andrew Walker, Commons' director general of resources.

The National Audit Office last year carried out just 47 spot checks on these claims – one for every £255,000 of public money spent by MPs.

iPhone dominant as Motorola falls

iPhone is the most in-demand mobile

Apple's iPhone is the most in-demand and the most satisfying phone to own, new research claims.

New research from ChangeWave claims record numbers of consumers are abandoning basic phones for more advanced models – with Apple's iPhone and Research-in-Motion's Blackberry leading the trend.

The January survey of 4,182 consumers focused on key market share changes among manufacturers and service providers, and the results caused the researchers to note a "seismic shift" in the industry.

Among respondents who said they plan to buy a new phone in the next six months, the Apple iPhone with 17 per cent of votes remains the top choice. And 72 per cent of those surveyed who already own an iPhone said they were "very satisfied" with the device.

Apple's main competitor seems to be the Research In Motion BlackBerry, the second favourite choice among those planning a new phone (15 per cent). 55 per cent of RIM users were "very satisfied".

Motorola with 11 per cent of the future purchase market continues "a horrendous slide that began immediately after Apple CEO Steve Jobs’ announcement of the iPhone," the research claims.

Palm (30 per cent) ranks at the very bottom in terms of customer satisfaction, while Motorola (34 per cent), Sony/Ericsson (34 per cent) and Samsung (34 per cent) are all tied in next-to-last place.

Just 23 per cent of respondents plan to buy a new mobile phone in the next six months, the researchers added.

iPod users get PDA features

iPod users access much information

ZappTek has released iPDA 4.1, the latest version of its personal information management software for the iPod.

iPDA lets users transfer Word, PDF, Apple Pages, RTF or text documents for reading on the iPod. The software also lets users download RSS feeds, weather forecasts, driving directions and news headlines directly to the iPod.

Additionally, iPDA supports the transfer of information from Entourage, Stickies, Gmail, Mail, Address Book and iCal to the iPod.

The latest version adds full Entourage 2008 support and allows for having both Gmail and local mail messages on your iPod at the same time. Gmail messages now appear in their own Gmail folder on your iPod.

Advanced filtering controls what information gets transferred to the iPod; by date ranges for events, flagged contacts, unread (and/or flagged) messages and tasks based on whether or not they have been completed.

iPDA 4.1 costs $19.95. A trial version is available.

iPod touch update charge

The iPod touch software update released at last month’s Macworld Expo added applications that already appeared on the iPhone along with other new features. But it also delivered some confusion among iPod touch owners who wondered why they were being charged $19.99 for a software update.

It turns out Apple didn’t have much of a choice about charging for the iPod touch January software update, according to analysts familiar with accounting regulations.

“It’s an accounting requirement that if you upgrade a device that’s not on a subscription, you have to charge,” Needham and Company financial analyst Charles Wolf said. “Apple has a choice of what to charge, but they have to charge.”

The iPod touch software update added five new mobile apps—Mail, Maps, Stocks, Weather, and Notes. (All five apps already appear on the iPhone.) The iPod touch’s Maps application also includes the ability to chart your location as well as other features added in the iPhone 1.1.3 software update.

The free iPod touch 1.1.3 software update—which includes important security fixes—also includes all of the new software applications as part of its 165MB download. Purchasing the software upgrade from Apple actually just downloads a tiny file that unlocks the changes you’ve already downloaded onto your iPod. And interestingly, it’s not just the programs that cost money; without paying the $20 upgrade fee, touch users don’t get the ability to rearrange icons or view songs lyrics either, for example.

Both the iPhone and iPod updates appeared at the same time, yet only the latter featured a charge. However, that’s because Apple accounts for the iPhone on a subscription basis; it accounts for the iPod touch differently, and so it has to charge for an upgraded device, analysts say.

Adding to the confusion is the fact that Apple also announced an Apple TV software update at Macworld Expo that existing Apple TV owners will be able to download for free when it comes out this month. But Apple is able to release that update for free because, like the iPhone, it recognizes Apple TV revenue on a subscription basis. According to the company’s February 1 quarterly filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, “For both Apple TV and iPhone, [Apple] indicated it may from time-to-time provide future unspecified features and additional software products free of charge to customers. Therefore, sales of Apple TV and iPhone handsets are recognized under subscription accounting in accordance with SOP No. 97-2.”

