MacRumors

Apple's seemingly arbitrary rules for rejecting App Store applications is once again in the news. This time rock band Nine Inch Nails' founder Trent Reznor has taken issue with Apple's rejection policies.

Nine Inch Nails (NiN) released their own iPhone application in mid April. The app allows fans a way to access NiN news, updates, music, and more. Over the weekend, Reznor reported that a routine version update had been rejected due to "objectionable content" in the form of the album "The Downward Spiral". Reznor speaks out [explicit language] about the issue and apparent hypocrisy of the policy:

Now, "The Downward Spiral" the album is not available anywhere in the iPhone app. The song "The Downward Spiral" I believe is in a podcast that can be streamed to the app. Thanks Apple for the clear description of the problem - as in, what do you want us to change to get past your stupid ******* standards?
....
You can buy The Downward ******* Spiral on iTunes, but you can't allow an iPhone app that may have a song with a bad word somewhere in it. Geez, what if someone in the forum in our app says **** or ****? I suppose that also falls into indecent material. Hey Apple, I just got some SPAM about ***** THROUGH YOUR MAIL PROGRAM. I just saw ***** right there in Safari! On my iPhone!

Come on Apple, think your policies through and for **** sake get your app approval scenario together.

Reznor later posts [explicit language] that he's a fan of Apple's products and specifically the iPhone, but that he wants to draw attention to the "ludicrous approval process". He also states that "if Apple doesn't get it together", they will make the app available to the Jailbreak community.

Over the weekend, Apple issued an iMac EFI Firmware Update 1.4 which specifically addresses an intermittent system freeze that was occuring in iMacs with the ATI Radeon HD 4850 graphics card.

Once you download the software update, you must launch it manually as it will not be installed automatically.

To complete the firmware update process, please follow the instructions in the updater application (/Applications/Utilities/iMac EFI Firmware Update.app). The updater will launch automatically when the Installer closes.

An informal survey in our forums found that the majority of those who had problems found relief with the firmware update. The issue had generated a lengthy discussion on our forums as well as Apple's support forums.

The update also fixes wake-from-sleep issues in Boot Camp.

The classic game of Myst has arrived in the App Store. Myst is a 1993 game that was originally developed for the Mac under Apple's HyperCard application. While rather simplistic by today's standards, the game was both a critical and commercial success becoming the best selling computer game up until that time.

The game starts you on a strange island where you must explore your surroundings, solve puzzles and figure out the backstory.

The interface is entirely point-and-click driven. Switches, clues and other hints are explored by tapping on interesting items on the screen. There are also many puzzle elements that must be solved in order to complete the game.

A video of the game shows it from the launch which should bring back memories for fans of the original game:

The game comes in at a massive 727MB and 1.5GB free on your iPhone or iPod Touch for installation.

App Store Link: Myst, $5.99

Earlier this week, Apple seeded a new version of OS X 10.5.7, termed Build 9J58, to developers. World of Apple publishes the seed notes, which list only a pair of changes related to compatibility fixes between the CFNetwork framework and VPN, iChat, and Safari. Apple has also added iChat to the list of focus areas upon which developers are being asked to concentrate their testing.

As with numerous previous developer builds, the inability to install Safari 4 Beta remains the only documented issue. Development on OS X 10.5.7 has been presumed to be wrapping up for several weeks now, but Apple appears to still be finding a few bugs that require their continued attention. The last developer release, Build 9J56, was seeded in the middle of last week.

Considering all the leaked evidence of video recording and editing in the iPhone 3.0 beta, it's not really a stretch to predict that the next iPhone will offer long-requested video features. Still, Businessweek's Peter Burrows confirms that to be the case based on a source familiar with Apple's plans for the next iPhone.

In fact, Burrows suggests that video recording won't simply be an afterthought but a major feature of the new iPhone.

