11/20, 4:20pm
Coders must be careful to avoid tripping flags
A new automatic screening technique Apple is using for the App Store appears to be backfiring, claims developer Rogue Sheep. The screening is believed to be aimed at catching unauthorized APIs, blocked under Apple's submission rules. A number of the apps trapped so far are allegedly ones using Three20, an Objective-C library. Rogue Sheep's Postage has in the past relied on some Three20 code, and so private API calls were removed from the software before submitting a recent update.
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11/20, 3:20pm
Gear less expensive than iPhone model
GPS maker TomTom has revealed a new car mount , one designed exclusively for the iPod touch. The accessory reflects a recent update to the company's GPS app , which now includes Touch support. The new kit is little different from its more broadly-compatible iPhone version, mainly being $20 cheaper at a price of $100.
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11/20, 1:15pm
Ten percent of Chinese 3G in three years
China Unicom has set high targets for iPhone sales in its native country, according to China Daily . One senior executive tells the newspaper that within two to three years, the iPhone is expected to represent 10 percent of all 3G devices in China. The carrier's chairman, Chang Xiaobing, has meanwhile suggested that the product will eventually become the nation's most popular smartphone.
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11/20, 12:15pm
Company's first production computer
A resident of Roseville, California is auctioning off an original Apple I , according to the Detroit Free Press . The computer was the first put into production by Apple, launching in 1976 in a limited run of 200 units. It was distinctive at the time for being produced and sold by a two-man team -- Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs -- and building in its own terminal circuitry, requiring only a separate keyboard and TV set.
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11/20, 10:25am
Should restore support for 'hackintosh' netbooks
A workaround has been developed to restore Atom processor support in Mac OS X 10.6.2, a Russian hacker claims. The technique relies on a custom version of the Mach kernel, which must be installed using Terminal because of the need to gain root access. Once active, the kernel should support so-called hackintosh netbooks, most likely to use Atom chips.
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11/20, 9:15am
High-end production suite making platform debut
Autodesk will soon launch a Mac version of Smoke , a demonstration at Japan's InterBEE expo confirms. The software is a high-end video production suite, costing approximately $15,000. It is capable not only of conventional editing tasks, but also handling audio, painting, text and various visual effects.
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11/19, 4:15pm
Should aid in common store tasks
Apple Store workers will soon have more apps for their iPod touch-based EasyPay handhelds , a source claims. The devices are currently meant to run Easy Touch, an app which handles roaming checkouts in tandem with an attached card reader and barcode scanner. Apple is gradually retiring an assortment of Windows CE-based checkout units, which have been criticized as slow and unreliable.
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11/19, 1:30pm
Carrier's first HSPA device
Virgin Mobile's Canadian division will soon carry the iPhone, according to an announcement. The company has revealed few details, except that it will sell both the 3G and 3GS, and that a launch should happen sometime "in the coming months." The device will also be the carrier's first HSPA-based phone, possible through an upgraded Bell cellular network .
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11/19, 1:00pm
Criticizes dev for responding to legal threat
Apple CEO Steve Jobs has chastised a Mac developer in response to a letter regarding a name change, reports say. The CEO of Little App Factory, John Devor, says he was recently served a notice by Apple lawfirm Baker & McKenzie, asking him to change the name of iPodRip, a program used to transfer content from an iPod or iPhone back to a Mac. Devor decided to plead his case with Jobs directly, writing an elaborate e-mail message .
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11/19, 11:50am
Also adds lane guidance, text-to-speech
As promised , TomTom has released an updated GPS app for the iPhone. A previously unannounced feature is support for the iPod touch, which normally lacks a GPS receiver. As with the recent Magellan app however, Touch support can only be enabled by docking with a first-party car kit .
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11/19, 11:10am
iPhone remains notably absent
The MacBook and the iPod touch have both taken positions on a Time list of the top 25 travel gadgets for 2009. The updated plastic MacBook is complimented for being tougher than its predecessor, and having LED backlighting, which contributes to a maximum seven-hour battery life. The magazine also remarks on the presence of a glass multi-touch trackpad, and the removal of mercury and arsenic from materials.
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11/19, 10:15am
Update includes over 50 changes
Agile Web Solutions has released the completed version of 1Password 3 , its web login utility. The software generates custom passwords for websites, remembering login information for automatic insertion later. Users can also save content related to online shopping, such as credit card numbers.
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11/19, 9:05am
Display update addresses iSight problems
Apple has released two new software updates, beginning with a firmware update for the 24-inch LED Cinema Display. The update fixes an error with the built-in iSight camera, which may not be detected as intended by some programs. Downloaders must have an Intel Mac, as well as Mac OS X 10.5.8 or 10.6.2.
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11/18, 4:05pm
Browser ingests, renames, geotags photos
MacNN has reviewed Photo Mechanic , a professional photo browser that offers options for renaming, captioning and geocoding groups of photos. Photos can also be rotated, watermarked and given new metadata, as well as saved to backup. When browsing, images can be displayed in a contact sheet or else zoomed in for detail.
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11/18, 3:40pm
Number draws on October NPD figures
Apple is likely to sell between 2.8 and 2.9 million Macs in the December quarter, according to Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster. The forecast is based on October sales data from the NPD Group, which indicates that the month's Macs were up 7 percent year-over-year. Should Apple meet expectations, overall growth for the December period should be 14 percent .
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11/18, 12:25pm
Exclusivity deals now hampering growth
The iPhone could soon become the UK's most popular smartphone, claims a Canalys analyst. Presenting at yesterday's Canalys Mobility Forum event in London, Pete Cunningham observed that the iPhone was the most popular smartphone in France during Q3 2009, a result of the end of an exclusive deal between Apple and regional carrier Orange. The French government ruled that the deal violated competition regulations.