This isn’t the first time Apple has found itself in this situation. A year ago, the company began shipping 802.11n wireless base stations. At the time, Apple also released a software enabler that allowed users of Intel-based Macs to upgrade to the new technology. But existing users had to pay $1.99 for the enabler. Just as with this year’s touch upgrade, Apple cited accounting rules as the reason for the charge.

The difference this time around is that the charge is higher—nearly $20 as opposed to nearly $2. And it’s unclear why Apple charged that amount—the company declined an opportunity to comment on the reasoning behind the $19.99 charge for the touch update.

Ross Rubin, an analyst with market-research firm NPD, says that charging for the new functionality in the iPod touch may also be a way for Apple to recoup some of the costs associated with developing the new applications.

“Think of it like iLife,” said Rubin, referring to Apple’s $79 suite of digital lifestyle apps. “It’s free if you buy a new Mac, but if you already own a Mac, you have to pay for an upgrade.”

BBC iPlayer to hit Macs in 2008

The BBC will launch a download version of its iPlayer online video service for Apple Mac users by the end of 2008.

The iPlayer is a catch-up online TV service

The corporation's director general Mark Thompson made the commitment in a blog posting on the BBC's website.

"I hope this good news is evidence of the hard work that the BBC is committing to supporting other platforms," he wrote.

The BBC had faced criticism for launching the download iPlayer service for Windows users only.

Explaining the decision, Mr Thompson said it had been about "making the service available in the shortest time frame to the greatest amount of users".

The BBC's iPlayer comes in two versions - a program which allows users to download programmes to their Windows PC and a streaming version on the web available to all users.

Slacker sets you free to listen to customized radio

Have you taken note lately of all the ways to carry music in your pocket? The iPod lets you schlep boatloads of songs from your own collection. Zunes, Sansas and other gadgets let you listen to an unlimited number of "rented" tracks, provided you remain a paying customer. Portable satellite radios from Sirius and XM serve up numerous channels that cater to very specific musical tastes.

That wouldn't seem to leave much room for the new Slacker Portable I've been testing. But it adds an attractive if imperfect option.
RELATED: Music websites are fighting to be free

The device finally started shipping the other day, not quite a year shy of when the free Slacker Personal Radio online service first launched.

Slacker on the Web lets you construct custom Internet radio stations you can listen to on a PC. You type a performer's name and then choose which related artists to add. You can fine-tune Slacker stations by having them play more familiar hits, or obscure ditties. In all, Slacker has more than 2 million songs (from major labels and independents) and over 10,000 artist stations.

The portable player lets you access those stations wherever you happen to be. A station's programming lineup of songs is refreshed whenever you tap into a Wi-Fi network or connect a USB cable.

But here's the delicious part. You need not be tethered to a computer or have access to Wi-Fi to listen, because songs are "cached," or stored in the device's memory. And that means you can use Slacker on the subway or an airplane.

Slacker fills a niche not directly addressed by rivals. For all the musical genre stations on XM or Sirius, for example - and I'm a big fan of both services - the satellite alternatives don't let you customize your own channels.

Slacker is free, unlike subscription music services such as Rhapsody.

The benefit against an iPod or other MP3 player is that your own collection of tunes might grow stale - and you don't always get around to loading new stuff.

And by connecting Slacker via USB cable to a PC, you can load your own tracks as with any standard digital player, provided they're in the MP3 or unprotected WMA formats. This option is not available for Macs.

Here's a closer look:

•Slacker basics. Slacker Portables come in three flavors: $200 for 15 stations and 2 gigabytes; $250 for 25 stations and 4 GB and $300 for 40 stations and 8 GB. If you wish, Slacker will preload your preferred stations onto the device when you order it.

You also can add, remove and alter stations after the fact. But you'll have to do so using software controls on the PC desktop or Web, and then use Wi-Fi or USB to update the device.

If you don't exhaust station limits, Slacker will use the extra room on a device to load more music on the stations you've chosen.

My custom Beatles station also featured tunes from Herman's Hermits, The Rolling Stones and The Yardbirds. The Beatles played intermittently. I built separate stations around Duke Ellington and Neil Young, among others.

All your stations are refreshed at the same time; you cannot cherry-pick to update some but not others. Syncing takes a second or two per song, depending on your Internet connection.

While you can refresh the devices at a Wi-Fi hot spot that requires a network key, you cannot connect to a pay network that requires a user name and password or that makes you click on a user licensing agreement. Slacker lacks a browser.

