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Apple Blocking Jailbreak Capabilities With Latest iPhone 3Gs Shipment

2009-10-14T15:43:13Z

Those who enjoy the world of jailbreaking will tell you there’s no other way to use the iPhone. Of course, Apple will tell you that doing so voids the warranty so don’t whine when you can’t ship yours off if it breaks.

Apple has combated jailbreaking with firmware updates but generally hackers easily find their way around and release new tools within a week. Instead of keeping up with this method, Apple has taken a different approach. They are shipping new units with an updated boot ROM that doesn’t allow for jailbreaking to occur.

A screenshot has been taken over at iClarified that confirms the new Bootrom:

Apple Hits The Big Mark of 2 Billion App Store Downloads

2009-09-28T20:14:22Z

For those who are big iPhone App downloaders, your purchases have been a part of something huge. 2 billions downloads huge. So, here is Apple saying thank to customers worldwide, for their support.

It’s hard to believe that number has come to pass. Truly remarkable.

CUPERTINO, California—September 28, 2009—Apple® today announced that more than two billion apps have been downloaded from its revolutionary App Store, the largest applications store in the world. There are now more than 85,000 apps available to the more than 50 million iPhone™ and iPod touch® customers worldwide and over 125,000 developers in Apple’s iPhone Developer Program.

“The rate of App Store downloads continues to accelerate with users downloading a staggering two billion apps in just over a year, including more than half a billion apps this quarter alone,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “The App Store has reinvented what you can do with a mobile handheld device, and our users are clearly loving it.”

Today, iPhone and iPod touch customers in 77 countries worldwide can choose from an incredible range of apps in 20 categories, including games, business, news, sports, health, reference and travel. With the recently introduced iTunes® 9, it’s now easier than ever to organize and sync your apps right in iTunes and they will automatically appear on your iPhone or iPod touch with the same layout.

Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital media revolution with its iPod portable music and video players and iTunes online store, and has entered the mobile phone market with its revolutionary iPhone.

Turn on the (Apple) TV

2009-09-14T17:42:47Z

Apple Prepares to Launch TV to a New Level

Apple, in an uncharacteristic fashion, lowered the price on one of it’s best products—the Apple TV. On Monday morning, without fanfare, Apple did two things. First, they discontinued the Apple TV 40 GB version. Their second move was to reduce the cost of the high-end 160 GB Apple TV. The price, now at $229 is a full $100 cheaper than it was the night before. Apple usually not a company to lower prices, is clearly doing something out of the ordinary, albeit quite wonderful. It is true that Apple has been dropping prices more often in the recent past. First of all it was the iPhone, then it was the Macbook, then it was the iPod touch, then the Time Capsule, and now we’re looking at a $100 lop of the top of the pricetag for Apple TV. We wonder.

Though some reputable news sources say that the move has “many scratching their heads,” it’s not all that confusing as to what is going on. There are two main conjectures. First, and most popularly, Apple TV is going through an overhaul process, which at the end will render it the most comprehensive, commanding, and impressive media system that the world has ever seen…or something like that. Rumor road number two speculates that the Apple TV is actually going to transform into an Apple gaming system, maintain the TV side of things, but adding the component of a game console—thus throwing some stiff competition in the face of the Xbox and PlayStation.

Obviously, that’s all conjecture. On the more mundane side of the speculation, the price slash and product drop could be a typical marketing clean-up move. A no-brainer business concept tells you that a lower price would equal more people buying. With more Apple TVs in consumer’s living rooms and dens, more consumers will be logging on to Apple’s iTunes store to download more videos. More revenue in the long run.

The forecast for entertainment technology seems to indicate heavy storms. New companies, old companies, revived companies, are turning the weather eye toward the future, and realizing that there is still money to be had and progress to be seen in media enhancements. With the online market boom, device manufacturers have a leg up on the competition. Thus, whoever can get the best device into consumer’s homes basically owns the game for future downloads. Since Apple’s success into the mobile media market is now legendary, they may be trying to repeat that trick with their home entertainment efforts.

Apple TV, No Apple TV, and Steve Jobs

2009-09-03T17:19:35Z

Three Rumors Surround September 9

Serious speculation is ramping up in anticipation of Apple’s September 9 event. With less than a week until show time, TVs and Steve Jobs constitute the lion’s share of information coming from the rumor mill.

