MacRumors

A Microsoft blogger revealed yesterday that the next version of Windows ("Windows 7") will contain touch features with specific claims that the new features will 'blow away' the current touch features on the iPhone:

I will say that if you are impressed by the "touch features" in the iPhone, you'll be blown away by what's coming in Windows 7.

The blogger, Hilton Locke, is a Windows test engineer for the Tablet PC which explains his involvement with touch technologies. Microsoft has already integrated some touch features into Vista with support for current Tablet PCs as well as HP's TouchSmart PC, but it appears more advanced features will come with Windows 7. This successor to Windows Vista, however, is not expected to be released until 2010 at the earliest.

Even then, touch features would only be available to manufacturers who take advantage of the new features. Locke suggests that convincing manufacturers to adopt Windows Touch Technology has been difficult.

In May, Microsoft announced their Surface Computing initiative with the introduction of commercial multi-touch tables due in 2008.

Multitouch technologies have been a hot topic since the introduction of the Apple iPhone, with several patent applications indicating that Apple is heavily researching its use. The current incarnation of the iPhone supports two points of contact, allowing the user to zoom in and out using "pinch" and "reverse pinch" motions with two fingers. More advanced multi-touch possibilities include gestures and multi-purpose surfaces.

This Apple Job description (as noted by Daringfireball) invites qualified software engineers to apply for a job at Apple working on new technologies and user interface concepts for "iPhone[s], cameras and remote controls."

HID SW is responsible for delivering the firmware and software for Apples Input Devices, such as Multi-touch for iPhone, cameras, and remote controls. The team is a key part in driving an integrated customer experience involving new HW and SW designs, working with creative, smart people, world-class products and cutting edge technologies.

Of course, the job description is understandably vague, but does seek out applicants specifically with "strong interest in human-computer interaction" and "a proven ability to bring new user interface concepts to life". The reference to cameras and remote controls, however, raise some interesting possibilities.

After the introduction of the multi-touch iPhone and a series of patent applications exploring alternative input methods, it seems that Apple has been paying a lot of attention to the future of user interfaces. Many of the recent patent applications focus on advanced gesturing and unique touch surfaces.

There's been some suggestion that the upcoming sub-notebooks might see some touchpad improvements, though this has been particularly vague.

Engadget posts a photo claiming to be an upcoming TomTom GPS module for the iPhone.

The poor quality image depicts a small add-on device which plugs into the bottom of the iPhone. Meanwhile, the screen shows a typical GPS view.

The validity of the photo itself is difficult to assess, however, its been rumored that select developers may already have access to Apple's upcoming SDK. It's conceivable that Apple has selected key hardware manufacturers to ready new iPhone accessories.

Update: Said to be fake.

Apple is likely to introduce two (one minor, one major) iPhone revisions along with a major Apple TV update in 2008 according to Goldman Sachs analysts.

These conclusions are based on meetings with "key component suppliers and manufacturers" in Asia.

The two iPhone revisions are predicted to be
- Increase in Flash storage (minor update, earlier in the year)
- 2nd Generation iPhone with 3G and could have a different look (major update, second half of year)

Meanwhile, the Apple TV is expected to see changes in 2008 that "could include an LCD display". Other notes include scarce information about the long rumored sub-notebook from Apple with the possibility it may be delayed due to design issues.

Analyst reports have typically been very inconsistent with the accuracy of their predictions, though we have not heard much from David Bailey of Goldman Sachs before.

Apple announced today that they've launched television sales for the iTunes Store in Canada.

"We're thrilled to bring television programming to the iTunes Store in Canada in time for the holiday season," said Eddy Cue, Apple's vice president of iTunes. "We're off to a great start with hit shows from CBC, CTV, Comedy Central and MTV Networks, along with the best of classic and current NHL action."