A future car dock accessory will let you refresh (but not stream) stations via satellite.

The 4.6-ounce devices are physically the same size - a gentle way to say the Slacker Portable is large and so-so looking. It's slightly heavier than an iPod Touch but more than twice as thick. It's a little bigger (but lighter) than a Zune.

Navigation is a bit crude. Volume controls are on top. On the right side is a scroll wheel, plus buttons for home, skip and pause. But an alternative "touch strip" navigation control on the left edge is so ultrasensitive as to be useless. (Fortunately, you can turn it off.)

You will welcome the extra real estate on the roomy 4-inch screen, which can display album cover art, artist profiles and, in some cases, reviews. But it can't display videos (or your own pictures).

•Sour notes. The sound was generally excellent using the supplied earphones; there are no built-in speakers. But more than once I encountered momentary hiccups near the beginning of some songs. And there were occasional buffering delays between songs.

You can intentionally pause a track in the middle or skip ahead. You cannot rewind. There are other restrictions, unless you spring for a premium subscription plan.

You can skip a song only up to six times an hour, per station. The name of the next artist to be played is displayed on the screen but not the actual title. Slacker's on-board "intelligent DJ" handles the skip limits.

Premium subscribers ($7.50 a month on an annual basis) can skip as often as they please. The premium service won't have audio ads (which are otherwise coming).

Subscribers can also hit a "favorite" button on the device as they listen to a song to store and play it at any time. You can hit a "ban" button to avoid particular songs.

Slacker says the removable rechargeable battery will last up to 10 hours of playback, which seems wimpy. Still, Slacker Portable is an intriguing device that promises to only get better in the future.

Judge Jules will launch Warrington Apple shop

Warrington springs new Apple premium reseller's shop

Apogeum is the latest Apple Premium Reseller to open for business in the North West, with Radio 1 DJ Judge Jules attending the launch this weekend to deliver a one-hour set.

The new reseller opens its doors in Golden Square, Warrington on 9 February at 2pm. Staff are fully-trained and the shop will offer the full complement of Apple products

Judge Jules - a keen Mac user - arrives at the new store at 3pm. Space will be limited - the company (which first opened the doors of its new shop last week) is warning that customers should visit the shop on Thursday or Friday to register for Judge Jules' set.

Watch Woz play Segway Polo

Apple co-founder publishes Segway Polo instruction video

Apple co-founder Steve 'Woz' Wozniak has created an online video tutorial explaining the gentle art of Segway Polo.

The video is available through user-generated video instruction website, Neulio.com. Woz can be seen dressed in safety equipment engaged in playing polo on his Segway.

Woz, a long-time fan of the Segway, reveals the rules, which forbid ramming or shoving. He also discusses basic safety.

On a more serious note, Steve Wozniak is expected to address an Australian broadband conference in Sydney in early March, 'Broadband and Beyond 2008'.

ZebraHosts announces Mac hosting

Mac users seeking data centre rack space can contact ZebraHosts

Newcastle's ZebraHosts has introduced a new service to allow Mac users to deploy their Apple machines in dedicated rack space in their data centre.

ZebraHosts has offered server hosting solutions and co location services to PC users for over five years.

The company's strategic account manager Belinda Kent said: “Due to the capabilities of the Macs, design and creative businesses are increasingly converting to 100 per cent Mac use but despite this we found that rack space dedicated to Macs and backed up by expert technicians is simply not available.”

Kent notes that most creative companies involved (for example) in publishing or graphics would favor a hosting company and server side set-up that offers full Mac support on sites and services.

BBC iPlayer drives surge in UK online TV

iPlayer has driven the UK market in use of online TV

The BBC iPlayer service is driving online TV services in the UK, new research claims.

The service has driven a major increase in the number of consumers turning to the web to watch television shows.

Screen Digest's research claims over 1.5 billion shows will be downloaded or streamed in the UK this year. It also claims iPlayer helped account for 38 per cent of usage of the UK's free-to-view web TV services last year, with 800 million streams or downloads initiated by the UK viewing public.

The BBC's move to introduce streaming of television shows using Adobe Flash triggered yet more use of the service, Screen Digest claims, predicting that new viral elements the BBC is working on (such as introducing the ability to embed shows within web pages) will drive fast adoption and usage.

Other services, such as Channel 4's on-demand service which require users install proprietary software are described as slowing consumer adoption of such services.

