Apple has released Front Row 2.1.2 in your Mac OS X Software Update.
About Front Row 2.1.2
This Front Row update provides for bug fixes and improved iTunes compatibility.
MacRumors
Apple has released iMovie 7.1.1 in your Mac OS X Software Update:
Whats New in this Version
- This update addresses issues when publishing movies to a .Mac Web Gallery, improves overall stability, and addresses a number of other minor issues.
Dan Dickinson posts instructions on how to create your own custom WebClip Icon for your website:
- Create a 57x57 PNG.
- Name it "apple-touch-icon.png"
- Throw it in the root folder of your website. (Not the root of your server, the root of your web documents.)
More instructions for web designers available at Apple's iPhone Dev Center.
Related Forum: iPhone
- MacBook Air vs MacBook Pro photos - side by side.
- The MacBook Air battery will be a $129 replacement, requiring Apple to replace it.
- Walt Mossberg (video) first impressions of MacBook Air
- More high quality photos: Appleinsider, ThinkSecret
- How long will a SSD drive last? - up to 51 years for a 64GB SSD and 12.9 years for 160GB SSD, longer than the average replacement cycle for storage.
- Multitouch video demo and control panel screenshots
- Guided Tour is available on Apple.com
Related Roundup: MacBook Air
Buyer's Guide: MacBook Air (Neutral)
Related Forums: MacBook Air, Apple, Inc and Tech Industry
Tuesday night, MacRumors hosted a small gathering for readers at Macworld Expo San Francisco 2008. Overall a fun time had by all.
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Related Forum: Apple, Inc and Tech Industry
An AppleInsider post earlier in the year had indicated that Apple would be showing something "super secret" at tomorrow's Final Cut Pro user group meeting. The most likely scenario at this point is that the secret technology is in fact the MacBook Air that was announced today. A product to replace Shake (code-named Phenomenon) has been rumored to arrive in 2008, but it is doubtful that that product's introduction would take place in such a setting.
We have also heard unconfirmed rumblings that MacBook Pro updates are to come shortly, though no exact timing is indicated.
Related Roundup: MacBook Pro
Related Forum: Apple, Inc and Tech Industry
Here are some details that have come to light as the day has rolled along.
iPhone/iPod Touch Location Technology
While some had speculated that Apple would simply be incorporating Google's recently announced location services into the new software, Apple has actually used a hybrid technology that uses both Google's data (using cellular triangulation) and data from Skyhook Wireless (using a database of known Wi-Fi hotspot locations) to pinpoint the location. This enables the location feature to be used on the iPod touch, which cannot use Google's service due to lack of cellular capabilities, but can utilize Skyhook's Wi-Fi database.
iPod Touch Paid Upgrade
The $20 upgrade for the iPod touch software was met with a cool reception both by the keynote crowd and by MacRumors readers. While we have not received an official reason for the move, we remind users that only the iPhone and Apple TV are currently using Apple's "subscription revenue" accounting model. As such, Apple has explained that it can give software updates for those devices, when possible, for free. The iPod touch does not fall under this model, and therefore under Apple's reasoning, a major feature upgrade must incur a charge.
We have heard that all current iPod touch models already in the distribution channel without the new software have been immediately discounted by $20 to accommodate for the upgrade fee.
Present at today's Macworld festivities was actor, comedian, writer, and producer Sinbad. Sinbad has acted in, written, and produced various television and motion pictures throughout the 80's through today, including the upcoming motion picture Stompin'.
I had a brief opportunity to catch up with him, and found that not only is Sinbad a long-time Mac user, but a frequent reader of MacRumors.
Word.
Sinbad poses with MacRumors Editor Longofest
Related Forum: Apple, Inc and Tech Industry
After the keynote speech, Steve Jobs came back out on stage to pose with the new MacBook Air. Matthew Yohe managed to snap these photos (released under Creative Commons Attribution license):
Related Forum: Apple, Inc and Tech Industry
After the keynote today, we spent a good amount of time on the Moscone South expo floor. The hall is extremely large with around 200 vendors present, but Apple makes an impression with its dominant booth in the center of the hall. Other prime-location vendors include Adobe, HP, Canon, Epson, Microsoft, Dr. Bott, Griffin, and Filemaker.
One thing I did notice, however, was that many attendees were wandering through not only the large booths but through the smaller booths as well. Booth content varied from the display (and selling) of hardware, to third party accessory manufacturers, to software developers, and even to retailers such as Best Buy and Other World Computing. Really, if you can think of a Mac/iPod/iPhone product or service, it is probably here.
This doesn't even count Moscone West, which houses roughly 100 other booths which include game companies Aspyr and EA, Ambrosia Software, and others.
In all, IDG says there are 400 exhibitors at this year's Macworld. We obviously can't cover them all, but we hope to highlight some of the stand-outs over the next couple of days. But for now, its off to our MacRumors party "business conference".
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Related Forum: Apple, Inc and Tech Industry
Apple has posted the a Quicktime stream of todays Keynote event:
Watch Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveil Apple's latest innovations at the Macworld 2008 Conference in San Francisco, California. See the video-on-demand event right here, exclusively in QuickTime and MPEG-4.
Apple released a number of new products including
- MacBook Air
- iTunes Movie Rentals
- iPod Touch software update - with 4 new applications
- iPhone Software Update
- Time Capsule
iTunes 7.6 is available in Software Update or via direct download. The update adds support for Apple's new movie rental service.
