MacRumors

Apple has started hiring for a new Handwriting Recognition Engineer. The job description specifically seeks someone who would be responsible for "advancing Apple's handwriting recognition technology for Mac OS X."

They even suggest that the recognition technology could extend beyond Mac OS X "to other applications and the iPhone."

Apple was one of the pioneers in handwriting recognition with their original Newton Personal Digital Assistant. While the original Newton contained a 3rd party handwriting engine that generated some early bad press, Apple later deployed their own much improved handwriting technology known as "Rosetta". Despite the remarkable strides that were made in handwriting recognition (Quicktime movie) in later versions, the Newton had a hard time shaking off the original bad press.

Rosetta technology has found its way into Mac OS X under the name "Inkwell", but requires a tablet to be installed for use. Meanwhile, the name Rosetta has been re-used in recent versions of Mac OS X for Apple's dynamic binary translation that allows Intel Macs to run PowerPC only applications.

Adobe launched the public beta of their Photoshop Express web service today at https://www.photoshop.com/express/.

The site requires Flash Player 9 and offers an entirely web-based image editor.

Photoshop Express is designed to be used essentially by anyone who uses a point and click digital camera, said Mack.

People can organize photos by dragging them into albums or create a gallery to share images. The service also lets people email links images stored online, embed them in a Web page, or download them.

Photoshop Express offers 2GB of storage with the ability to crop, rotate, and touch up your images. It also integrates with a number of photo-sharing websites. Adobe plans on eventually adding a subscription service with more options and storage.

Apple released a new version of the free iPhone Software Development Kit (SDK) which now includes Interface Builder.

Interface Builder is a tool for developers to visually create their user interface:

Interface Builder makes creating an application's user interface easier by allowing developers to use its graphical editing environment to manage virtually every aspect of creating a well designed user interface that adheres to the Aqua user interface guidelines.

Apple released the first version of the iPhone SDK on March 6th. The SDK allows developers to create their own applications which will first become available to the general public in late June 2008.

A newly published patent application reveals that Apple has been exploring the possibility of expanding their Nike + iPod sport kit into a full fledged fitness system.

The first segment of the interview process would poll the user on their fitness goals, desired activity level (moderate, advanced), fitness interests (such as jogging, pilates, and swimming), fitness goals (lose weight, firm and tone, and get back into shape), weight goals, desired workout schedule, and so forth.
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Once the interview process is completed, the computer-based application would create a profile of the user and a workout regiment based around their feedback on goals and fitness interests. For instance, a user interested in weight training would be provided a work out schedule broken down into warmup cardio exercises and a weight training session comprised of sets, reps and weight levels.

The iPod or iPhone would then guide the user through their training, with the possibility of adding additional hardware sensors to track progress.

British chip-maker Wolfson Microelectronics is reported to have not been chosen to supply parts to Apple's future iPods. As a result, Wolfson's stock has plunged by 30% to a 3-1/2 year low.

"IPods have been a big contributor historically to revenues, so it's pretty disappointing for them," said Nick James, an analyst at Panmure Gordon

The decision appears to reflect future supplies for the iPod Touch and iPod Nano, specifically. New versions of those iPods are said to be due in the 3rd quarter of 2008.

USAToday reports that Amazon has managed to take the #2 spot amongst digital music retailers behind iTunes with their MP3 Store. No sales numbers have been released, so it's difficult to gauge exactly how close a competitor Amazon is becoming.

This information comes from the four major labels who played their part in making it so. Amazon has been provided access to a larger number of unprotected music from the major labels to stock their MP3 Store.

Apple now has 2 million songs from EMI and independent labels available without DRM, out of its 6 million-song catalog. Amazon offers 4.5 million DRM-free songs.

For its part, Amazon has done well providing seamless integration with Apple's iTunes software on the Mac.

Gartner analyst Ken Dulaney claims to have heard "from sources in Asia" that Apple has placed a 10 million unit order for 3G iPhones, according to an interview by the iPod Observer. This order for 10 million 3G iPhones would reportedly be above and beyond the original 10 million Apple had planned to sell of the initial version of the iPhone in 2008.

