MacRumors

Boy Genius Report reports that it has received a gallery of screenshots showing off early versions of Microsoft's Office for Mac 2011 productivity suite, scheduled for launch later this year.

We've just scored some of the first shots of Microsoft Office 2011 for Mac, and while they are said to be very early, you can clearly see the progress that has been made in the transition to native Cocoa applications.

The set of seven screenshots shows off Word, Excel and PowerPoint, as well as Outlook, which will replace Entourage as the e-mail and calendaring component of Office for Mac. The shots also demonstrate how the "ribbon" toolbar display that first appeared in the primary applications of Office 2007 for Windows to mixed reviews will be implemented for Mac.

Apple today posted a series of guided tours for the iPad, gearing up for the device's launch in the U.S. later this week. The 11 guided tours cover basic features such as Safari, Mail, Photos, and iPod that should be familiar in at least basic concept to iPhone and iPod touch users. The iPad's larger screen, however, has allowed Apple to enhance those applications for a richer user experience. Also included are tours of Videos, YouTube, and iTunes.

As far as offerings unique to the iPad, Apple has also posted guided tours of the iBooks application that will interface with the company's iBookstore for eBook content and the iWork for iPad suite that will bring Keynote, Pages, and Numbers to the iPad.

The new guided tours section is featured prominently as one of the main tabs in Apple's iPad section and should offer users a good perspective on what they can expect from Apple's long-anticipated tablet device even before they get their hands on one.

Apple today released Mac OS X 10.6.3, the third maintenance update for Snow Leopard, via Software Update and the company's software downloads page. The update offers several hundred fixes implemented since the release of Mac OS X 10.6.2 last November and an interim security update issued in January.

The 10.6.3 Update is recommended for all users running Mac OS X Snow Leopard and includes general operating system fixes that enhance the stability, compatibility, and security of your Mac, including fixes that:

- improve the reliability and compatibility of QuickTime X
- address compatibility issues with OpenGL-based applications
- address an issue that causes background message colors to display incorrectly in Mail
- resolve an issue that prevented files with the # or & characters in their names from opening in Rosetta applications
- resolve an issue that prevented files from copying to Windows file servers
- improve performance of Logic Pro 9 and Main Stage 2 when running in 64-bit mode
- improve sleep and wake reliability when using Bonjour wake on demand
- address a color issue in iMovie with HD content
- improve printing reliability
- resolve issues with recurring events in iCal when connected to an Exchange server
- improve the reliability of 3rd party USB input devices
- fix glowing, stuck, or dark pixels when viewing video from the iMac (Late 2009) built-in iSight camera

Full details on the update are available in Apple's associated support document.

Developer builds of Mac OS X 10.6.3 were seeded with increasingly frequency in recent weeks, with the most recent, Build 10D573, appearing just last Wednesday.

- Mac OS X v10.6.3 Update (719.23 MB)
- Mac OS X v10.6.3 Update (Combo) (784 MB)
- Mac OS X Server v10.6.3 Update (831.31 MB)
- Mac OS X Server v10.6.3 Update (Combo) (897.32 MB)

Apple has also released Security Update 2010-002 for users on Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard.

- Security Update 2010-002 (Leopard-Client) (78.39 MB)
- Security Update 2010-002 (Leopard-Server) (361.40 MB)

MacRumors has received information from a source claiming to have knowledge of a forthcoming iTunes 9.1 update that will presumably be released around the same time as the iPad's U.S. launch this Saturday. Among the purported new features in iTunes 9.1 are changes to organization of book content in iTunes in order to support expected growth in eBook content driven by the iPad.

According to the source, the existing "Audiobooks" entry in the iTunes Source list will be replaced with a broader "Books" section. A similar change will made to the sources for managing content on connected devices such as iPhones, iPods, and iPads. The revamped "Books" section for connected devices will reportedly display all book content compatible with a given device for easy content management.

iTunes 9.1 will also reportedly bring enhancements to the Genius Mixes feature that automatically selects songs that "go great together". In the updated iTunes, users will have more control over Genius Mixes, including the ability to rename mixes and rearrange them by dragging. Users will also be able to delete Genius Mixes by right clicking on them. Genius Mixes will also reportedly be available as sources for the iTunes DJ shuffle feature.

Finally, iTunes 9.1 is claimed to offer several changes to device support, including tweaked summary panes (including a move of the "Check for Update" and "Restore" buttons to the left side of the pane) and the ability to automatically convert songs to 128 kbps AAC format when syncing to devices. This feature, currently available only for the iPod shuffle, will reportedly be extended to all devices and will allow users to fit more audio files on their devices while the original higher-quality files remain untouched in iTunes.

Fortune reports on a new research note from analyst Katy Huberty at Morgan Stanley citing iPad suppliers now forecasting shipments of 8-10 million iPads for calendar year 2010, up from previous estimates of around 5 million. The report notes, however, that shipments are not necessarily equal to sales, as some of that production will remain in distribution channels at the end of the year. Consequently, Huberty maintains a sales estimate of 6+ million iPads for the year.

