News Archive for 08/03/25

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New York Apple stores lack iPhone stock

03/25, 10:55pm

New York lacks iPhones

All three of Apple's New York stores are reportedly out of stock of all iPhone models – the SoHo, 59th Street, and West 14th Street locations. According to The Huffington Post. all three stores report that the device is out of stock, and it is uncertain when new units would be available. A representative from the 59th Street store advised potential iPhone customers to order online.

PluginManager update solves Final Cut issue

03/25, 8:25pm

PluginManager 1.7.3 update

Apple today unveiled PluginManager 1.7.3, an update to the plugin management service for Final Cut Pro, Motion, Aperture, Logic Studio, as well as several SDK kits. The update addresses certain problems within Final Cut Studio relating to backwards compatibility. PluginManager.framework, FxPlug.framework, ProFX.framework, and FxPlugWrapper.plugin have all been replaced with current versions to address the issue. The update is also available through Software Update, under the Apple Menu.

Briefly: New NJ Apple Store opening

03/25, 7:35pm

Office 2008 "missing manua

In brief: Apple will open a store in Cherry Hill, NJ this weekend, Office 2008 "the missing manual" is now shipping, Sofa Control is one of the new applications on its way from Gravity, ... Apple will be opening its latest retail store in Cherry Hill, NJ this weekend. The Apple Store Cherry Hill will open to the public on Saturday, March 29, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. EDT. The last Apple retail store to open was in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on Thursday, March 6th. Apple is also planning to open four new stores in Europe, branching out with retail outlets in Monaco, Zurich, Geneva, and Ireland. Apple posted job listings for three of those stores, but refrained from specifying opening dates or exact locations.

Microsoft using Jackass star to match Long?

03/25, 5:50pm

Microsoft Knoxville rumor

Microsoft is allegedly seeking to match Justin Long's unflappable demeanor with the Jackass antics of the show's creator, Johnny Knoxville. According to Cajun Boy in the City, one reader wrote the blog, citing that they had taken part in a clandestine focus group, which supposedly was run by Microsoft's new ad agency, Crispin Porter & Bogusky – responsible for ad campaigns for Burger King, Miller Lite, and Volkswagen.

SiRF to cut jobs, drop mobile TV in wake of GPS sales

03/25, 4:35pm

SiRF Cuts Jobs Drops TV

Best known for its GPS chipsets, SiRF today said that mounting losses were forcing the company to both cut jobs and shed one of its newer businesses. The supplier to Garmin, TomTom, and several other major navigation device maker dropped its financial expectations for the first quarter of 2008 by about $10 million and explained that it would have to cut 7 percent of its total workforce and would shutter an office in the south end of San Francisco as well as a Stockholm, Sweden location.

First Look: Norton AntiVirus for Mac

03/25, 4:30pm

First Look: AntiVirus

If you use any version of Windows, an antivirus program is an absolute necessity to protect your computer. If you use a Macintosh, an antivirus program is an option. Although a handful of Macintosh viruses exist, the main purpose of any Macintosh antivirus program is to screen out Windows-specific viruses that you may accidentally pass on to Windows users. If you never share files with Windows users, you probably don’t need an antivirus program. If you regularly share files with Windows users, you may need an antivirus program like Norton AntiVirus for Mac.

CrossOver Games plays PC games sans Windows

03/25, 4:15pm

CrossOver Games

CodeWeavers today unveiled CrossOver Games, a new optimized version to its Windows virtualization software designed to function exclusively with games. The software is already compatible with a number of different Windows game titles, such as World of Warcraft, Guild Wars, Team Fortress 2, Counterstrike, and Civilization 4, among others. CrossOver Games is available for both Mac and Linux platforms for $40, which includes one year of support and updates.