Rumor number one is that Apple is preparing to unveil a new Apple TV. PiperJaffray’s Gene Munster is mostly responsible for the rumor, which he based upon several observations. First, Apple is running short on Apple TVs. In fact, as the Apple store will tell you, if you order a TV, they will not have them available for at least 1-2 weeks, surprisingly slow time for an Apple shipment. This, according to Munster, is “puzzling ahead of next week’s event.” Furthermore, since the aging TV is approaching more than two years without a hardware upgrade, a generational overhaul is due. Beyond that, Apple has the technology and wherewithal to make a TV that will wow consumers and shame the competition. Since technology has been pouring its R&D dollars into a full-orbed entertainment experience, it would only make sense for Apple to get ahead of the game in their pursuit of entertainment domination. Thus go the rumors, leading to the prediction that Apple will introduce a new Apple TV. Munster, usually accurate in his prognostications is probably way off on this one, based on fresh information: rumor 2.

Rumor number two is essentially a discounting of rumor number one. The Loop, citing proprietary “very reliable sources” flatly discount the rumor, affirming “that is not going to happen.” So, there you have it: two rumors. It’s The Loop’s “very reliable source,” against Munster’s daydreaming, and you’re free to choose whichever rumor you prefer.

Rumor number three swirls around the enigmatic Steve Jobs. Now that he’s back at work since mid-summer, is he going to make an appearance at the event? Probably not, according to some sources. Phil Schiller is more than qualified to introduce whatever “rock-and-roll” Apple chooses to unveil. If it’s more than rock-and-roll, i.e., the announcement of Mystery Tablet, than Jobs may take the stage. But, since Tablet and Jobs will probably not want to detract from a new iPod launch, “Don’t expect to see Steve next Wednesday.”

There are, of course, plenty of other rumors to keep bloggers occupied. One is whether or not the mystery-tablet-device will make an appearance. That theme, of course, has provided fodder for months. Of course, most Mac-watchers are expecting the iPod series, everything iPod with a screen that is (iPod Nano series and iPod touch), to be equipped with cameras, too.

Without any of the fulfillment of these rumors, we may be left with the nondescript Apple theme: “It’s only rock and roll, but we like it.” In other words, in the words of Ars Technica to be specific, “If the whole event is just iPods and music—no Apple TV, no iTablet—don’t be the least bit surprised.”

Silence, Mac!

2009-09-02T15:44:28Z

Mac Mini’s Get Firmware Update for Quieter Superdrives

Mac Mini owners, take heed. This week, Apple released an update that will help the Mac Mini quiet down. Mac Mini, which is Apple’s little version of the desktop computer, is “faster,” “greener,” and the “world’s most energy-efficient desktop computer.” Unfortunately, while it may have been green in most ways, it had a slight problem with noise pollution. The problem derived from a slight incompatibility between the memory kit and the SuperDrive, which is the Mac’s slot-loading CD/DVD reader/burner. The practical ramification of the incompatibility was growling and excessive humming—annoying noises to be sure.

Mac computers, which for readers of this blog are the Cadillac of computing, aren’t supposed to make noises like that. Users were concerned: “I wasn’t expecting this loud of a noise, and I’m worrying that the superdrive may be bad.” On most machines, the noise occurred when the optical drive would crank back up when the system restarted or when the machine awoke from sleep mode. Thankfully, Apple now has the update to fix the problem, silence the noise, and quell the anger of the masses.

Now Mac Mini users should download the EFI update (Mac Mini EFI Firmware Update 1.2), which will fix the problem by updating their SuperDrive firmware. The update is a measly 2.4MB, so it won’t take long. Other Mac desktops with a different firmware need should download the older upgrade, the iMac EFI Firmware Update 1.4, which “fixes intermittent system freeze issues for iMac computers with ATI Radeon HD 4850 graphics and fixes wake-from-sleep issues in Boot Camp.”

The simplest way to update is to select “software update” from the Apple menu and let ‘er rip.

Also available this week is a brand new update for the brand new Snow Leopard Server. Apple released the update on Monday. It is the first update for the new server, and Apple recommends that you update as soon as possible. Like most new operating systems (be not alarmed) even the new OS X Snow Leopard Server had a few glitches. The massive 1GB download will require a bit of patience and a fast Internet connection, but according to Apple, it should give you peace of mind for the Time Machine backups, flawless propagation of file system permissions, better access to password history for multiple users, a consistent VPN throughput, spotlight indexing and memory consumption, and resolution of duplicate serial number alert for services with multiple network interfaces.

