MacRumors

Last week, we reported on a controversy sparked by Apple's inclusion of a screenshot of a third-party developer's app interface in a patent application published late last month. While we noted at the time that the screenshot was used by Apple as interface example for taking advantage of Apple's suggested travel information service and that the company was not trying to patent anything specific to the pre-existing application, questions still remained about Apple's behavior in the matter.

The third-party developer in question, FutureTap, has posted an update revealing that it has received an explanation from Apple regarding the screenshot usage. Following on discussions between Apple and FutureTap, Apple's patent attorney writes:

As discussed, Apple is contemplating steps to attribute the screenshot in the patent application to FutureTap. The patent application in question does not claim as inventive the pictured user interface nor the general concept of an integrated travel services application. We appreciate your taking time out to discuss the matter and will keep you updated.

FutureTap's Ortwin Gentz notes that the explanation is clearly satisfactory, and while acknowledging that ignorance of patent law was the source of much of the confusion on the part of himself and others, sees the positive aspect of Apple's inclusion of FutureTap's screenshot in its application.

We feel honored over this mention and appreciate that Apple is looking into a proper attribution of the screenshot. In retrospective, I can say we wouldn't ever have considered the story alarming had the screenshot included a short attribution notice.

In his defense, Gentz rhetorically asks with a sense of humor whether users would "prefer developers who love reading patents over the ones who love to design user interfaces". (In the interest of full disclosure, Where To? was initially designed by developers John Casasanta and Sophia Teutschler at tap tap tap.)

Apple today released updated versions of its iOS operating system, addressing a significant security vulnerability in the way Safari handles PDF files on Apple's mobile devices. The new versions, which arrive as iOS 4.0.2 for the iPhone and iPod touch and iOS 3.2.2 for the iPad, should also disable the Web-based JailbreakMe service that first exploited the vulnerability.

Apple noted one week ago that it had developed a fix for the security hole, but did not offer a timeline for its release.

TechnologMe.com reports that UK supermarket chain Morrisons has slashed prices on the current-generation iPod nano and iPod shuffle models, suggesting that the retailer is looking to clear stock ahead of the release of refreshed models as soon as next week or perhaps early next month.

Morrisons, the UK supermarket chain, is slashing the price of 3rd generation iPod shuffles down to 20 and 4th generation iPod Nanos to 60 ahead of restocking of new iPod models.

Apple's retail store pricing in the UK typically begins at approximately 39 for the iPod shuffle and 100 for the iPod nano before accounting for VAT.

Pricing and stock moves by retailers are frequently unreliable indicators of Apple's plans, however, as stores are not generally kept abreast of the company's release schedule. Retailers can, however, sometimes sense when Apple's supply chain for certain models begins to dry up, offering some early warning of product refreshes. It is of course unclear in this case whether Morrisons has concrete reason to believe that the current-generation iPod nano and iPod shuffle are set to be discontinued in the near future or if it is simply basing its moves on the widely rumored and assumed annual September refresh of Apple's iPod line.

TiPb reports that UK wireless carrier Orange has been emailing customers to notify them that availability of white iPhone 4 models is not expected "until the end of the year", encouraging them to consider a black model instead while continuing to offer notification when the white models do arrive.

We wanted to let you know that there won't be any white iPhone 4's in the UK until the end of the year.

If you're happy to wait another few months we'll let you know as soon as they're back in stock.

want an iPhone 4 now?

Alternatively, if you want it now, click here or visit your local Orange shop to get the iPhone 4 Black 16GB or 32GB today.

It is unclear whether Orange has received official word from Apple that supplies should not be expected until the end of year or if the carrier is simply basing its claim on Apple's public disclosure of a launch delay until "later this year". Regardless, many potential white iPhone 4 customers have been holding out hope that the device might make its appearance sooner rather than later.

It is also unclear whether Apple would stagger white iPhone 4 launches as it has with other iPhone models and the iPad. In such a case, the United States would presumably be the first country (or in the first group of countries) to see a launch, and so it is unknown whether Orange's "end of the year" claim would apply to all markets.

Apple has not officially acknowledged the reason for the white iPhone 4 delay other than citing manufacturing challenges. Some sources have claimed that Apple is experiencing problems with non-uniform application of the white paint leading to light leakage from the device's backlight through its back and at seams.

Bloomberg reports that Apple has agreed to entirely replace any first-generation iPod nanos for customers in Japan whose devices have exhibited symptoms of overheating.

Apple Inc. said it will offer replacements of iPad Nano music players in Japan that overheat, following calls by the government to take measures to prevent the devices from catching fire.

Apple, based in Cupertino, California, had previously only offered to replace the device's battery and updated its Japan website yesterday by saying it will replace the entire unit.