Evidently, shooting video is as easy as it is with a Flip, the ingenious device made by Pure Digital (recently purchased by Cisco). Then there's an iMovie app that lets you quickly save the sections you want, right there on the phone itself. There may also be support for MMS, so the clips can be shared wirelessly with friends. And because of the iPhone's relatively large screen, your friends dont have to schlep to your PC or their Facebook page to see that video of your kids or your safari. Just hand them your iPhone.

Burrows even suggests it could be as successful as Apple's late, yet dominating, entry into the MP3 market with the iPod. An easy to use video recording, editing and sharing iPhone could be a breakthrough usage for the device -- allowing people on a large scale to quickly record and share videos without bothering to connect to their computer.

For what it's worth, MacRumors has similarly heard that the next iPhone will support Video recording and YouTube sharing which has been supported by evidence found in the iPhone 3.0 beta.

AppleInsider reports that Apple is preparing to introduce cheaper Macs as soon as this spring. The move reportedly comes in response to consumer buying patterns shifting toward cheaper computers, including those in the netbook category.

Still, people familiar with the matter say Apple's move towards more affordable Macs isn't so much a response to Redmond's marketing antics as it is an interim solution to combat the proliferation of budget notebooks -- often called netbooks -- until the company is ready to introduce its own take on the market in the much rumored Newton-like web tablet, a project which is taking considerably longer to complete than once anticipated.

The report presumes that the pricing changes would appear in the consumer MacBook and iMac lines, although exact details on models and price points remain unknown.

While exact pricing is unclear or still undetermined at this time, the Mac maker earlier this month quietly flaunted its capacity to deliver a premium system at near recession pricing when it began offering educational institutions a 2GHz, 20-inch aluminum iMac for $899. Even when priced at a $100 to $150 markup for the consumer markets -- as Apple is more than likely eager to preserve its margins -- such an offering would make a material dent in the entry-level cost of owner or switching to a Mac.

AppleInsider claims that the MacBook could see price reductions as part of a minor revision to Apple's notebook lines in the near future.

Engadget reports that a version of NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 285 graphics card for the Mac Pro will be released in June.

The GTX 285 is currently NVIDIA's fastest single-processor GPU, offering 240 processing cores and 1 GB of video memory. AnandTech recently reviewed the PC version of the GTX 285 and found that it consistently outperformed the ATI Radeon HD 4870, whose Mac counterpart is currently available as an upgrade for the Mac Pro.

NVIDIA just last week announced the upcoming Quadro FX 4800, offering a professional-level graphics card option for Mac Pro users at a price point of $1799. The GTX 285, however, should provide a significant performance boost over the current standard-level offerings for the Mac Pro at a price point closer to $400.

MCV reports that Richard Teversham, Microsoft's senior director of business, insights and strategy for Xbox, is departing the company to take a position at Apple. Teversham reportedly will take on an "education-related" role in Apple's European office. Focused on EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa), Teversham had been at Microsoft for the past 15 years and worked on business aspects of Xbox since its launch in 2002.

Teversham had worked at Microsoft for over 15 years. He held the role of Xbox director for platform and marketing between 2005 and 2007 before becoming strategy boss.

A Microsoft spokesperson told MCV this week: "We can confirm that Richard Teversham, director of business, insights and strategy, has taken a new opportunity outside of Microsoft. A process is underway for recruiting his replacement."

While Teversham's role at Apple remains unclear, the addition of a significant player in Microsoft's international strategy and marketing for Xbox suggests the possibility of Apple further increasing its efforts in the gaming industry. In particular, Apple has been positioning the iPod touch as a gaming platform in much of its promotional material.

A patent application from Apple filed in October 2007 and published today reveals that the company is researching the use of carbon fiber composites for use in the exterior shells of electronic devices. Specifically, the patent application relates to the use of a "scrim" layer on the exterior surface of the carbon fiber laminate allowing for an "improved cosmetic surface."