Shows are available for CAN$1.99 per episode. Show availability includes:

- CBC's comedy programs "Little Mosque on the Prairie" and "The Rick Mercer Report," reality programming "No Opportunity Wasted" and "Dragon's Den;"
- CTV's smash hit comedy "Corner Gas," dramas "Instant Star," "Degrassi: The Next Generation" and "Robson Arms;"
- Comedy Central's "Drawn Together," "The Sarah Silverman Program" and Emmy and Peabody Award-winning "South Park;"
- MTV Networks programs "Avatar: The Last Airbender" and "The Hills;"
- NHL Games of the Year, including top NHL games in their entirety for the 2007-2008 season, as well as Stanley Cup Classics, a five-game bundle of great Stanley Cup Final games.

Sprint will be "soft-launching" their new WiMax wireless network known as XOHM later this week, according to MacNN. The initial plans will make make WiMax networks available in downtown Baltimore, Chicago, and Washington, D.C.

The official launch is reported to be in the 2nd quarter of 2008 when a number of WiMax enabled laptops are expected to be released. Sprint expects 100 million Americans to be within WiMax range by the end of 2008.

WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) is a next generation wireless technology that promises inexpensive wireless broadband. A USAToday article discussing the new technology reveals that that the network will be "open" with no long term service contracts and customers will be allowed to use any WiMax device on the network. Critics of the service, however, believe that existing 3G cellular technologies, such as HSPA, already fill this need.

Of particular interest is that Intel has been a strong proponent of the technology and will start building WiMax enabled chipsets for its upcoming Montevina platform which replaces Santa Rosa. This is no guarantee that Apple will necessarily use Intel's wireless chipset, as they are not using them in the current iteration of MacBooks.

While Apple has made no public commitments to WiMax technology, the possible introduction of sub-notebook MacBook so close to WiMax's launch has surely raised these possibilities at Apple headquarters. This, however, all remains speculative, as no credible rumors have yet placed WiMax technology in Apple hardware.

Arstechnica sources are pinpointing this week for the launch of television shows via iTunes in Canada.

The company plans to begin adding shows quietly to the store as early as [Tuesday] afternoon or evening, with an official launch expected for Wednesday if things go smoothly

Ars notes that upon launch, the store will only contain a modest amount of content, including shows from CBC, CTV, and some US TV shows (excluding content from NBC, of course).

Canada will make the third country with TV programming available via iTunes, in addition to the US and the UK.

Update: 11th Application (iWow 2 - $11.99 value) added for all purchasers of the bundle. Buy Bundle - $49.99.

MacRumors has partnered with MacUpdate to promote their latest Mac application bundle. Bundle sales through these links benefit MacRumors.com financially, and provide a way for readers to directly support this site.

The latest bundle delivers up to 10 Mac applications for $49.99 ($646.75 if bought separately) and are detailed here:

Forklift - file manager, FTP client
RapidWeaver - web design software
SwiftPublisher - desktop publishing and layout
Marine Aquarium - virtual aquarium
Xslimmer - save space by reducing application file sizes
MemoryMiner - digital storytelling application
Yep - "iPhoto for your PDFs"
XMIND 2008 Pro - brainstorming, mind mapping
iStabilize - software video stabilizer, remove shaky motion from your videos
PulpMotion - create fun animations

As is typical in these time-limited bundles, several applications are held back as "locked" applications which are not part of the bundle until enough sales are generated. All 10 applications are now available for everyone who has purchased the bundle. Total value of all 10 applications together is $646.75, and can be purchased for $49.99. The sale has been extended until December 20th, with promises of more surprises in store.

Update: All 10 applications (including PulpMotion) are now 'unlocked', which means that all 10 applications are available for the $49.99 price.

As rumors start to build for Macworld San Francisco 2008, the most consistent rumor appears to be one of an ultra-portable Apple notebook computer.