The Japanese government first expressed concern over the devices nearly two years ago, issuing a warning to consumers regarding potential fire risk. Continued reports of problems led the government to step up its investigation several weeks ago, pressing Apple to explain the cause of the issue.

Late last week, after Apple disclosed problems with a single battery supplier for the device, the Japanese government ordered Apple to make support information on the overheating issue more publicly accessible.

Apple states that it offered the first-generation iPod nano for sale between September 2005 and December 2006. While Apple has not disclosed what it will be replacing affected consumers' devices with, it is unlikely that Apple has a significant number of the devices or batteries remaining in its inventory. Consequently, it seems likely that customers may receive newer-generation iPod nano models as replacements.

As noted by project manager Thibault Imbert, Adobe's Flash Player 10.1 for Mac has been updated to enable hardware-accelerated decoding of video content, offering smoother playback, lower system resource usage, and longer battery life for portable devices.

We just pushed a few minutes ago a new version of the Flash Player 10.1.82.76 containing a nice feature that was in beta until now called "Gala". Yes, H.264 GPU decoding in Mac OSX is now officially enabled in the Flash Player.

You should notice now a nice difference when playing H.264 content on your Mac in terms of CPU usage. We rarely enable new features in security releases but we really wanted to enable such a cool feature.

Adobe released Flash Player 10.1 in June, but did not include hardware acceleration for the Mac OS X platform in that release. Users willing to run a beta version of Flash Player have, however, been able to access the feature with a pair of "Gala" preview releases pushed out over the past several months.

According to Adobe, hardware acceleration is supported on the following models:

- MacBooks shipped after January 21st, 2009
- Mac Minis shipped after March 3rd, 2009
- MacBook Pros shipped after October 14th, 2008
- iMacs which shipped after the first quarter of 2009

The new version of Flash Player is available through Adobe's download site.

Daring Fireball's John Gruber hints that Apple's next-generation iPod touch is set to be released in "a few weeks" and will carry a Retina display and two cameras. His note comes in response to Dell's announcement of its Streak mini-tablet with 5-inch screen set to launch on Friday priced at $300 with a two-year AT&T contract or $550 contract-free.

That's almost twice as much as a good iPod Touch, and if you wait a few weeks to buy the Touch, you'll get one with a Retina Display and dual cameras. If Dell can't make an iPod Touch competitor, who can?

Most observers have assumed that the next-generation iPod touch will gain the same high-resolution Retina display found in the iPhone 4, but its camera features have been the subject of some debate. Several leaks of claimed next-generation iPod touch parts seem to show a hole for front-facing camera to allow users to engage in FaceTime video calling, suggesting that the device will offer that functionality.

A rear-facing camera has been a bigger question mark for the next-generation iPod touch, with the depth of the rear-facing cameras found in the iPhone 4 (5-megapixel) and even the iPhone 3GS (3.2-megapixel) appearing too thick for the thinner and more tapered form factor of the existing iPod touch. The issue is not insurmountable, of course, as advances in camera sensor technology might allow Apple to squeeze in a thinner camera still offering the same resolution as the iPhone 3GS's camera, for example. Alternatively, design changes to the iPod touch, such as an elimination of the tapered edges as was done in the redesign for the iPhone 4 or even a general increase in thickness, would offer enough space for one of the thicker iPhone camera modules.

Leaked images of parts and prototypes are frequently a good indication of Apple's product plans, but as we saw last year with several prototypes of the now-current iPod touch carrying a rear-facing camera that was ultimately removed from the final design, we can never be 100% certain. Gruber's track record, however, is very strong and lends significant credence to the rumors that the next-generation iPod touch will gain both front-facing and rear-facing cameras in the next revision.

As for when that update may happen, Apple has traditionally held its iPod-focused media events in early September each year. One rumor has suggested that this year's event could occur as early as next week, although Apple has yet to issue invitations for any such event.

Yesterday, we noted a change to the App Store's developer terms and options allowing developers to offer their applications at a 50% discount for bulk purchases made by educational institutions. Apple has now posted information on the program disclosing how institutions can take advantage of the discounted pricing.

The Volume Purchase Program makes it easy for educational institutions to purchase iOS apps in volume and distribute those apps to users. The Volume Purchase Program also allows app developers to offer special pricing for purchases of 20 apps or more.

Volume purchasing is accomplished via vouchers available through the Apple Store for Education in $100, $500, $1,000, $5,000, and $10,000 denominations. The vouchers can be purchased by authorized educational purchasing representatives and are sent by regular mail. Vouchers can then be distributed to "Program Facilitators" for redemption in the App Store.

Full information on the program is available in an FAQ, with the company also offering a direct Volume Purchase Program portal to allow authorized educational users to log in and redeem their vouchers.