"The application-based strategies pursued by some UK broadcasters, which require users to download a heavy proprietary application before being able to download content, has so far erected an unnecessary barrier to initial consumer adoption and hampered market growth," the researchers said.

"Screen Digest's long-term financial outlook of the UK online TV sector will now be dependent on the future development of convincing platform strategies by UK commercial broadcasters ITV, Channel 4 and Five, as well as new entrants such as Bebo, MySpace, YouTube and Joost," said Screen Digest senior analyst, Arash Amel.

"It is expected that the success of the BBC's iPlayer open web streaming model, and future 'viral syndication' strategies, will encourage UK commercial broadcasters to enter a long-term reassessment of how they deliver programming to users."

iPhone network talks intensify

Talks between Apple and mobile networks gather steam

Talks between Apple and mobile networks worldwide on plans to introduce iPhone to different markets appear to be intensifying.

Recent discussions appear to have been taking place between Apple and Japan's DoCoMo, Belgium's Mobistar, and KPN in the Netherlands.

These discussions follow relatively recent suggestions Apple has held initial discussions with mobile networks in China, and claims the company has chosen Swisscom for the Swiss launch of the device; Telecom Italia for Italy and Telefonica for Spain.

It's widely-surmised Apple may announce a fresh wave of partners next week to coincide with the World Mobile Congress in Barcelona, which the company isn't officially listed as visiting.

DoCoMo chief financial officer Masayuki Hirata yesterday characterised talks between the two firms as focused on technological matters and revenue sharing.

“The handset is easy to use and can open new markets, which makes this an interesting proposition,” Hirata said. “We are in continuous contact with the company, but the specifics are still in the future.”

Rival Japanese carriers KDDI and Softbank have both previously been claimed to have been in talks with Apple over the iPhone.

Dutch telecom operator KPN seems to be playing a tough game over launching the device there. The Financial Times reports he said: "I had one and I thought it was a pretty useless phone, to be quite honest," said Ad Scheepbouwer, CEO of KPN. "The battery ran out in no time. I didn’t like the touch screen." Despite these reservations, Scheepbouwer said his company would be happy to sell iPhone in the Netherlands.

Finally, Louis-Pierre Wenes, chief executive of Orange France, revealed his company to have sold 90,000 iPhones by the end of January.

Ad Infuse Launches Ad-Serving For iPhone

Ad Infuse on Wednesday said it has expanded its online ad-serving platform to deliver content formatted for the Apple iPhone.

The privately held San Francisco company's new service can stream ads for insertion before, in the middle, or after video shown in the smart phone's Safari Web browser. Content publishers typically pay a company like Ad Infuse to handle the complexity of inserting advertising in online video without making it look as if the separate video content was "stitched together," Brian Cowley, chief executive of Ad Infuse, told InformationWeek.

Besides integration of the content, the Ad Infuse's platform handles the formatting to ensure optimum viewing of the ad content in the targeted device, whether it's an iPhone, mobile phone, or some other handheld gadget.

In the case of the iPhone, ads have to be formatted for the smart phone's 3.5-inch touch screen. The Ad Infuse server, which is connected to the content publisher's server, recognizes when an iPhone is requesting video and delivers the appropriate advertisement.

Content providers have two options in buying Ad Infuse's service. They can license the company's server and install it in-house, or they can subscribe to the service over the Internet. The latter software-as-a-service model is the typical way ads are served.

In addition, Ad Infuse can provide targeted advertising based on the information content providers share about viewers. The company will also provide reports on who's viewing the ads, how effective they are in attracting viewer attention, the number of clicks on ad links, and other information.

Ad Infuse's charge ranges from 25% to 50% of ad revenue, if the company handles ad sales, as well as the delivery service, Cowley said. The later service alone costs 10% of ad revenue. The company has about 50 customers in U.S. and Europe and has 30 employees.

In January, the company closed $12 million in funding from SoftBank Capital, ComVentures, and Storm Ventures. The investment brought the total amount of funding in the 2-year-old company to $18 million.

Advertiser interest in the iPhone is expected to increase, if sales of the devices continue to grow. Users of the smart phone tend to also be heavy users of data services, since the iPhone is built for surfing the Web and accessing services.

Released in late June, the iPhone accounted for 28% of the U.S. smart phone market in the fourth quarter of last year, behind only Research In Motion's BlackBerry, according to market researcher Canalysis. Worldwide, Apple was third with a 6.5% share, behind leader Nokia, 52.9%; and RIM, 11.4%.