MacRumors

DigiTimes reports that Apple's iPhone and iPod models have continued to put pressure on worldwide supplies of NAND flash memory, soaking up enough of the industry capacity that demand now exceeds supply. The shortage is expected to continue through the remainder of 2009, corresponding with the holiday season that should drive sales of Apple's devices.

Taiwan-based memory module houses are moving to diversify their NAND flash suppliers to minimize procurement risk, according to industry sources. NAND flash supply has reportedly become tighter as major chip producers Samsung Electronics, Toshiba, Micron and Hynix Semiconductor favor demand for Apple devices.

Taiwan's module makers have relied heavily on Samsung for NAND flash supply, but they are likely to increase their orders to IM Flash now, the sources commented.

A brief rebound is expected in early 2010 that would allow supplies to again exceed demand, but forecasts show another, larger dip into negative territory for supply/demand ratios later in 2010 as smartphone sales are expected to increase amid improving economic conditions.

Apple today released iPhone OS 3.1.2, addressing several issues regarding waking from sleep, network service disruption, and crashing during video streaming. iPhone users should connect their iPhones to iTunes and click the "Check for Update" button to obtain the new version.

This update contains bug fixes and improvements, including the following:

- Resolves sporadic issue that may cause iPhone to not wake from sleep
- Resolves intermittent issue that may interrupt cellular network services until restart
- Fixes bug that could cause occasional crash during video streaming

The update is compatible with all iPhone models and weighs in at approximately 240 MB. Apple introduced iPhone OS 3.1 almost exactly one month ago, bringing a number of new features including Genius recommendation for applications, Genius Mixes for music and purchasing of pre-cut ringtones.

Update: A corresponding update is also available for the iPod touch.

Also, the iPhone OS 3.1.2 update for iPhone in U.S. is accompanied by an update to AT&T's carrier settings file, which brings the settings to version 5.6.

ZDnet reports on NVIDIA's announcement yesterday that it will "postpone further chipset investments" in the wake of licensing issues involving Intel's Nehalem and Core processors. NVIDIA's chipsets including integrated graphics processors are currently used throughout Apple's low-end lines, and the shift to NVIDIA was seen as a significant improvement over Intel's similar chipset offerings.

Intel claims that its four-year-old chipset license with NVIDIA doesn't cover the Nehalem or Core series of CPUs. NVIDIA naturally disagrees with this and as a result is that both parties will fight it out in court sometime in 2010.

Sources claimed in early July that Apple would be dropping NVIDIA's chipset from its computers amid dissatisfaction over manufacturing defects in recent products, although the claim was quickly refuted by other sources. Regardless of Apple and NVIDIA's relationship, however, the dispute with Intel over licensing appears to be signaling an end to their chipset partnership.

In addition to the Intel issue, NVIDIA is also ceasing development of chipsets for AMD processors, noting a lack of demand for such products. Finally, a recent report claims that NVIDIA is also exiting the mid- and high-end standalone graphics card market, although the company has apparently called the rumor "patently untrue".

TomTom's much-anticipated iPhone GPS car kit has once again appeared on a number of European Apple online stores, including the UK store. Currently scheduled to ship in 1-2 weeks, the kit is again priced at 99.95 in the UK and 99.95 Euro in other European countries. TomTom has disclosed that the kit will be priced at $119.95 in the U.S., although it is not yet listed in Apple's U.S. online store.

Unlike the earlier listings, which mistakenly listed the TomTom iPhone application as being included in the price and were quickly pulled, the new postings explicitly note that the application is not included and therefore must be purchased separately.

**Note: The TomTom app for iPhone is not included with this TomTom Car Kit. The Car Kit dock is compatible with all iPhone models, but the TomTom app only works with iPhone 3GS and iPhone 3G

TomTom's car kit contains an external GPS receiver and other hardware features such as a speaker and built-in hands-free calling support and has been claimed to be compatible with the iPod touch and other GPS iPhone applications from other vendors, but Apple's product description still makes no mention of compatibility with those offerings.

The car kit had been expected to launch this summer, but was pushed back to October as of early September.

TechCrunch reports that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has awarded a trademark for the "Mighty Mouse" term in its "computer cursor control devices" category to Man & Machine, a Landover, Maryland company specializing in waterproof keyboards and mice for medical and industrial settings.

Man & Machine has offered several generations of its Mighty Mouse product, claiming a priority date in its trademark application of March 16th, 2004 as the company's first use of the term in commerce. Apple introduced its original Mighty Mouse in August 2005.

The company has a press release for the trademark decision; clearly, they are jazzed about the win.

And they should be. Though they never mention Apple by name, they do say that "Others have used the name Mighty Mouse for their computer mice and have sought registration of that trademark, but now the United States government has spoken."