Typhoon continues spate of tablet patent lawsuits

03/25, 4:15pm

Typhoon tablet lawsuits

New lawsuits have been filed by Typhoon Touch Technologies against the makers of tablet PCs, accounts say. The company first gained attention in December of last year, when it accused prominent computer builders Dell and Motion Computing of violating patents used not only in tablets, but also in smartphones and UMPCs. The new suits are targeted exclusively at makers of tablet PCs though, and name Electrovaya, Xplore Technologies and Sand Dune Ventures (a.k.a. TabletKiosk) as the defendants.

LG launches SH240 'skin-feel' phone

03/25, 3:50pm

LG launches SH240

LG Electronics' cellphone label CYON on Tuesday launched a new 3G-capable HSDPA phone for the Korean market. The SH240 has a silicon-covered front panel and buttons that give it a touchable, human skin-like feel, instead of the usual relatively hard rubber or plastic common to most handsets.

Creative to sell company HQ for $180m

03/25, 3:45pm

Creative Selling HQ

Creative has revealed that it will sell its Singapore company HQ for $180 million. The company says it plans to remain at the building but will release actual ownership of the location to an unnamed buyer. Under an agreement signed for the transfer, Creative will remain in the building and lease it for at least five years; the option will exist for two extensions of three and then two years if the company prefers to stay. The new terms will generate a $144 million profit on the building over the course of the next five years.

Gartner: Australian WiMAX failure not representative

03/25, 3:20pm

Gartner: WiMAX good to go

Buzz Broadband's failed WiMAX test should not in any way be taken as a sign of problems with the standard, claims the research group Gartner. The firm's VP, Ian Keene, observes that tests have been proceeding well in a number of areas around the globe, including Asia, Europe, North America and even Africa. In fact, says Keene, "we are seeing those networks expanding as conformance-tested products become available."

India sets 15-day ultimatum on BlackBerry network

03/25, 2:30pm

India BlackBerry Ultimatum

BlackBerry creator Research in Motion has been given just 15 days to allow government monitoring of its smartphone network in India, the country's Department of Telecom has said. Previous statements that had suggested a reprieve are now being contradicted by a warning that RIM must allow inspection of the content passing across its network to screen for security threats. Without an agreement, the Indian government will be forced to shut down access to RIM's "push" e-mail network, according to a new statement.

Starz now in the iTunes Store

03/25, 1:45pm

Starz

Starz has begun selling its television series' through the iTunes Store, joining Showtime as a premium network offering shows ala carte through Apple's digital distribution system. Marc DeBevoise, Senior Vice President of business development and strategy for Starz, announced that Starz would be joining iTunes during the Future of Television West conference in Hollywood yesterday. Currently only two shows from Starz are offered through iTunes; Head Case and Hollywood residential.

Windows Mobile 6.1 due on April 1st?

03/25, 1:40pm

Win. Mobile on April 1st?

The next version of Microsoft mobile operating system, Windows Mobile, may be released on April 1st, a British site claims. Quoting "sources close to the matter," the site suggests that at the least a formal announcement will be made, in which case the update would be provided sometime thereafter via download and/or new mobile devices. Upgrades from Windows Mobile 5 to 6 have typically been handled by either by device makers, or regional wireless carriers.

Netflix confirms interest in Xbox 360 movies

03/25, 1:05pm

Netflix eyes Xbox 360

Netflix has confirmed stories it is interested in streaming movies through the Xbox 360, Reuters reports. In February, rumors began circulating that Netflix would bring streaming to the Microsoft console, in order to help supplement its normal subscription service. Typically, Netflix customers receive DVD offerings by mail, as well as unlimited "instant" movie watching on a PC. The latter is only available with plans costing $17 or more per month though, and effectively tethers people to their computers.

Next ASUS Eee PC to use touchscreen after all?