The analyst goes on to speculate that the 3G version could incorporate an OLED display which could improve battery life. Apple's use of OLED technology has long been rumored but has yet to come true.

This timeframe could be consistent with recent Page 2 rumors that the 3G iPhone would be coming "in a few months." Multiple reports have claimed that the 3G iPhone would be released in 2008. '3G' is the next generation mobile data technology that allows for much faster internet access on mobile phones. The iPhone currently uses EDGE (2.5G) technology.

Samsung introduced a new touch-screen mobile phone called the SCH-W420 AnyCall (Youtube commercial). The new phone is available only in Korea at the moment, but incorporates a growing trend in mobile phone devices: vibration feedback.

Described as 'Haptic' phones, these specialized phones offer customized vibration to provide the user with specific types of touch-feedback. This sort of feedback is intended to make up for the absence of tactile feedback from an entirely smooth touch surface, such as on the iPhone.

For example, the Samsung handset gives a click sensation when the user raises the volume of the speaker, as if it is a mechanical dial.

22 different kinds of these "haptic feedback" vibrations are said to be included with this latest Samsung phone.

One user project attempted to emulate this functionality on the iPhone, but without specialized hardware, the results have been disappointing.

While there has been no indication that Apple has specifically explored using this technology, Apple has worked on tactile feedback systems that would ease the transition to flat-surface touch keyboards.

Fortune's Big Tech blog reveals that Microsoft is taking a serious look into the iPhone SDK for the possibility of launching their own iPhone-specific applications.

"Its really important for us to understand what we can bring to the iPhone," Tom Gibbons, corporate vice president of Microsofts Specialized Devices and Applications Group, told Fortune on Monday. "To the extent that Mac Office customers have functionality that they need in that environment, were actually in the process of trying to understand that now."

As the article points out, Microsoft's Mac Business Unit is one of the largest 3rd party developers for the Mac and brings millions in annual profit to Microsoft. Besides the Mac BU, Voice recognition unit TellMe (now part of Microsoft) is also interested.

... as long as the iPhone SDK will allow software to take advantage of voice recording and location-based information, said general manager Mike McCue, TellMe will be all over it.

TellMe is a voice-driven application for mobile phones.

BoyGeniusReport posted an extensive gallery of screenshots from the upcoming iPhone 2.0 Firmware (currently labeled version 1.2). The screenshots include a number of configuration screens as well as a few screenshots from a not-yet-functional iTunes App Store. The Lunar Lander game depicted above represents a sample game that Apple provides to developers to demonstrate various iPhone specific features, such as the accelerometers.

After the initial "we'll be in touch" emails, we've received multiple reports that Apple has been accepting more developers into the official development program ($99/year). This provides those developers with early access to the iPhone 2.0 firmware and the ability to install their applications onto the iPhone itself.

Apple will officially launch the iPhone 2.0 alongside the iTunes App Store in late June.

Adobe has started shipping Photoshop Elements 6 for the Mac. Elements 6 was first announced at Macworld in January:

In this release, we've focused on going beyond the basics to make everyday and advanced tasks even easier to achieve. Photoshop Elements 6 for Macintosh allows people to organize and find photos quickly, unleash powerful editing tricks without any heavy lifting, and creatively share photos that give them all the bragging rights."

Adobe detailed the new features on their website, including a number of video demos:

- Create a Group Shot from multiple photos
- Make easy selections
- Use curves adjustments

Version 6.0 finally brings the Mac version of Elements on par with the Windows version. Adobe had previously skipped releasing Elements 5.0 for the Mac. Version 6 also introduces Intel Mac support (Universal Binary) and is available for retail price of $89.99.

While Adobe also sells a downloadable version of Elements 6 (1 GB) on their online store, the actual download is not yet available, but should presumably become available soon.

Update: Download now available via Adobe's online store.

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Available at Amazon for $82.99