The New York Times reports on the recent forced resignation of HP CEO Mark Hurd following claims of sexual harassment and improper expense reports, quoting Oracle CEO Larry Ellison as comparing Hurd's ouster to that of Steve Jobs' departure from Apple in 1985.

"The H.P. board just made the worst personnel decision since the idiots on the Apple board fired Steve Jobs many years ago," Mr. Ellison wrote. "That decision nearly destroyed Apple and would have if Steve hadn't come back and saved them."

Hurd had received strong reviews from investors over his five-year tenure as HP's CEO, where he led the company past Dell to become the world's largest computer vendor and boosted company performance in a number of areas. Hurd was less well-liked by HP employees, who disapproved of his cost-cutting and job-cutting moves even as his own compensation package soared.

Hurd's departure came after a relationship between Hurd and company contractor Jodie Fisher failed to pan out, resulting in allegations of sexual harassment by Fisher. In investigating the situation, HP's board discovered irregularities in Hurd's expense reports related to Fisher's work with the company. Taking the advice of a public relations firm, HP disclosed the full details of the situation and reached an agreement for Hurd's resignation, for which he is expected to receive up to $50 million in severance.

While the circumstances of Hurd's departure are significantly different from those of Jobs' ouster, which was the result of an internal power struggle with CEO John Sculley, Ellison's argument compares Hurd's performance and leadership ability to that of Jobs by noting the similarity in talented leaders being chased away from their companies for reasons that could be considered unwarranted.

Following Jobs' departure, Apple struggled as Microsoft-powered PCs dominated the late 1980s and 1990s. Jobs returned to Apple in 1997 with the company's acquisition of NeXT, which had been started by Jobs after he left Apple. Then-CEO Gil Amelio was ousted by the Apple Board of Directors a few months after the NeXT acquisition, and Jobs was installed as interim CEO, eventually dropping the "interim" title.

The New York Post reports that the European Commission has taken an interest in Apple's long-standing exclusion of Adobe's Flash from its iOS devices, as well as its ban on Adobe's Flash-to-iPhone compiler and similar tools designed to allow non-native applications to be recompiled for the iOS platform. The paper was the first to report back in May that U.S. regulators were considering an inquiry into the situation.

In June, the FTC opened an investigation into Apple's decision to ban developers from using other companies' tools to develop software for its mobile devices. Apple also shut out Adobe's Flash video technology from its iPhone and iPad.

According to a source, the European Commission recently joined the FTC probe into whether Apple's business practices harm competition.

The investigation could last another four to six months, the source said.

Meanwhile, a number of people have been working to unofficially bring Flash to the iOS platform, with "Frash" making its first appearance for jailbroken iPhone 4s earlier this week. Frash remains a very early-stage conversion of Adobe's Flash 10.1 technology, however, and is thus not yet capable of displaying much of the content, such as video, that many consumers are looking for.

In a rather open acknowledgement of Apple's recent gains in both marketshare and mindshare, Microsoft has posted a PC vs. Mac section on their Windows 7 website.

PCs are designed for work and play, with features you need to get things done on the job or at school and have fun at home or on the go. From easily sharing Microsoft Office documents to watching HDTV and Blu-ray movies, PCs help you do it all.

This isn't the first time that Microsoft has acknowledged Apple's directly in their marketing materials. Microsoft also kicked off a $300 million ad campaign in 2008 centered around the phrase "I'm a PC" in direct response to Apple's "Get a Mac" ads.

Earlier today we reported that Apple was the most popular notebook brand amongst U.S. college students.

Over the weekend, Fortune reported on data collected by research firm Student Monitor showing Apple holding down the #1 spot among notebook computer manufacturers favored by U.S. college students. In its most recent survey of 1,200 students, the firm found that 27% of student-owned notebooks were Macs, compared to 24% for second-place Dell. Apple also fares well looking ahead to the future, with 47% of those students planning to purchase a new notebook intending to buy a Mac.

Here, according to managing partner Eric Weil, are the facts:

- 95% of college students interviewed this spring owned at least one computer (83% owned a laptop, 24% a desktop, 15% both)
- Among the laptop owners, 27% owned Macs
- Among the desktop owners, 45% owned a Dell (DELL) or HP (HPQ) and 14% a Mac
- Among those who planned to purchase a new computer, 87% planned to buy a laptop. And among those students 47% planned to buy a Mac.

Fortune positions the data as a debunking of a report from analyst Trip Chowdhry last week claiming that 70% of incoming college freshmen were opting for Macs. Chowdhry claimed to have obtained his data from a survey of five universities, but did not disclose the names of the schools or the number of students surveyed.

While Apple's leadership position in the notebooks category is notable even if not at the 70% level previously claimed, perhaps even more striking is the shift in student purchasing plans over just the last few years, with Apple's 47% share of planned purchases in 2010 dominating Dell and HP's shares in the 11-12% range and a complete flip from as recently as 2005, when Dell commanded 47% of the planned purchases and Apple sat at only 14%.

One example of a university where the popularity of Macs has taken off is the University of Virginia, where over 43% of incoming freshmen in 2009 owned Macs, up from 37% in 2008 and quickly closing the gap on Microsoft's long-standing dominant position. The University of Virginia's survey also showed the utter dominance of notebooks over desktops among its students, with over 99% of computers owned by incoming freshmen being notebooks.

The Baltimore Sun reports that Apple has signed an exclusive agreement with California-based company Liquidmetal Technologies for the firm's advanced "amorphous" metal alloys. The news comes as part of a filing made by Liquidmetal with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in which the company reveals that Apple has obtained the right to use essentially all of its intellectual property in the consumer electronics field while Liquidmetal retains usage rights in other fields.

On August 5, 2010, Liquidmetal Technologies, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("Liquidmetal"), entered into a Master Transaction Agreement with Apple Inc., a California corporation ("Apple"), pursuant to which (i) Liquidmetal contributed substantially all of its intellectual property assets to a newly organized special-purpose, wholly-owned subsidiary (the "IP Company"), (ii) the IP Company granted to Apple a perpetual, worldwide, fully-paid, exclusive license to commercialize such intellectual property in the field of consumer electronic products in exchange for a license fee, and (iii) the IP Company granted back to Liquidmetal a perpetual, worldwide, fully-paid, exclusive license to commercialize such intellectual property in all other fields of use (together with all ancillary agreements, the "Master Transaction Agreement").

According to Liquidmetal's description of its technology, the company has developed new metal alloys exhibiting an "amorphous" molecular structure differing from the crystalline structures of traditional metals.

This amorphous atomic structure leads to a unique set of characteristic properties for the family of Liquidmetal alloys.

These characteristic properties are:

- High Yield Strength
- High Hardness
- Superior Strength/Weight Ratio
- Superior Elastic Limit
- High Corrosion Resistance
- High Wear-Resistance
- Unique Acoustical Properties

The company also points to the advantages of using Liquidmetal alloys in consumer electronics, citing its ability to deliver stronger and harder device casings while also offering thinner designs of excellent durability and corrosion resistance. The relatively low melting temperature and other characteristics of Liquidmetal alloys also permit them to be easily cast into a variety of forms while retaining their strength and durability.

It is unknown exactly what Apple plans to do with Liquidmetal's technology, but Apple's focus on industrial design with extensive use of metal in its device casings suggests a number of opportunities for the technology to make its way into the company's products.

DigiTimes today offers a number of claims related to Apple's iOS platform, agreeing with other recent reports that the Verizon iPhone will launch in January, with new 9.7" and 7" iPads and iOS-based Apple TV also set for introduction early next year.

- iPad: DigiTimes claims that Apple will refresh its iPad in the first quarter of 2011, moving to a processor based on ARM's Cortex-A9 design, up from the current Apple A4 chip leveraging the Cortex-A8 design. The report also claims that the new iPad will carry the same 512 MB of RAM as the iPhone 4, up from the 256 MB found in the current iPad.

According to the report, the iPad will be available in both the existing 9.7-inch screen size and a smaller 7-inch size. The smaller version is, however, said to carry the same 1024x768 resolution of the existing iPad, resulting in an increase in pixel density to 183 ppi from 132 ppi. While not offering the same high resolution as the iPhone 4's Retina display at 326 ppi, content on the smaller iPad would appear a bit sharper than on the larger version.

DigiTimes previously claimed that Apple was planning both 5.6" and 7" iPad models using OLED display technology, although even it cast doubt on its own sources' OLED claims. And just last week, another report claimed that a 7" iPad is on its way by early next year.

- CDMA iPhone: As previously reported, Pegatron is claimed to begin production of a CDMA-based iPhone in December for an introduction at CES in January and shipping during that same month. The report also claims that the CDMA-based iPhone, which will be targeted to Verizon in the U.S. and China Telecom in that country, will carry a metal back instead of the glass back found on the iPhone 4. DigiTimes also references an "integrated antenna" that will be part of the back plate, a seemingly significant redesign from the iPhone 4's antennas built into the edges of the device.

- Apple TV: Finally, the report claims that Apple is preparing to introduce a new Apple TV based on AMD's Fusion platform. The new device, which has been rumored for several months, is said to lack a hard drive and run an interface similar to, and presumably based on, iOS. Support for "social networking websites, network multimedia and the App Store" is said to be included. Mass production of the new Apple TV is reportedly set for December, with an introduction presumably planned for early 2011.