03/25, 12:35pm

ASUS Eee PC to Get Touch

ASUS' Eee PC sequel will have a touchscreen implemented after all, according to new claims by screen producers in the company's home area of Taiwan. Regardless of assertions by ASUS head Jerry Shen that the new Eee PC would go without a touch-sensitive display, the PC builder is said to have ordered low-cost, resistive touchscreens that will be used with the micro-notebook when it launches in April. The technology is considered less elegant than capacitive touchscreens (such as that for the iPhone) but will add just $10 US to the cost of building one of the ASUS systems.

Microsoft mulls iPhone software opportunities

03/25, 12:20pm

Microsoft iPhone software

Microsoft is considering software development for the iPhone, writes Fortune. The financial magazine notes that for over a week, a team based in Silicon Valley has been experimenting with Apple's beta SDK, which come June will let developers publish and sell native iPhone applications. Microsoft executives explain that they are not sure whether any apps will actually be put into production, but are deeply interested in the possibility. "It's really important for us to understand what we can bring to the iPhone,” says Tom Gibbons, corporate VP of the Specialized Devices and Applications Group.

Yahoo joins Google's OpenSocial, Foundation

03/25, 12:00pm

Yahoo Joins OpenSocial

Yahoo today said it would both join Google's OpenSocial and that it would help found the OpenSocial Foundation, a new collaboration that involves Google as well as MySpace. The move would see Yahoo ensure that any social networking elements it develops can be ported between any OpenSocial-based social network and that the platform will be protected in the future. The Foundation will ensure that OpenSocial remains neutral and dictated by the public rather than controlled by any one company, according to its launch partners.

Apple wins key patents, reissues old filing

03/25, 11:35am

Apple clickwheel patent

Apple has today officially been granted several patents by the US Patent and Trademark Office, among them two for some long-standing technologies. Of these the most important is Touch pad for handheld device; while its wording refers broadly to a "pocket sized handheld computing device," it is illustrated specifically with an image of the first/second-generation iPod, which had a manual control wheel with rim-mounted buttons. The patent application is more recent than that player, however, having only been submitted in March of 2006.

Analysts: MS being forced to lift Yahoo bid

03/25, 11:25am

MS May Raise Yahoo Bid

Microsoft may have no choice but to raise the value of its bid for Yahoo, according to a new investment report by Citigroup. Although it started at $31 per share and was characterized as "generous" by Microsoft, the offer is now predicted to increase by an unspecified amount as the Windows developer struggles to overcome resistance by Yahoo's executive board.

Gartner: notebooks, economy define 2008 PCs

03/25, 11:00am

Gartner on PC Rise in 2008

Worldwide shipments of computers will grow a healthy amount in 2008 but will largely be carried on the back of mobile computers in spite of a struggling economy, according to a new report by Gartner. The analyst group expects the number of PCs shipped to stores and users to grow by 10.9 percent over 2007, cresting at 293 million, and will primarily be driven by less expensive and more flexible portables.

Intel debuts 45nm, low-power quad Xeons

03/25, 10:25am

Intel 45nm LP Quad Xeons

Intel today used little fanfare to introduce new Xeon 5000-series quad-core processors that promise lower power without the accompanying drop in performance. The 2.33GHz L5410 and 2.5GHz L5420 are built on the smaller 45 nanometer Penryn architecture that underpins most of Intel's lineup but are tuned to consume much less power than standard Xeons: at their thermal design limits, both of the new Xeons consume no more than 50 watts, Intel says. The advancement allows for smaller, more efficient workstations and servers that can still handle heavy-duty tasks.

CatalystOffice business suite gains Mac support

03/25, 10:15am

CatalystOffice on Macs

CatalystWeb has announced that its CatalystOffice suite is now compatible with the Mac, through the operating system's custom version of Mozilla Firefox. CatalystOffice is actually a web-based suite, and is thus compatible with multi-platform businesses; it incorporates e-mail, calendar, document management and IM software all together, and can be accessed from home as well as the office. Administrators can manage permissions for various tasks, such as event scheduling and file access.