According to Huberty, investors who are bearish on the iPad say it lacks a "killer app." Apple's near-term market, she counters, is the sub-$800 notebook computer market (30 million units in the U.S. and 120 million units globally). Longer term, she expects the books, magazines, video and iPad-optimized apps currently in the works to broaden that market.

Over the shorter term March-to-May timeframe, suppliers are now reporting that they expect to ship 2.5 million iPads during the initial surge, up significantly from Huberty's earlier estimate of 750,000 through the end of June. Analyst reports earlier this month had reported some delays in early iPad production that would limit launch quantities, although it is unclear exactly what the source of the delays were and what the magnitude of their effect has been on unit quantities.

Huberty, a prominent tech industry analyst, had been noted for her bearish estimates on Apple's financial performance over the past several years, but has come around in recent months to issue several reports citing Apple's leadership position in the mobile Internet industry and offering strong "bull case scenarios" for Apple's future growth.

Apple today issued a press release formally confirming that the iPad will launch this Saturday in the U.S. Wi-Fi iPad models will be available in all 221 U.S. Apple retail stores and at "most" Best Buy locations beginning at 9:00 AM.

"iPad connects users with their apps and content in a far more intimate and fun way than ever before," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "We can't wait for users to get their hands and fingers on it this weekend."

Apple also announced that all customers making iPad purchases in its retail stores will receive free Personal Setup service, which includes assistance from Apple staff with setting up email accounts on the device, loading applications, and other tasks. Apple retail stores are also set to begin hosting iPad workshops this Saturday, offering customers ways to get more out of their devices.

Customers who pre-ordered Wi-Fi models have noted that their devices have begun shipping, although the orders are not expected to arrive until Saturday.

Apple has starting shipping iPads for delivery. Those who placed their orders in on the first day have started receiving shipping notices from the Apple Store.

Unfortunately, the early ship date does not necessarily mean that customers will receive their iPads before April 3rd. In the past, Apple has coordinated with UPS to hold early deliveries until launch day. The first Wi-Fi only iPads are to be delivered on April 3rd, 2010. 3G models will arrive several weeks later.

Online video provider Brightcove has announced that they will be officially supporting HTML5 video for their customers. Brightcove is the video platform for more than 1000 customers including high profile websites such as The New York Times and Time, Inc.

The move comes a week before the launch of the iPad which does not support Flash video which has traditionally been the vehicle for online video delivery.

"Our customers want to be able to deliver their video content to every screen without sacrificing the quality, interactivity and monetization capabilities they have come to expect from the Brightcove platform," said Jeremy Allaire, Brightcove chairman and chief executive officer. "The Brightcove Experience for HTML5 fills the gap between the current playback capabilities of the emerging standard and what our customers need to operate successful online video businesses."

The new HTML5 support comes at no additional cost to existing Brightcove customers. A list of existing customers is available on Brightcove's website and includes a large number of magazine publishers, newspaper publishers and broadcasters. It seems HTML5 has to be purposefully implemented by the customer sites as not all the same features have been deployed to Brightcove's HTML5 implementation. However, the company has a roadmap to deploy all the same features over time.

The New York Times and Time, Inc have been confirmed as launch partners taking advantage of HTML5 video and will be iPad-ready on launch day.

We've always maintained that the excitement behind the iPad has been the introduction of large screen multi-touch platform rather than a singular Apple-defined purpose. Over the weekend, we revealed that Filemaker's personal database application will be coming to iPad on launch day.

Here are a couple of other promising upcoming iPad apps that we've run across.

Mixr

Mixr is described as the "first ever professional DJ application for iPad." The multi-touch app features cross-fading, equalizing, cue, drang & drop tracks, and full effects such as delays and auto filter.

Mixrs turntables look and feel just like real the real thing. To mix your music, all you have to do is touch the vinyl records with your fingers. You can play it, stop it, run it backwards and even control the pitch and scratch! To manipulate the sound, simply rotate the vinyl with your fingers...

No word on a release date yet but more details from the developer's site.

iMockups

iMockups offers rapid creation of mock-ups, layouts and wireframes for web, iPhone and iPad projects. Designed for workflow sketches, the iPad-exclusive app includes resizable elements representing various user interface components. A video of the app in action is available here.

Endloop.ca reports that the application has been submitted to Apple already and should be available by iPad launch.

Apple's iPad Camera Connection Kit, which offers two adapters to allow users to transfer digital photos directly to their iPad via either USB or SD card, is now listed as shipping in late April.

The kit had been announced by Apple as part of the iPad launch in late January, but did not come available for pre-order earlier this month alongside other iPad accessories. The reason for the delay in making the kit available for order is unknown.