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11/18, 11:15am
OS likely to have major interface changes
Apple is in early development of the next major version of Mac OS X, evidence suggests. The information comes by way of the open-source launchd framework, which is used to boot Mac OS X and manage its processes. The framework's codebase was recently updated, and a posted changelog contains the entry " 11A47: SecurityAgent no longer visible via Accessibility."
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11/18, 10:00am
Korean iPhone may arrive on November 28th
The path is now clear for South Korean iPhone sales, reports note. The Korea Communications Commission has granted Apple a license to run location-based services in the country, long a major obstacle to entering the market. Korean cellphones are subject to such restrictions in order to manage privacy violations; with the iPhone, concern is mainly said to have revolved around Google Maps, and the MobileMe service Find My iPhone.
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11/17, 5:00pm
Piracy, device limitations hamper potential
The App Store is doing fairly well in China, in spite of obstacles to its adoption, says the Wall Street Journal . Over $1 million in sales are said to have been made so far, a significant amount given the short space of time in which the store has been open. Some popular apps include the instant messaging title QQ, and the real-time strategy game Command & Conquer: Red Alert.
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11/17, 4:05pm
Price target holds at $235
Needham & Co. analyst Charlie Wolf has issued a slight downgrade to Apple stock, dropping his rating from "Strong Buy" to simply "Buy." Apple's share price has grown less than 15 percent over a recent $200 price target, he notes, meeting "admittedly arbitrary" criteria for a lower valuation. Also bearing blame is said to be the economy, which remains in recession and may be the ultimate arbiter of whether Apple makes any gains during the holiday season.
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11/17, 3:10pm
Car kit to support iPod touch
GPS maker Magellan has launched a new iPhone GPS application, RoadMate 2010 . Like most such apps, the software provides turn-by-turn navigation, with features like bookmarks, lane guidance and spoken navigation cues. Aspects separating RoadMate include a pedestrian mode, and an associated "find your car" option, which marks a parking place for later return.
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11/17, 12:35pm
Update also adds interface improvements
Google has released v2.0 of Google Earth for the iPhone , its portable 3D mapping software. Users navigate a graphic representation of the Earth, on which various places, businesses, photos and Wikipedia articles can be located. The second edition is a major update, allowing users to import Google Maps content from the web. After logging into a Maps account, the app can impose route information on terrain.
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11/17, 11:45am
Looking to expand first-party game production?
Apple is looking to hire a new game programmer for its Cupertino headquarters, listings show. The person would specifically hold the title of "game/media software engineer," and work with a small team on various entertainment apps for the iPhone and iPod touch. Requirements include three to four years of game development experience, with knowledge of C, C++, Objective-C and/or iPhone programming. Applicants must also have "at least one AAA title" under their belt, and ideally skills in audio, graphics or network code.
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11/17, 10:45am
Greenwich, Connecticut store also en route
(Updated with Greenwich info) Though only recently rumored , plans have already been confirmed for an Apple Store opening in Nashua, New Hampshire . The new location will launch Saturday, November 21st at 10AM, within the Pheasant Lane Mall at 310 Daniel Webster Highway. The Apple Store is on the first floor near the food court.
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11/17, 9:40am
Robbery appears carefully planned
Between 3,000 and 4,000 iPhones have been stolen from CEVA Logistics in Willebroek, Belgium, according to regional newspapers De Standaard and Gazet van Antwerpen . Although the exact number of phones taken is uncertain, each one is estimated to have been worth between €575 and €675, putting the total value of the robbery around €2 million, or $3 million US. It is suspected that the thieves had inside information, as they cut a hole in the roofing precisely over where the iPhones were being held.
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11/16, 1:40pm
App would tie into Apple Store services
Apple is planning to launch a new iPhone app for visitors to its retail stores, several sources claim. So far dubbed "Concierge," the app is expected to mimic the company's web-based reservations system, which lets users schedule Genius Bar and One to One appointments. Users should also be able to monitor various types of membership subscriptions. No date for the app's release has so far been leaked.
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11/16, 10:45am
Apps sync Mac content with smartphones
Mark/Space has launched two important Mac applications, The Missing Sync for Android and GoGadget for webOS . After a month's delay , the former is now in public beta, and can now sync content such as music, video, contacts, photos, ringtones and miscellaneous files to an Android-based smartphone. Data is pulled from the likes of Address Book, Entourage, iTunes and iPhoto.
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11/16, 9:40am
Deepening competition between Apple and Google?
Apple took tentative steps towards buying AdMob ahead of the recent Google acquisition , say sources contacted by Bloomberg . Google agreed to pay $750 million in the deal; the combined company will own between 30 and 40 percent of the mobile advertising market. Apple is said to have approached AdMob a few weeks before the Google bid, entering into private negotiations. Both companies have refused to comment publicly on the matter.
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11/14, 11:30pm
Apple's fastest iMac given a verdict
The 27-inch iMac is already a milestone for Apple through its inclusion of a truly greater-than-HD display, but the addition of Core i5 and Core i7 processors transforms it into a near powerhouse. This is the first iMac in recent memory to come close enough to Apple's workstations that it could replace one of them. Our review of the Core i5-equipped iMac will find out how close it comes to that goal and whether it's a worthwhile option for any other prospective Mac desktop owner.
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11/14, 6:00pm
Judge says Psystar clearly violated laws
Apple this week won a decisive victory in its lawsuit against clone maker Psystar. Judge William Alsup has ruled in a summary judgment that the Florida-based defendant had violated copyright laws, including the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) through creating and selling PCs with unauthorized copies of Mac OS X. By modifying the Mac OS X bootloader and kernel extensions to allow non-Apple hardware to run, Psystar has violated Apple's "exclusive right" to determine how and where Mac OS X runs, the judgment reads.
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