These rumors started back in March 2006 by MacScoop who indicated that "very reliable" sources had indicated that Apple was planning on releasing an "ultra-thin 12 inch Mac Book Pro". More confirmation came from an analyst, Benjamin Reitzes in June, 2006 with expectations that an "ultra-portable" Mac could be delivered as early as Macworld San Francisco 2007. Reitzes also suggested that these new ultra-portables would use NAND flash memory, either in combination with a traditional hard drive or using NAND flash alone.

Indeed, earlier in 2006, Digitimes had first reported that Apple and Intel were researching the use of NAND flash in portables to improve boot time and battery life. MacScoop later detailed the thin-laptop to be a $1700-$1800 12" MacBook Pro with dual core processor and still retain an optical drive.

Macworld San Francisco 2007, of course, came and went with no new ultra-portable, but in February, more claims emerged from Appleinsider confirming that Apple was working on a mini-MacBook "lighter and more compact than any other Mac portable Apple has put forth in recent years". These specs claimed that the new laptop would exclude a built-in optical drive and would indeed use NAND flash memory.

9to5mac added a report in September that an aluminum MacBook prototype had been spotted that was "considerably slimmer" than the current MacBook Pros, with a thinner bezel around the screen and "something strange about the touchpad".

Finally, as we approach 2008's Macworld, some more confident reports have emerged with Appleinsider now believing that the new ultra-portable laptop will be released at Macworld as a 13" aluminum notebook with NAND flash, no optical drive, and LED backlit screens. Even CNBC now has their own sources claiming that a 12" sub-portable MacBook Pro with Flash memory only (no hard drive) would be introduced and retail for around $1500 at Macworld.

Based on the confidence and number of reports, it seem very likely that some sort of ultra-portable laptop will be arriving from Apple in January. To sum up claims:

MacScoop: 12", Ultra-Thin, Optical Drive, Dual Core, $1700-$1800
Appleinsider: 13", aluminum, 50% lighter, Slim, NAND Flash, LED backlit, No Optical Drive
CNBC: 12", 50% Thinner, NAND Flash only (no HDD). $1500
9to5mac: "something strange about the touchpad"

To be fair, MacScoop's reports were from a year ago, so details may have changed in the interim. It's also conceivable that Apple may have more than one product in the works that could explain some of the discrepancies.

To give some perspective on what might be possible, readers are reminded of a prototype Intel laptop (Metro) that was revealed in May of this year. The concept design was said to go into production near the end of 2007 and offered the following specs:

- 2.25 lbs
- 0.7 inches thick
- 14 hours battery life
- NAND Flash
- WiMax, Cellular, WiFi support

As a concept design with no regard to cost, all of these features may not be included in a theoretical Mac laptop, but it does provide an idea of what might be possible with current technology.

Though mostly speculative, Timesonline.co.uk profiles Apple's Vice-President of Industrial Design, Jonathan Ive, as a possible successor CEO to Steve Jobs.

The author suggests that there has been some call for a plan for 'Apple after Steve Jobs', who is currently 52 years old. Jonathan Ive might be the man to take that place. Ive and Jobs are said to share a similar perfectionist attitude and are in close contact on a daily basis.

I think Steve Jobs has found somebody in Jony who knows how to complete or even exceed his vision, and do it time and time again, said Chee Pearlman, who hosted the event at which Mr Ive spoke four years ago.

Of course, some doubt that Ive has the charisma to replace Jobs as CEO, in what has been a very public role.

The question of Steve Jobs successor has been raised before, with one suggestion that Google's CEO Eric Schmidt might have taken a temporary role as Apple CEO during the option-backdating scandal.

CompUSA announced today that it will sell or shut down its remaining stores. Stores remaining open through the holiday season will feature heavy discounts on products to clear inventory.

CompUSA was once one of Apple's largest resellers until Apple began pilot programs with Best Buy and CompUSA began downsizing earlier this year.

The retail chain had received approximately $2 billion in investment since 1999, however it was unable to return to profitability amongst fierce competition.