Other iPad accessories are showing a variety of shipping dates for new orders, with the standard dock and VGA adapter scheduled for April 3rd availability and the iPad case shipping in "mid April". The iPad keyboard dock is currently showing "late April" availability, while the power adapter is not shipping until May.

With the iPad launch just a week away, Apple appears to be running out of its initial supply of the devices as the company has pushed the expected shipping date for new Wi-Fi iPad orders to April 12th from the previous April 3rd date. Orders for Wi-Fi + 3G models continue to show a projected shipping date of late April.

Apple has also removed the iPad reservation program from its site. The program allowed consumers to reserve a Wi-Fi iPad for pickup at their local Apple retail store on the launch day of April 3rd. Customers with reserved iPads have been told to come to their retail location between 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM on launch day to pick up and purchase their device. Once that window has passed, unclaimed iPads will be returned to general stock.

In the lead up to the iPad launch, a number of leaks have revealed some of the iPad App Store launch titles. While popular iPhone games such as Flight Control and Real Racing are amongst the first group of apps, one of the big promises of the iPad was that productivity apps would be able to make further use the iPad's extra screen real estate.

Apple's iWork applications Keynote, Pages and Numbers are known to be making the jump to iPad. Meanwhile, OmniGroup also pre-announced that they will be delivering their 5 of their productivity tools to the iPad.

MacRumors can now reveal that Filemaker's Bento is also launching for iPad and will be available as a launch title. Bento is an easy to use personal database system that was originally released for the Mac. Filemaker has already released an iPhone/iPod touch version that was well received. A screenshot of the iPad version is provided here:

Like the iPhone app, Bento for iPad can be used as a standalone app or will wirelessly synchronize with Bento 3 for the Mac. The App comes with dozens of ready to use database templates that can be customized for your own usage. The iPad version of Bento is priced at $4.99, the same as the current price for the iPhone version.

MediaPost claims that Apple is poised to announce its "next big thing" on April 7th. The new product is reportedly called "iAd" and represents a "personalized, mobile advertising system".

The iAd system is believed to have been built on top of Quattro, a mobile ad firm that Apple acquired in January for $275 million. Few details are known but given Apple's recent success, many will be interested to see their next move:

"Everyone will be following this very closely," says Josh Lovison, the mobile lead at Interpublic's Emerging Media Lab, adding: "Given the way that Apple is able to package things up, with very slick presentations, it will be interesting to see what they do with that advertising."

The move would put them squarely up against Google which was largely built on advertising revenue and has had their own plans to move into the mobile space. In fact, Google's acquisition of Admob has been described as a defensive move to keep the company out of Apple's hands.

MacStories.net has discovered two new categories in iTunes that are currently unpopulated: Top Explicit Paid Software and Top Explicit iPad Software (iTunes links). The new categories confirm previous reports that Apple was working on adding such a category to iTunes.

The move appears to reverse a recent policy shift of Apple's to remove all sexually suggestive materials from the App Store. Those removals were reportedly secondary to customer complaints about the growing number of such apps.

It's not clear when (or even if) Apple will launch the new category of Apps.

Just two days ago, App Advice reported that Apple's iBookstore, set to launch in the U.S. on April 3rd alongside the iPad, was displaying $9.99 prices for the vast majority of eBooks from The New York Times best sellers list. Only a few titles were set at different price points, maxing out at $12.99

Today, however, the site reports that pricing for the same eBooks has shot up, with most of the content formerly priced at $9.99 now checking in at $12.99.

This sudden change is extremely intriguing. Is Apple using this to figure out where the leak is coming from? Did Amazon react to our announcement and pressured publishers to rise the prices? We don't know. It also remains to be seen if these price changes are just temporary of definitive.

Of the six identical titles visible in the before-and-after screenshots, five of them have been bumped up to $12.99, with only Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter remaining at $9.99. Consequently, it appears that Apple's iBookstore plans remain in flux with just a week to go before the store's launch, and we may have to wait until April 3rd to see how things truly shake out.

Patent Authority reports (via Silicon Alley Insider) that Apple has obtained the rights to the "iPad" trademark in the United States, settling what some observers had thought could be a contentious dispute over the name.

Apple now owns the iPad trademark. The trademark (Serial No. 76497338) was filed by Fujitsu in March of 2003 for their iPad wireless handheld computing device used by retailers. Records at the U.S. Patent and Trademark office show that the trademark was assigned to Apple on March 17.

International trademark filings made by an Apple shell company just before the iPad's introduction in January hinted at the tablet's name, although initial reports suggested that Apple had avoided addressing the issue in the United States, where Fujitsu had filed for a trademark on the "iPad" name in a similar field.

Evidence quickly appeared, however, showing that Apple had sought multiple extensions to required opposition periods for Fujitsu's application, and that Apple did apply for a U.S. trademark using a shell company separate from the one used in the international filings.

Apple's use of the name "iPhone" similarly stepped on the toes of another electronics company upon its introduction in January 2007, but Apple and Cisco were able to reach an agreement that permitted both companies to use the trademark.