Samsung touch phone brings haptics, widgets

03/25, 10:00am

Samsung AnyCall Haptic

Samsung on Tuesday rolled out a surprise addition to its growing line of touchscreen phones with a new model that promises hardware and software rarely present on its opponents. Titled the AnyCall Haptic, the device adds its namesake haptic feedback to fill in the physical response often absent on touch devices. Pressing an on-screen button or changing the volume produces a vibration response that mimics the effect of a physical interface. The software also unintentionally mirrors design elements from the latest iPhone software, as suggested by Samsung's description: users can drag and drop shortcuts to favorite apps to the home screen and also add small widget apps to check info without leaving the phone's front end.

Apple releases iPod Reset Utility 1.0.3

03/25, 9:40am

iPod Reset Utility 1.0.3

Apple has just released the latest version of its iPod Reset Utility, an emergency tool which completely reverts iPods when the normal iTunes option refuses to work. The utility should not be used lightly, as it will erase all music and other data on an iPod, and install the very latest iPod firmware. The v1.0.3 update expands support, including reset options for both first- and second-generation iPod shuffles. The Mac version is a 3.6MB download, and requires Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later; the Windows software is 4.9MB, and requires either Windows 2000 with Service Pack 4, or XP with Service Pack 2.

Sony mulls iPod-ready subscription music

03/25, 9:15am

Sony BMG Subs Music

Sony BMG is considering a subscription-based music service that would work with all devices, according to remarks by label chief Rolf Schmidt-Holtz to the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. While the company is exploring other ideas, the executive notes that the firm is considering an option that would allow unlimited downloads for most any portable music player, including iPods. Such a plan would cost between 6 and 8 Euros ($9 to $12) per month but would also allow users to keep between 40 and 50 of the tracks they download each year, eliminating common complaints about music disappearing once a subscription ends.

Western Digital intros My Passport Elite drives

03/25, 9:05am

WD My Passport Elite drive

Hard drive maker Western Digital has announced a new line of external USB drives, the My Passport Elites. The drives weigh less than 5oz, and are in theory small enough to fit in a pocket; they are nevertheless entirely USB powered, and are available in 250 and 320GB capacities. Like some other WD drives an external gauge shows how much space is left, and files are safeguarded using 128-bit encryption. Automatic backup software is included.

PS3 2.2 update goes live, adds Blu-ray 2.0 support

03/25, 8:15am

PS3 Version 2.2 Update

As promised, Sony today issued its version 2.2 update for the PlayStation 3. The firmware upgrade primarily adds Blu-ray Profile 2.0 support and allows HD movies to be released in April and onward to use Internet-based features, such as downloadable extras and live games. Viewers watching Blu-ray and DVD movies can also return to movies from where they left off after the movie is ejected. The software also sets up the framework for large downloaded or shared movies, and includes the PS3's first support for DivX and Windows Media videos larger than 2GB.

MacCuff mini secures Mac mini to desk, monitor, more

03/25, 12:55am

Sonnet MacCuff mini

Sonnet Technologies today unveiled the MacCuff mini, a VESA-compliant mounting bracket for the Mac mini, compatible with both VESA 75 and 100 mounting systems. The steel bracket works for any model of Mac mini, allowing it to be secured to a desk, mounting arm, backside of an LCD monitor, among other places. Sonnet sells the MacCuff mini with DVI to VGA extension cable for $50, and is currently available at retailers nationwide.

GlobalStor unveils RAID for RED camera system

03/25, 12:15am

GlobalStor RAID for RED

Globalstor Data Corporation today unveiled the ExtremeStor-DI REDe drive array, an addition to its popular line of storage servers designed specifically to offer complete compatibility for RED Digital Video footage. The RAID system is capable of streaming 2K format video at a full 24 frames-per-second across Fibre Channel, to use with a video editing system such as Apple's Final Cut Studio 2. Pricing for the ExtremeStor-DI REDe was not available.