Rent and download your favorite movies with iTunes on your computer or directly to your living room on Apple TV. Enjoy rented movies in sizes up to 720p HD with surround sound on your Apple TV and sizes up to DVD-quality on your computer. Transfer your rented movies from iTunes to your iPod or iPhone and enjoy them on the go.
Also, purchase and download your favorite TV shows, music, and more directly on your Apple TV. Effortlessly transfer purchases made on Apple TV back to your computer with iTunes.
Related Forums: Mac Apps, Apple, Inc and Tech Industry
After the keynote, we rushed over to the MacBook Air. We will be adding more photos to this post shortly. Brief impressions
- It is quite light and thin
- Multi-touch seems to work well
- Multi-touch acts differently in different apps. Testing in iPhoto, Finder, Safari. In Safari, three-finger swipe caused you to go Back and Forward in browser.
- Mac OS X 10.5.1
- Two DIMM slots While MacOS reports it as 2 slots, Apple's site indicates that the RAM is soldered to the motherboard.
- 1 USB, 1 micro-DVI, an headphone. In drop-down panel... but does not appear to "collapse"
- Bright Display, Glossy
- Built-in battery is not user accessible
- A USB Ethernet dongle is available for $29
- The Solid State Drive option carries a $999 premium
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Related Roundup: MacBook Air
Buyer's Guide: MacBook Air (Neutral)
Related Forums: MacBook Air, Apple, Inc and Tech Industry
As rumored, Apple announced a new line of portable computers during Steve Jobs' keynote speech at MacWorld San Fransisco today, the MacBook Air. The new line is a complement to the existing MacBook and MacBook Pro lines.
Features of the new portable include being "the world's thinnest notebook," at 0.16" to 0.76" - thinner than the the thinnest part of a Sony TZ series laptop. Screen size is an LED backlit 13.3" widescreen with a magnetic latch. The MacBook Air keyboard is MacBook-like, but with an ambient light sensor. The new machines feature a multi-touch trackpad, allowing the user to double-tap and move. Rotate a photo by pivoting your index finger around your thumb, as well as pinch & zoom.
Additionally there's a 45 Watt MagSafe power adapter, a Micro-DVI out as well as Audio Out, 802.11n + Bluetooth 2.1/EDR. There's a 1.8" hard drive for storage - either 80GB standard, or a 64GB SSD as an option. Intel shrunk the size of the Core 2 Duo chip by 60% to fit in the new machine.
Battery life is approximately 5 hours. No optical drive is on the MacBook Air, but a SuperDrive accessory is available for $99. There's also new software being released that allows the portable to "borrow" a Mac or PC's optical drive. All models feature 2GB of memory standard.
The case is fully aluminum (good for recycling), the first fully mercury and lead free display, circuit boards are BFR free, and retail packaging are 56% less volume than a MacBook.
The new MacBook Air starts at $1799 is available for pre-order today, and is expected to be shipping in two weeks.
Related Roundup: MacBook Air
Buyer's Guide: MacBook Air (Neutral)
Related Forums: MacBook Air, Apple, Inc and Tech Industry
Now there's no computer required - you can now rent movies directly on the Apple TV in your choice of DVD quality or HD + dolby 5.1 surround sound. Podcasts are available in audio and video format, as well as photos from Flikr and .Mac and sync with iTunes. AppleTV allows you to preview movies from the interface, and see what other users who have rented that movie have rented. Photo screensavers can be retrieved from .Mac web galleries. Music can be purchased from the iTunes Store from within the Apple TV.
The update is available as a free software update that should be available in two weeks for current AppleTV owners. Entry price for the AppleTV also drops from $299 to $229.
HD rentals are $4.99, with 100 titles available today.
MacHeist is providing full sponsorship for our MacRumorsLive feed today. Buy their 14 application bundle for $49 and support MacRumorsLive.
Related Roundup: Apple TV
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)
Related Forums: Apple TV and Home Theater, Apple, Inc and Tech Industry
Apple announced that as of last week, the iTunes Store has sold over 4 billion songs. A new single-day record was set this past Christmas Day (December 25, 2007) with 20 million songs sold in 24 hours.
iTunes Movie Rentals
Touchstone, Mirimax, MGM, Lionsgate, Newline, Fox, WB, Disney, Paramount, Universal & Sony are all on board.
Over 1000 movies - available 30 days after the DVD release of the film.
Watch anywhere - Macs, PCs, all current iPods and iPhone.
Watch instantly - 30 second delay with modern broadband
Rules - 30 days to start watching, 24 hours to complete once started
Pricing - $2.99, new releases $3.99
The new rental service launches in the U.S. today. International will launch later this year. Software updates for iPods and iTunes forthcoming.
MacHeist is providing full sponsorship for our MacRumorsLive feed today. Buy their 14 application bundle for $49 and support MacRumorsLive.
Related Forums: Mac Apps, Apple, Inc and Tech Industry
During Steve Jobs' keynote address, he announced 5 new apps for the iPod Touch: Mail, Stocks, Notes, Weather, and Maps.
The updated software will be available to existing users for a $20 upgrade fee.
MacHeist is providing full sponsorship for our MacRumorsLive feed today. Buy their 14 application bundle for $49 and support MacRumorsLive.
Related Forums: iPod touch and iPod, Apple, Inc and Tech Industry