Apple is widely expected to introduce a new mouse in the near future, with drawings of a new Bluetooth keyboard and mouse having appeared on the U.S. Federal Communications Commission's website for a brief period last week before being removed.

The Wall Street Journal reports that, given AT&T's recent move to allow VoIP services over its wireless network for the iPhone, users are wondering whether support for Internet tethering via the iPhone may also be launched in the near future. Tethering and MMS were promised as future features by AT&T when iPhone OS 3.0 was launched in mid-June, and MMS was finally enabled late last month with no update on the tethering situation at that time. AT&T is continuing, however, to reiterate its position that additional network upgrades are required before it can support tethering via the iPhone.

An [sic] spokesman for the wireless carrier, however, said that tethering remains unavailable and stuck with the company's prior statement: "Whenever we offer new features, we want to offer the best possible customer experience. For tethering, we need to do some additional fine tuning to our systems and networks so that we do deliver a great experience."

He declined to say when it would be available, though Ralph de la Vega, who runs AT&T's wireless unit, has previously said that iPhone tethering would be possible sometime this year.

Tethering is officially supported on wireless networks in some countries, and allows users to connect their computers to the Internet via their iPhone's mobile connection via Bluetooth or USB.

CNET reports that Apple, Google, and twenty other companies have been sued by Eolas Technologies for patent infringement related to the use of browser plug-ins and Ajax to offer interactive content in Web browsers. The move comes several years after the conclusion of a similar lawsuit brought against Microsoft that resulted in an initial $521 million judgment in favor of Eolas, although the suit was eventually settled out of court for an undisclosed amount.

Eolas' suit is not to be taken lightly. Although the earlier Microsoft case took many years to resolve, and Eolas by no means won a complete victory, the patent involved did overall withstand heavy legal challenges despite many on the Web rallying to Microsoft's aid. Microsoft and Eolas won't describe terms of their 2007 settlement of the patent case, but Eolas did say it expected to pay its shareholders a 2007 dividend afterward.

The Microsoft suit, as well as the new one targeting Apple and others, focused on a patent held by Eolas stemming from work performed by Eolas founder Michael Doyle while at the University of California, San Francisco. The patent, which covers the use of such technologies as Flash and Java plug-ins, was the subject of intense scrutiny during the trial and was initially overturned by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office before being reinstated and serving as the basis of the judgment against Microsoft.

The new suit also includes the use of Ajax Web development techniques for which Eolas has recently received a second patent as an extension of the original. Defendants in the new suit include Adobe, Amazon, Apple, Blockbuster, Citigroup, eBay, Frito-Lay, Go Daddy, Google, J.C. Penney, JPMorgan Chase, Office Depot, Perot Systems, Playboy Enterprises, Staples, Sun Microsystems, Texas Instruments, Yahoo, and YouTube.

Amazon today announced that it is dropping the price of its basic Kindle e-Book reader from $299 to $259 and also partnering with AT&T to introduce a new version offering global wireless coverage in over 100 countries and territories. The new global version is priced at $279 and will begin shipping on October 19th.

Kindle wirelessly downloads books, newspapers, magazines, blogs, and personal documents to a crisp, high-resolution 6-inch electronic ink display that looks and reads like real paper. Kindle utilizes the same 3G wireless technology as advanced cell phones, so you never need to hunt for a Wi-Fi hotspot or sync with a PC. Readers can wirelessly shop the Kindle Store, download books in less than 60 seconds, automatically receive newspaper and magazine subscriptions, receive personal documents, and read from their library -- now in over 100 countries and territories.

The new version will also enable Amazon to offer the Kindle for sale in over 100 countries. The international Kindle Store catalog will offer over 200,000 books, slightly more than half the number currently available on the U.S. store.

Apple's much-anticipated tablet computer has been claimed to be focusing on e-Book capabilities, but described as attempting to redefine print media into an interactive experience not currently possible through dedicated e-Book readers such as Amazon's Kindle.

DigiTimes reports that Foxconn Electronics has been named as Apple's manufacturing partner for its much-anticipated tablet and that the device is expected to launch in the first quarter of 2010.

The device is expected to hit the market in the first quarter of 2010, with initial shipments from Foxconn being in the 300,000-400,000 range, the sources said.

The device will have a 10.6-inch display, and the sources speculated that perhaps Foxconn could secure panels from its subsidiary Innolux Display.

While a number of rumors have previously pegged the display on Apple's device in the 7-to-10 inch range, this report of a possibly slightly larger display than previously thought nearly matches recent claims of a 10.7" screen. Speculation that Innolux may provide screens for the new device conflicts, however, with earlier reports that Wintek had already been tabbed as the display provider.