In the background for the application, Apple objects to the appearance of typical carbon fiber composite materials:

Despite the many benefits of carbon fiber composites, such composites are typically black and the carbon fibers are typically visible on the composite surface. In addition, the fibers (either as a unidirectional, woven, or nonwoven substrate) are typically variable in their construction and therefore are variable in their surface presentation. As a result, the resulting carbon fiber composite can have cosmetic imperfections that reduce the aesthetic appearance of the molded article formed therefrom. Further, carbon fiber composites, often being black, provide a narrow range of surface appearance to the molded article and therefore may give a "tired", unexciting look.

Apple's insistence on aesthetic designs has apparently led the company to focus efforts on improving the visual appeal of such carbon fiber composites, which hold significant appeal for notebook computer design due to their strength and light weight.

A rumor from November 2008 claimed that Apple was exploring the possibility of replacing the bottom case of the MacBook Air with a carbon fiber composite in order to shave approximately a quarter pound off of the machine's total weight.

The Wall Street Journal explores the reasons why Apple has been moving towards designing their own chips rather than using off-the-shelf components. This strategic shift was first revealed when Apple acquired chip-designing company P.A. Semi last April. That news has since been followed by a number of new hires from AMD as well as online job postings looking for individuals to test "Apple developed silicon."

According to individuals "familiar with the matter", Apple's current chip plans include lower power designs to prolong battery life in the iPhone and iPod touch as well as improved graphics circuitry for better gaming and HD video playback. In addition to whatever competitive advantage Apple might get with their own custom designed chips, another benefit would be the ability to maintain more secrecy over their products.

People familiar with Apple's thinking say executives have expressed concern that some information shared with outside vendors could find its way into chips sold to Apple competitors

Jobs reportedly told P.A. Semi engineers that he specifically wanted to develop chips within Apple to prevent knowledge of them leaking out. Apple, of course, is well known for their secrecy. This secrecy has been harder to maintain in recent years due to the number of partners Apple must work with in launching a product. With the iPhone, we've seen rumors coming from both component suppliers as well as mobile carriers who need to be briefed about upcoming releases.

The Wall Street Journal points out, however, that this trend is contrary to most big electronic firms who have moved towards outsourcing components in an effort to reduce costs. Apple is not expected to launch products based on these internally designed chips until next year at the earliest.

The Inquirer reports that Raja Koduri, currently Chief Technology Officer of the Graphics Product Group at AMD, will be joining Apple. The rumor comes on the heels of the discovery just two days ago that Bob Drebin, Koduri's predecessor in the position at AMD, has already joined Apple.

Between PASemi, Bob Drebin and other things we can't talk about yet, Apple is building up some serious hardware talent. All they need now is a good reliability person and a fire chief, and things will get really interesting on the hardware front in Cupertino.

Apple's acquisition of P.A. Semi in April 2008 generated speculation that Apple is developing its own system-on-chip solutions for the iPhone and iPod touch. The subsequent recruitment of Mark Papermaster from IBM and now Drebin and Koduri from ATI/AMD demonstrate significant enhancement of its expertise in chip and system design.

With the iPhone/iPod touch being touted as a gaming platform and the upcoming deployment of OpenCL in OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard to harness the power of graphics processors for general-purpose computing, Apple's interest in acquiring expertise in this area is unsurprising, although the extent of its recruitment of significant players in the industry suggests that Apple has made a significant commitment to expanding its efforts.

Continuing a pattern of biweekly releases, Apple tonight seeded the fourth beta version of iPhone OS 3.0 to developers. Apple also issued a developer pre-release version of iTunes 8.2, which is required to activate the new beta. No new features in the fourth beta version have been revealed as of yet.

The iPhone OS 3.0 was first demonstrated at a media event in mid-March and will bring over 100 new features to users. The iPhone OS 3.0 is expected to be a major focus of Apple's sold out Worldwide Developers Conference to be held in San Francisco in June.

Update: One forum poster points out that the latest iTunes 8.2 beta carries references to Blu-Ray data from Gracenote, suggesting that iTunes could support the reading/recognizing of Blu-Ray discs. This note is not present in the current version of iTunes: