Apple offers refurb Mac minis for $519

Apple is offering refurbished Intel-based Mac minis for $519 with a one-year warranty and free shipping. The Cupertino-based company's 1.66GHz Intel Core Duo Mac mini is available for $519 with 512MB of memory, a 60GB hard drive, and a Combo DVD-ROM/CD burner drive. Apple is also offering its 1.83GHz Intel Core Duo Mac mini for $699 with 512MB of memory, an 80GB hard drive, and a DVD/CD burning "SuperDrive." Apple offers its AppleCare Protection Plan for Mac mini systems to extend the computer's warranty coverage from one to three years ($149), and ships reconditioned Wireless Keyboards with Bluetooth technology for $49.

Briefly: iPhone AppleCare; GM talks iPods...

In brief: Apple is now offering AppleCare support for its $499 and $599 iPhones, General Motors has announced that several vehicles will be available with fully integrated dealer-installed iPod connectivity, AT&T has posted its second-quarter financial results with an unexpected number of iPhone activations, and 3Dconnexion's SpaceNavigator 3D mouse will hit Apple Store shelves by the end of August. Apple has officially introduced AppleCare for iPhone, an extended protection plan for the company's new cellular handsets that adds an additional year of hardware repair. Apple's iPhone warranty is available to iPhone owners for $69.

iPhone revenue-sharing deal exposed?...

Apple is receiving unprecedented amounts in a long-suspected revenue-sharing agreement with AT&T, according to the market publication TheStreet. Sources claimed to be close to the two companies suggest that AT&T is paying Apple between $150 and $200 per purchased iPhone, plus another $9 a month for the duration of the mandatory iPhone contract (normally two years). This is even higher than what was predicted by the research firm Piper Jaffray, which amounted to $3 a month for existing AT&T subscribers, and $8 for new customers.

USPTO grants three new Apple patents...

The US Patent and Trademark Office has issued three new patents to Apple, covering a breadth of interests. The most notable may be a new air cooling system, designed to fit into desktop tower Macs resembling the Mac Pro. Using a blend of fins, fans and a shelf, heat in a case is divided into two main zones: one for the CPU, below, and another for the clustered peripherals up top. Reflecting the uneven heat generated, the default layout assigns two fans to the CPU, while the peripherals are limited to one. This can easily be reconfigured however, simply by moving the shelf to create different zones and allow more fans.

Fujitsu intros 24/7, 200GB notebook drive...

Fujitsu's storage division today previewed the MHY2200BS, a new 2.5-inch hard drive created for environments where storage may have to operate 24 hours per day or in rough conditions. An anti-vibration system prevents the drive head and platters from falling out of sync from the shocks triggered by bumps and nearby equipment -- up to 325Gs of shock can be applied while the drive continues to run at its normal 5400RPM speed, Fujitsu says. Power use is also the best possible at just 0.6W while idle.

Wolfram launches Workbench 1.1

Wolfram Research today released Wolfram Workbench 1.1, the latest revision of its integrated development e4nvironment (IDE) for Methematica technologies. Built on the Eclipse IDE, Workbench 1.1 is designed for all stages of the development process and is fully compatible with Mathematica 6. Key features include support for Mathematica development projects, a specialized Mathematica code editor, syntax coloring, error as well as warning reporting, debugging, profiling, unit testing, and support for gridMathematica as well as webMathematica. Workbench 1.1 adds a Version Migration Assistant to help users optimized Mathematica 5.2 code for Mathematica 6 intelligent Mathematica expression and code-structure search, and the ability to find as well as replace patterns for all Mathematica expressions (pricing and system requirements were unavailable).

Apple ships iPhone Bluetooth headsets...

Apple has begun shipping its iPhone Bluetooth Headset, and one user has posted photos of the tiny accessory online. The new offering includes the headset itself, a duo dock to charge the iPhone as well as the included headset simultaneously, and a travel cord. A Magsafe connector on the headset provides a secure connection to the dock or cable, and the iPhone screen displays the charge status of both its own battery and the headset when both are plugged into the duo dock. More photos are available from Flickr. [photos]

Quanta acquires orders for new iPhone?

Taiwan's leading manufacturer of cellular phones -- Quanta Computer -- has obtained orders from Apple to manufacture a new iPhone model, according to a report from CENS. Domestic printed circuit board manufacturers are preparing materials for mass production to meet forthcoming assembly demands of the new iPhones, which are likely to debut some time in the fourth quarter of 2007, according to the report. One J.P. Morgan analyst based in Taiwan recently predicted that Apple will unveil a smaller iPod nano-sized iPhone, but the firm's headquarters in the U.S. distanced itself from such claims.

Samsung's P520 first clear iPhone copy?...

Samsung will be releasing a series of new phones in Europe -- one of which will bear more than a passing resemblance to the iPhone, according to the preview site for a French event. The P520 (shown) is dominated almost exclusively by a 2.6-inch touchscreen that will share the same design as the Ultra Smart F700 or its smaller cousin the F520 and includes a distinctly black front with chrome trim similar to the Apple device; the home button is replaced with call and answer buttons. The smaller dimensions will make it thinner at 8.9mm (0.35 inches).

Elgato ships HDHomeRun Mac network TV tuner

Elgato Systems today unveiled an exclusive Mac-compatible bundle of the SiliconDust HDHomeRun network TV tuner with EyeTV 2 software. The HDHomeRun hardware is a centralized networked digital TV tuner that users can share via any Mac on a local area network, offering dual tuners that allow two users to watch or record different programs simultaneously. The HDHomeRun tunes ATSC (over-the-air) digital TV via an antenna, as well as unencrypted digital channels over cable (known as Clear QAM) which provides users with a wide range of free SD and HDTV programs that are broadcast on digital TV as well as cable. The HDHomeRun for Mac is available for $200 from Elgato's online store, and includes the HDHomeRun dual-tuner network device as well as EyeTV software for two computers and two RG6 cables. The device also comes with an Ethernet cable for network connectivity and an AC power adapter.

iPods, other portable storage seen as threat...

iPods are counted among security threats in a new corporate survey about portable storage. Credant Technologies says that in a private poll of 323 managers and executives across different fields, 67 percent said that iPods were a threat, while 10 percent said they were the greatest threat. Conversely, 78 percent said that USB flash drives were the biggest issue. The alleged danger of iPods is, first, their storage capacity: while USB keys tend to be capped at 16 to 32GB, iPods can hold as much as 80GB, allowing vast amounts of data to be taken, whether maliciously or not.

AAPL slips on low iPhone activation figure

Apple shares tumbled this morning after AT&T reported just 146,000 iPhone activations in its first few days on the market, a number far below the Street's expectations after rumors flew that Apple had sold upwards of half a million iPhones during that same period. Worried investors sold Apple shares in droves, causing the stock to slip even before the market opened, according to Reuters. One financial analyst pointed to the lack of an upside surprise on iPhone activations as the cause of the stock slide, but Apple and AT&T reported iPhone sellouts across almost all of their stores within one week of the handset hitting store shelves. The initial iPhone activations could prove to be a misleading figure, as droves of iPhone buyers reported problems when attempting to activate their handsets during the launch, which were later confirmed by AT&T.

Sport Integration System for Nano ships

H2O Audio today began shipping its new Sport Integration System (site not updated), allowing owners of the company's iPod nano case to "quick clip" the protective cover onto various items like backpacks or handlebars. The Sport Integration System provides secure portability for iPod nano owners using H2O Audio's own case with a bike mount that adjusts to fit any standard handlebars, as well a a "thump-tip" feature to keep the player in view while riding or working out. A clothing clip enables quick transfer to and from sports apparel, and a strap mount attaches to backpack shoulder straps for hiking or camping. The Quick Clip Locking System enables quick connections with the bike mount, clothing clip, and strap mount as well as with the company's iPod nano armband. H2O Audio's Sport Integration System is priced at $30, and is available at Apple stores as well as online.

Windows Vista harmed by success of XP?...

Sales of Windows Vista may, paradoxically, be hampered by the very success of Windows XP, writes one technology columnist. An observer with the Microsoft-focused Redmond observes that during July 20th's quarterly earnings call, Microsoft substantially altered its predictions for OS sales during Fiscal Year 2008: Vista revenue is expected to fall from 85 to 78 percent, while XP revenue should actually increase from 15 to 22 percent. Respectively, the two should shrink and grow by about 50 percent.

Panasonic unveils 8.1 Megapixel camera...

Panasonic today expanded its LUMIX family of digital still cameras by introducing its new LUMIX DMC-FZ18, an 8.1 Megapixel compact camera with an 18x optical zoom. A 28mm wide-angle LEICA DC lens accompanies "Intelligent Auto Mode" for face detection as well as an Intelligent Scene Selector and continuous auto-focus functionality. Similar to the entire 2007 line of LUMIX digital still cameras, the LUMIX DMC-FZ18 includes advanced countermeasures against blurring which include an Intelligent Image Stabilization system, which combines MEGA Optical Image Stabilization (O.I.S.) to compensate for hand-shake and Intelligent ISO Control to detect and adjust for motion blur caused by subject movement. The new camera also features a 2.5-inch large, high resolution LCD with 207,000 pixels, a 0.44-inch Electric Viewfinder with 188,000 pixels, f/2.8 brightness and is powered by the high-performance Venus Engine III capable of shooting at ISO 1600 in normal recording mode. The DMC-FZ18 has been redesigned to make the camera more stylish and easier to use, according to Panasonic, which plans to ship the device in September for $400.

