Apple edges Sony for 100m record...

Apple, Sony, and Nintendo are the only companies to sell 100 million in sales of a single product family. Sony did it in the 1980s and 1990s with the walkman cassette player, but it took the electronics giant more than 13 years (but it sold over 350 million units)--making it the most popular electronic device in history; the company reached the 100 million milestone again with its PlayStation 2 game console--this time in five years and eight months and Nintendo's GameBoy system reached the same milestone in 13 yrs, but it appears that Apple holds the record--although the classification includes all of the iPod family. According to Forbes, Apple reached 100 million iPods in five-and-a-half years, making the iPod the fastest selling music player in history--an achievement that is likely to stand in the record books for the foreseeable future. [updated]

Apple quietly airs new Apple TV ad...

Apple today quietly aired a new TV commercial that introduces its Apple TV set top box device. The ad, which features actor 'Jack Black' in the motion picture 'School of Rock,' shows the film playing first on a computer, then on an iPod, and finally on the TV in the living room. The narrator of the ad says a series of simple phrases to accent the visual images, as viewers are led from room to room in the home: "It's on your computer. It's your iPod. Now, it's on your TV." One user managed to capture the advertisement this morning while watching CNBC, and Apple has yet to post the new ad on its website officially.

AirPort Extreme 802.11n firmware update...

Apple today released an update to its AirPort Extreme Base Station with 802.11n networking capability on the heels of networking issues reported by customers. The update includes general fixes, compatibility updates, and security improvements for the newest AirPort Extreme Base Station. Apple released another AirPort Base Station update in late March that offered general fixes and compatibility updates for its AirPort Utility, AirPort Admin Utility for Graphic and Snow Base Stations, AirPort Disk Utility, and AirPort Disk Agent. The latest revision -- Firmware 7.1 -- addresses security issues related to incoming IPv6 connections, as well as potentially viewable filenames on a password-protected AirPort Disk to users on the local network.

Apps: ApertureToFTP Pro, SpamSieve

• ApertureToFTP Pro 1.5 (free) is an export plug-in for Apple's Aperture 1.5 post-production photography software that allows users to export images directly from the Aperture library. The software enables users to browse remote files or create new folders and bookmarked servers. ApertureToFTP Pro 1.5 requires Mac OS X 10.4 or later. [Download - 1.2MB]


• SpamSieve 2.6.1 ($30) is a free update to the spam filtration system for Mac OS X. The latest release fixes a regression where SpamSieve would not launch when users had a large number of Mac OS 9 sound files, and repairs a bug where Thunderbird messages which were manually marked as junk were not moved to the junk folder. The latest revision also includes a change to prevent crashes on Mac OS X 10.4.9 when quitting in response to a mail program quitting. [Download - 3.9MB]


• TinyBooks 4.0.4 ($50) brings an improved Reports window with the ability to sort generated items by check number. TinyBooks is designed as a simple and flexible single-entry bookkeeping and accounting system for Mac users. The application includes intuitive suport for handling taxes from any country, including state sales tax and GST (Goods and Service Taxes) as well as PST (Provincial Sales Taxes). [Download - 232KB]


• Photo Mechanic 4.5 ($150) enhances the standalone image browsing software designed for professional digital photographers. The application features batch captioning, renaming, quick browsing, and Photoshop connectivity features while displaying thumbnails of photos on a camera disk or folder. Photo Mechanic 4.5 offers full Unicode support for IPTC editing, and enables users to specify the IPTC character encoding when Unicode is not used. [Download - 12.2MB]


• Thunderbird 2.0 RC 1 (free) is the latest beta release of Mozilla's e-mail client. The final product will include tabbed messages and custom panes such as 'Unread,' 'Favorites,' and 'Recently Used.' The software will also support tagging messages, and will block more spam through an improved Bayesian algorithm. Thunderbird is a Universal Beta and is available in more than two dozen languages. [Download - 17.7MB]


• Poser 7 Content Exporter (free) allows registered owners of Poser 7 to export models to the 3D layer of Adobe's Photoshop CS3 Extended. While a registered copy of Poser costs $250, users without the program can download 16 free models that are already converted to the proper format. Sizes for the models range from 0.3MB to 4MB, and include objects such as aliens, mannequins and skeletons. [Download - [serial number required]

Briefly: 100m iPod ad; OS X/Win on PC...

In brief: Apple today promoted its iPod sales milestone, while a guide shows how to dual-boot both Mac OS X and Windows XP on a PC and Apple expects to open its first store in Alabama later this week. To accompany its announcement of selling over 100 million iPods, Apple has also posted a special splash image on its front page, depicting a collage of iPods in the shape of a heart. This same image has found its way into a full-page newspaper ad, which was printed today in the Wall Street Journal. The first iPod was originally released in November 2001, and featured only 5GB of storage and a black & white screen (clickwheel not included).

Survey suggests iPod growth, iPhone interest...