Finally, the report notes that the device will place an emphasis on e-Book functionality, echoing claims that Apple is aiming to redefine print media with the device. Apple's extended-life battery technology such as that found in recent MacBook Pro revisions, Internet connectivity, and Apple's typical attention to user interface detail are all expected to be featured in the new device.

Dow Jones Newswires reports that U.S. Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Tom Donohue responded to Apple CEO Steve Jobs today after the company announced its withdrawal from the organization over the Chamber of Commerce's stance on pending climate change legislation.

"It is unfortunate that your company didn't take the time to understand the Chamber's position on climate and forfeited the opportunity to advance a 21st century approach to climate change," U.S. Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Tom Donohue wrote in a letter to the Apple chief executive. He said that the business group is committed to the environment but also to preserving the competitiveness of American business.

Donohue went on to note that the organization does support climate change legislation, but opposes currently proposed legislation that the organization claims would hurt American businesses and simply transfer greenhouse gas emissions to other countries rather than directly addressing the issue.

Apple's withdrawal places it in the company of such entities as Nike and Pacific Gas & Electric that have either resigned from or scaled back their relationships with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce over its climate change policies.

doubleTwist, the company run by famed digital rights management hacker Jon Lech Johansen ("DVD Jon"), today released a revamped doubleTwist for Mac application, adding a number of new features to its iTunes competitor. The most notable enhancement is the inclusion of a music store linked to the Amazon MP3 Store. The application offers an iTunes-like experience for browsing the Amazon MP3 Store, bypassing the traditional browser-based access for a streamlined desktop application environment.

Other features included in the software, which allows users to sync their media libraries to a wide array of devices, include new playlist support and search functionality.

As part of its advertising campaign for the launch, doubleTwist last week released a remake of Apple's legendary "1984" commercial, but utilizing a Steve Jobs-like character in the role of Big Brother.

Following AT&T's announcement that it will now allow iPhone Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services over its mobile network, Apple and VoIP provider Skype have issued public statements reacting to today's announcement.

The Associated Press reports that Apple will be moving forward as quickly as possible to enable customers to take advantage of the functionality.

Apple welcomed the announcement. "We are very happy that AT&T is now supporting VOIP applications," said Apple spokeswoman Natalie Kerris. "We will be amending our developer agreements to get VOIP apps on the App Store and in customers' hands as soon as possible."

Skype president Josh Silverman also applauded the move, as his company will now be able to expand the usability of its iPhone application, which has been limited to Wi-Fi access only for VoIP services.

All of us at Skype applaud today's announcement by AT&T (in an FCC filing to be published shortly - update, it's here in PDF format) that it'll open up its 3G network to Internet calling applications such as Skype. It's the right step for AT&T, Apple, millions of mobile Skype users and the Internet itself.

Silverman notes, however, that the company still hopes to see government policies enacted to provide for the openness necessary for Skype to be available throughout the industry.

The Washington Post reports that AT&T may be planning to announce support for Skype, Google Voice, and other related Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services over its mobile networks, including via Apple's iPhone.

One source close to the thinking of AT&T executives said the company has been deliberating the decision for weeks and that top executives have said they were close to accepting voice over Internet services on all AT&T phones, including the iPhone. The source spoke on the condition of anonymity because a decision hadn't been officially announced. Skype currently operates on the iPhone through WiFi access, but not on AT&T's 3G mobile network.

Apple reportedly rejected a Google Voice iPhone application in late July, sparking an inquiry into the situation from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). In its response to the FCC, Apple claimed that it had not formally rejected the application and was still reviewing it, but Google's response painted a very different picture, claiming that Apple senior vice president Phil Schiller had directly delivered the rejection notice to a Google executive via telephone.

For its part, AT&T noted that it played no role in the specific Google Voice iPhone application review process, although the company's agreement with Apple does reportedly require that it provide permission for any iPhone functionality to originate or terminate a VoIP connection on its network.

Update: AT&T has confirmed that it has notified Apple and the FCC that it will permit VoIP functionality on the iPhone over its 3G network.

AT&T today announced it has taken the steps necessary so that Apple can enable VoIP applications on iPhone to run on AT&T's wireless network. Previously, VoIP applications on iPhone were enabled for Wi-Fi connectivity. For some time, AT&T has offered a variety of other wireless devices that enable VoIP applications on 3G, 2G and Wi-Fi networks. AT&T this afternoon informed Apple Inc. and the FCC of its decision.

The announcement covers traditional VoIP services and does not address the issue of Google Voice, which is not strictly a VoIP service, although it provides some functionalities similar to VoIP. But it remains unclear whether AT&T has ever actually opposed Google Voice on the iPhone, as the company claimed that it played no role in the application review process.