Apple first to hit $1 trillion market cap?...

A stock market commentator argues that within the next five years, Apple will become the first company to reach a $1 trillion market cap, a 12:1 growth from current valuations. This is based primarily on 2007 estimates of profit and growth: Apple's retail stores, for instance, are said to earn $4,000 per square foot, by that measure the most successful retail venture in the world. iPod sales are expected to grow 50 percent to reach 60 million units, and Mac sales had already grown 100 percent between January 2006 and 2007, with end-of-year sales expected to be 12 million.

Western Digital bumps MyBook to 2TB...

Western Digital today upgraded its MyBook external drives to 2TB, representing some of the largest external drives yet from the storage maker or any company. The Premium Edition II, Pro Edition II, and World Edition II now all include two of Western Digital's 1TB drives either in a continuous stripe, a mirrored 1TB arrangement, or as two separate disks. Features are similar to earlier models with the Premium and Pro models each sporting FireWire 800, FireWire 400, and USB 2.0 interfaces for attaching to a Mac or Windows PC; the World model relies on gigabit Ethernet to share its data with a local network or remote users on the Internet.

Kodak launches first digicam with CMOS sensor...

Kodak on Tuesday broke a longstanding tradition in digital cameras with the EasyShare C513. The 5-megapixel compact is the first of Kodak's point-and-shoots to ever drop the traditional CCD for a CMOS sensor. A breakthrough from Kodak's own labs lets them use the lower-cost and more power efficient technology without compromising image quality compared to ordinary cameras; although ISO sensitivity is low with a range of just 80-200, the low noise of the sensor and software-driven image stabilization help produce clean images in most settings. A 3X zoom lens, 13 preset scene modes, and minor on-camera edits help beginners compose shots without turning to manual settings.

Keyspan ships color LCD remote for iTunes...

Keyspan has begun shipping a new version of the TuneView remote control. Rather than operate with iPods, as with the earlier model, the new one is designed to control the Mac and PC versions of iTunes from up to 150 feet away, via an included USB-to-RF transceiver. The highlight of both remotes is the color LCD screen, which lets users browse audio and video without having to play through each track. The interface further mimics the behavior of the iPod, for familiarity's sake. iTunes 7.1.1 or later is required, as is Mac OS X 10.3.9 or Windows XP/Vista. The iTunes TuneView costs $149.

Gigabeat U brings Toshiba into Nano rivalry...

Toshiba this morning launched its first American flash-based music player today in the form of the Gigabeat U202. An import of the most recent Japanese version, the device is small at just 3 inches tall and 1.4 inches wide but includes Toshiba's characteristic PlusPad controls and a 1.1-inch OLED display bright and clear enough for JPEG photos. The device also keeps features typically reserved for the Japan market: line-in recording lets owners record CDs and other albums directly to the player rather than wait to sync with a PC, while an FM tuner can both listen to and capture radio. Battery life is estimated at 20 hours but takes less than 2.4 hours to reach a full charge.

MacPractice gains HL7 support

MacPractice has added HL7 support to its line of products for medical professionals, including MacPractice MD for physicians, MacPractice DDS for dentists, MacPractice DC for chiropractors, and MacPractice 20/20 for optometrists. The new release can interact with Clinical Labs, EMR software, third party medical and dental digital imaging solutions, and medical and dental solutions from the many other healthcare vendors whose products support industry standard HL7. The new releases include bidirectional HL7 messaging. Two of MacPractice’s alliance partners, Spring Medical and ComChart plan to use this capability to pass charges created in their SpringCharts EMR and ComChart software to MacPractice to eliminate errors and improve efficiency.

Web-interface for Yojimbo organizer debuts

An independent Mac software developer has introduced Webjimbo, a Web interface for Bare Bones Software's Yojimbo organization application. The tool enables users to view and edit Yojimbo data from any computer with an internet connection and a Web browser. The Web basis allows access from multiple platforms including Apple's iPhone, and the developer notes that the software serves as a viable alternative for Yojimbo users who are having trouble syncing data between multiple Macs. Making use of AJAX technology, the site provides an interface similar to the desktop version of Yojimbo. Webjimbo is priced at $30, and a fully-functional 30-day trial is available. [corrected]