Growling Back at Snow Leopard - Symantec Addresses Security Concerns

2009-09-01T14:12:14Z

Among the squeals of joy at the release of Snow Leopard last Friday come cries of protests over security concerns.

Security was a number one objective of software engineers as they redesigned the system’s firewall and revamped the security pane on OS X 10.6. The log-on password function now has a time-delay option, the location services can be turned off, and the firewall is more effective and customizable. Deep down in the guts of the security system is tougher defenses against memory corruption, especially heap memory.

The loophole comes with the upgraded anti-malware tool. All downloads must pass the scan for the Mac-busting viruses OSX/Puper and OSX/IWService. However, since Macs are inherently more virus-protected than PCs, the launch of a new anti-malware scan may be tantamount to opening the door for a slough of new Mac-targeted viruses.

What this means is that the malware problem may just be the tip of the iceberg. Industry leader, Symantec, spoke out on a variety of concerns in Leopard. The main problem is the one just mentioned: Leopard’s malware tool. Their concern is that the “File Quarantine feature only offers basic malware detection capabilities. It is not a full-featured antivirus solution and does not have the ability to remove malware from the system.”

Either Mac is resting on the laurels of past security successes, or they plan on getting really busy real soon by issuing daily security updates to the File Quarantine. But updates are only good if users accept them. Since the updates are not automatically updated for Macs, users must manually choose to update them, which leaves them vulnerable to malware attacks in the meantime.

Symantec also cites problems with Snow Leopard’s Internet security, which gives malicious files loopholes through the firewall and access to sensitive information. To begin with, the firewall must be manually turned on in order to filter out the Internet bad guys. Also, the list-based phishing protection offered by Snow Leopard is shortsighted, since it will necessitate frequent updates. And, again, the update option doesn’t happen automatically.

If Mac’s security concerns get any more public attention or if they go unaddressed, the company will face growing security challenges. After all, Mac’s grandiose claim is its impenetrable defense system and resistance to viruses.

Or perhaps it’s all part of a grand marketing scheme by Symantec to boost sales for their Mac Security package. Still, it leaves the rest of us with questions, too.

Snow Leopard Going On Sale This Week

2009-08-24T20:02:19Z

For those who’ve been excited about Snow Leopard, your wait is just about over. This week, Apple plans to announce Mac OS Xv10.6 (Snow Leopard). They’ve unleashed a press release to make it all official-like:

Apple to Ship Mac OS X Snow Leopard on August 28

CUPERTINO, California—August 24, 2009—Apple® today announced that Mac OS® X v10.6 Snow Leopard™ will go on sale Friday, August 28 at Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers, and that Apple’s online store is now accepting pre-orders. Snow Leopard builds on a decade of OS X innovation and success with hundreds of refinements, new core technologies and out of the box support for Microsoft Exchange. Snow Leopard will be available as an upgrade for Mac OS X Leopard® users for $29.

“Snow Leopard builds on our most successful operating system ever and we’re happy to get it to users earlier than expected,” said Bertrand Serlet, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering. “For just $29, Leopard users get a smooth upgrade to the world’s most advanced operating system and the only system with built in Exchange support.”

To create Snow Leopard, Apple engineers refined 90 percent of the more than 1,000 projects that make up Mac OS X. Users will notice refinements including a more responsive Finder™; Mail that loads messages up to twice as fast;* Time Machine® with an up to 80 percent faster initial backup;* a Dock with Exposé® integration; QuickTime® X with a redesigned player that allows users to easily view, record, trim and share video; and a 64-bit version of Safari® 4 that is up to 50 percent** faster and resistant to crashes caused by plug-ins. Snow Leopard is half the size of the previous version and frees up to 7GB of drive space once installed.

For the first time, system applications including Finder, Mail, iCal®, iChat® and Safari are 64-bit and Snow Leopard’s support for 64-bit processors makes use of large amounts of RAM, increases performance and improves security while remaining compatible with 32-bit applications. Grand Central Dispatch (GCD) provides a revolutionary new way for software developers to write applications that take advantage of multicore processors. OpenCL, a C-based open standard, allows developers to tap the incredible power of the graphics processing unit for tasks that go beyond graphics.