A new survey of 500 teenagers' buying patterns and brand preferences suggests that Apple's iPod market share grew to 82 percent from 79 percent last fall, and that 84 percent of students surveyed had heard of the iPhone. The 13th bi-annual study conducted by research firm Piper Jaffray also revealed that 25 percent of participants said they would pay $500 for an iPhone, and that 89 percent of those students who legally purchase music online use iTunes -- down slightly from 91 percent last fall. "Apple's dominance in the portable media and online music markets is going largely unchecked," said Piper Jaffray senior analyst Gene Munster. "Also, iPhone awareness among students is high, and 25 percent show interest at the $500 price-point. We believe that the teen demographic is a critical component of long-term growth in both markets, and Apple is clearly leading the category." Piper Jaffray maintains its 'outperform' rating on Apple shares with a $124 price target.

Internet, iTunes connectivity issues surface

Confused Apple customers are taking their questions to the Cupertino-based company's own support forums, asking about a potential bug in the new MacBook Pro's AirPort Extreme cards as well an inability for some Windows iTunes users to access the iTunes Store in certain ways. Numerous users on Apple's support forums are discussing a lack of internet connectivity from MacBook Pros, even on networks where other Macs can connect unhindered. Further issues with Windows iTunes users suggest that the company's online store may be experiencing technical difficulties related to searches. Users are reporting sporadic connectivity with "Network connection timed out" errors when searching for content on the iTunes Store, and have discovered several temporary tricks that seem improve connectivity for some users. Apple has yet to offer a solution to the problem, but told one user that the company is aware of the issue and is working to remedy the situation.

VM2Go manages Parallels' virtual machines

BriteMac has released VM2Go 1.21, a maintenance update to the utility that offers additional flexibility in the management of virtual machines created with Parallels Desktop. VM2Go enables users to transfer virtual machines from a Macs to iPods, and supports running the virtual machine from the iPod or another Mac where Parallels Desktop is installed. The latest release allows users to manually enter serial numbers, and the software remembers the window placement each time it launches. A new About Box shows the registered serial number, if applicable, and VM2Go 1.2 users can automatically update on startup or via the Check for Update command in the application menu. VM2Go 1.21 is priced at $15 for new users, and the update is free for registered users (system requirements were unavailable).

Razer ships Pro|Type iPod keyboard

Razer has announced that its Pro|Type keyboard for iPod owners has at last shipped. Originally revealed in August, the keyboard includes a universal iPod dock that charges and synchronizes any dockable model of Apple's signature music player. A line-out jack will also play music directly from the iPod through headphones or speakers. Two free USB ports are provided for mice and other devices; the keyboard itself has both media buttons and ten programmable buttons, each of which can be mapped as part of ten user-set profiles.

The keyboard is available in white from Razer at a price of $130.

Rogers data limit an iPhone barrier?...

While the likelihood of Apple's iPhone arriving in Canada has lately been cast into doubt, an increasing number of prospective buyers in the country are up in arms over restrictive data limits that threaten to cripple the iPhone's usefulness. Starting a petition, a group of potential owners have decried a 25MB limit on its typical Internet access as arbitrary, pointing out that Rogers has the most expensive data rates of any carrier in North America -- even compared to its own Palm Treo plan and its Fido sub-division.

"Users have paid several hundred, and in some cases more than $1000, during one month for data usage," read the complaint. They "would have not been charged extra on any other North American carrier on their best data plan."

Age of Empires III: WarChiefs for Mac

MacSoft today announced Age of Empires III: WarChiefs for Mac, the first expansion pack for Ensemble Studios' strategy game. "Age of Empires III sets the bar for real-time strategy gaming, with amazing 3D graphics, Ageia PhysX technology, and an innovative Home City feature that lets players strengthen their economy, technology, and military. Age of Empires III: The WarChiefs further expands the depth of the game, with a roster of new features." Those new features include playable Native American civilizations, a new single-player campaign, enhancements to European civilizations, and extended gameplay. Age of Empires III: The WarChiefs is expected to ship this spring as a Universal Binary that runs natively on Intel-based Macs for $30.

SanDisk joins Yahoo in fight against iPod

SanDisk today joined forces with Yahoo to offer Wi-Fi access to multiple internet features from Yahoo's site via its 4GB Sansa Connect jukebox. The player, combined with the newly bundled services, stands to ramp up competition with Apple's market leading iPod portable players, according to the Wall Street Journal. The Sansa Connect doesn't require a host PC to utilize Yahoo's internet features, and supports direct music downloads for Yahoo's Music Unlimited To Go service. The device can browse Flickr photo sets, view Yahoo Messenger contacts as well as their music, and can stream internet radio from Yahoo's LAUNCHcast service. The Connect is already available for $250 with the Flickr, LAUNCHcast, and Yahoo Messenger services offered for free. The Music Unlimited To Go feature requires a paid subscription, however.

Briefly: Rogers on iPhone, T-RackS update...