Snow Leopard is the only desktop operating system with built in support for Microsoft Exchange Server 2007, and it allows you to use Mac OS X Mail, Address Book and iCal to send and receive email, create and respond to meeting invitations, and search and manage contacts with global address lists. Exchange information works seamlessly within Snow Leopard so users can also take advantage of OS X only features such as fast Spotlight® searches and Quick Look previews.

Mac OS X Server Snow Leopard, the next major release of the world’s easiest to use server operating system, will also go on sale Friday, August 28. Snow Leopard Server includes innovative new features such as Podcast Producer 2 and Mobile Access Server and is priced more affordably than ever at $499 with unlimited client licenses. More information and full system requirements for Snow Leopard Server can be found at www.apple.com/server/macosx/.

iPhone App Of The Day - Weber’s On The Grill

2009-08-10T20:01:13Z

For all of you grillers out there, an iPhone App has finally been released. If you’re always looking for new grilling recipes, and sauce recipes then this is the app for you. On top of the recipes you can create a shopping list for keeping up with all the ingredients you’ll need. There’s tips, techniques, and a few videos to show you how to utilize some of the more advanced grilling techniques.

Weber’s On the Grill App Page

Apple and the Big Labels

2009-07-28T14:11:38Z

Apple is hobnobbing with some of the biggest record companies around—Sony, EMI, Warner Music, and Universal Music Group. The tune of the closed-door discussions seems to be a new iTunes and music provider brainchild: beefing up the offering of music albums, as a steer-away from single-track sales.

As it stands right now, digital music players (of which iTunes is the king) have no problem offering the sale of single tunes—one song at a time—rather than entire albums. Across the fence from the digital music providers sit the music producers, for whom selling albums—collections of songs—is their bread and butter. The paradigm shift to one-by-one sales has been a hammer-blow to the music providers who rely on the bigger-ticket sales of albums. People would rather spend a buck and get a great song than spend seventeen bucks and get a bundle of songs—some of which they may like, and some they won’t. In a that-settles-it-tone, David Ring, an executive for Universal Music Group said: one-by-one downloads [is] not a business that can grow.”

So…something needs to change, right?

The new approach currently in discussion, may be Apple giving a boost to the record companies by adding a flourish to album sales. The idea already has a codename: “Cocktail.” It would offer album sales, but amp up the offering by giving purchasers pictures, lyrics, videos, artwork, liner notes—other cool stuff like that. In addition, the new format will give listeners the option of playing music straight from the album (in a new virtual format) rather than utilizing the iTunes software to do so.

The million (or more) dollar question is: “will it work?” Uh…not sure about that. If we judge it by a lookalike venture from Sony BMG just over a year ago, it won’t work out so well. But maybe Apple has the chutzpah to stuff this in the faces of consumers—just like they did with the controversial ninety-nine cent track sale. And maybe, just maybe, consumers will like it.

Maybe. The whole idea is to make more money. The plus for the purchaser is the acquisition of extras to an album purchase. Right now, few reviewers are raving over Cocktail’s proposal. Consumers are used to being picky, and they may not be thrilled about giving more of their money to watch a video or check out the liner notes. After all, the music will go straight to the iPod, which goes straight to the pocket, which goes along for the jog, or commute, or whatever.

Ten Hours of Battery Life?

2009-07-16T20:07:40Z

Just in case you weren’t happy with the MacBook’s generous battery life, QuickerTek has a solution. Quickertek, an Apple accessory developer, has developed the MacBook Battery and Charger Lite for MacBooks and MacBook Pro computers. The device, looking somewhat like an external hard drive, plugs directly into the Mac’s power port, supplying an additional five hours of operation.

The device is smaller than one might expect for such a long-lasting power source. It is 7” x 3.5” and only one inch thick. At only 1.2 pounds, it travels well with the MacBook, even matching its coloring and surface texture. The durability of the battery is evidenced by its recharging capability. It is tested to recharge 1,000, which is three times as much as most Li-ion batteries. For the international traveler, fear not. The charger is compatible with power supply outlets internationally as well. At $249.95, it’s not a cheap five hours of power, but it could very well be worth it.