In brief: A representative of Rogers Wireless in Canada has said that the company will offer Apple's iPhone in Canada, IK multimedia has released a Universal update to its T-RackS audio software, and content-hungry Apple TV fans managed to crash Hungryflix.com in their rush to view the first feature length film formatted for the Apple TV, titled "Wages of Sin." MediaClick today launched a zero-cost self publishing option for authors that includes a free listing on eBay, and Data Robotics has unveiled a new external hard drive enclosure that automatically detects as well as formats up to four 3.5-inch SATA drives. A recent CBC report stated that Rogers Wireless in Canada had not announced plans to carry Apple's iPhone, but that report conflicts with two sources this week who spoke with Rogers representatives. One representative known only as Amanda said Rogers will offer the iPhone in Canada, but noted that the company is unsure of the exact release date.

Fabrik ships SimpleTech SimpleDrives

Fabrik today began shipping a new desktop family of SimpleTech SimpleDrive external storage and backup solutions designed by Pininfarina. The SimpleDrive desktop family is designed for portability, providing easy add-on storage and backup capabilities. The drives feature USB 2.0 connectivity, and come pre-loaded with One-Click backup software to protect selected files or an entire volume. A built-in light ring acts as a capacity meter for quick viewing of disk space utilization, and all SimpleDrives include a free 2GB online account to store, organize, embed, and share content online. The drives are designed for quiet operation in a variety of colors and capacities, including fire red (160GB), pearl white (250GB), sapphire (320GB), onyx (500GB) and charcoal gray (750GB and 1TB). Pricing begins at $100 for the 160GB model, with dual-interface USB 2.0 and FireWire 400 models set to ship in May.

Phynchronicity 1.0 Fink GUI released

Code by Kevin has released Phynchronicity 1.0, a graphical user interface (GUI) for the Fink Unix-software package management system on Mac OS X. Fink is a command-line tool for installing and updating thousands of Unix-based applications for the Mac, and Phynchronicity provides a simple three-pane interface that makes Fink easy to use. The graphical front-end covers all of the basic Fink commands, including installing, deleting, and retrieving information about Unix software packages. Phynchronicity also updates the Fink infrastructure itself, and allows users to browse available software by category. Phynchronicity is priced at $20, and requires Mac OS X 10.4 or later.

Quark releases QuarkXPress 7.2 update

Quark today released QuarkXPress 7.2, the latest update to the industry-leading software for graphic design and multi-channel page layout. Available as free download to all existing QuarkXPress 7 customers, it provides performance improvements and addresses customer input. The update also aligns support for recent announcements, including Windows Vista and Quark XPert Tools Pro XTensions, and new language support with user interfaces in five additional languages — Czech, Greek, Polish, Portuguese (Brazilian), and Turkish. Also included in the update are usability enhancements to Job Jackets, a unique workflow feature that provides quality control and facilitates collaboration. In addition, users can specify resolutions for different types of objects, specifically vector graphics, drop shadows, and blends; QuarkXPress 7.2 also supports Kodak’s new CMM that adds Black Point Compensation. The full version is $750; a 30-day demo is available online as well.

Derbrill releases ZACK! strategy game

Derbrill Software has released its newest game for Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows titled ZACK! The strategy game is based on the concept of placing tiles to build bridges, and each tile must match the color of adjacent pieces. Four basic colors to tiles in the beginning make building bridges simple, but as players progress the game adds two more colors alongside 60 "combo" colors. Once a complete row or column is filled, it is removed from the grid. Occasional joker tiles work next to any color, helping players get out of tough situations. ZACK! is available for $9, and requires Mac OS X (specific system requirements were unavailable).

Apple cracks 100-million iPod mark...

Apple today revealed that it has sold 100 million iPods, turning the device into the fastest-selling music player ever, the company boasts. The benchmark figure was reached only five and a half years after the November 2001 debut of the 5GB original and comes after eleven different generations of iPods, including five editions of the flagship model. Apple CEO Steve Jobs was enthusiastic in reporting the news.

"At this historic milestone, we want to thank music lovers everywhere for making iPod such an incredible success," he said. "iPod has helped millions of people around the world rekindle their passion for music, and we’re thrilled to be a part of that."

Apple TV: RSS plugin, video games, bounty...

Apple's new set-top box continues to draw the interest of enthusiasts with new hacks for displaying RSS feeds on Apple TV and for video game emulation. Following last week's revelation that Apple is not disabling hacked devices, over the past few days readers have developed a RSS plugin for Apple TV that offers the ability to display RSS feeds (version 1.x/2.x) within the Apple TV interface. While still in beta, the plugin is expected to be updated with support for ATOM feeds and video RSS feeds (streamed rather than synced via iTunes). The download includes an RSS plugin for Apple TV's "Back Row" application (the Finder replacement that controls the Apple TV interface on the device) as well as sample files for adding custom RSS feeds.