9 to 5 Mac - Enterprise

Cisco's new CRS-3 Router will help AT&T deal with its wireless traffic?

Seth Weintraub — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:40:16 +0000

The WSJ today reports that the big announcement that Cisco's been hyping all week is actually a faster router. While that may not be as exciting a s a new tablet device (or it may be depending on your tastes), it will hopefully have some effect on Apple customers. The WSJ profiled AT&T and specifically their wireless (read:iPhone) customers who are the major catalyst for new broadband:

AT&T, meanwhile, said the 100-gigabit backbone Internet network would support growing wireless and wired data and traffic "for years to come." In particular, AT&T has dealt with the explosive growth in wireless data, primarily driven by the Apple Inc. iPhone, among other smart phones. The router "allows us to serve volumes of traffic that we need to serve," said Keith Cambron, CEO of AT&T Labs.

AT&T has stated that they are working hard on bringing up their wireless speeds but first must upgrade their backhaul. That's where the Cisco CSR-3 would come in handy, delivering much more data over the same lines.AT&T have also stated that they don't anticipate much additional traffic from Apple's iPad - something we'll start to understand at the end of April.

Apple finally makes a real statement on 27-inch iMac defects

Seth Weintraub — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 18:53:34 +0000

Unless you've been hiding in a cave, you'll have known that Apple was having serious issues with that gorgeous new 27-inch iMac that they released for the holidays last year (but got pulled during the holiday shopping season). Up until now, all Apple's PR machine could muster was:

An Apple spokesman said again this week that “the 27-inch iMac has been a huge hit with customers and we are working to increase supply to meet up with strong demand.” He added that production has continued while the company fixed the problems with flickering screens and yellow-tinted displays.

Now, according to Gizmodo, Apple has come clean on the matter with the following statement:

"We've addressed the issues that caused display flickering and yellow tint. Customers concerned that their iMac is affected should contact AppleCare."

They say that step one is admitting you have a problem.

Update: Businessweek got a less direct variation on this when Apple released the first firmware update

“While slight color variability is normal for LCD displays, customers who are concerned that their iMac has a yellow tint issue should contact Apple Care,” said Colin Smith, a spokesman for the Cupertino, California-based company. Apple released a software update today “to address the intermittent flickering reported by some customers.”

Apple Remote Desktop used to watch kids' MacBooks

Seth Weintraub — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 14:57:34 +0000

That Pennsylvania case of Administrators spying on kids' 1-to-1 loaned Macbooks using Apple Remote Desktop doesn't seem to be an isolated one. Here's what happens in the Bronx (fast forward to 4:40 for specifics). Would this be acceptable if it were only on the school's network?

via Giz

You know a lot of companies often do this to their employees, right?

RIM's Lazaridis warns iPhone is prophet of data network doom

Jonny Evans — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 10:38:50 +0000

BlackBerry maker Research In Motion (RIM) has launched a call for economy in smartphone application design.

With Apple’s thousands of developers clearly in the company’s sights, RIM co-CEO Mike Lazaridis warned that the iPhone is a prophet of the bandwidth-challenged future.

He points out that carriers in US urban areas already face problems maintaining their network in the face of the deep data greed of the new data-centric smartphone generation.

In a slap of the wrist to Apple, he says, "Manufacturers had better start building more efficient applications and more efficient services. There is no real way to get around this,"

“If we don't start conserving that bandwidth, in the next few years we are going to run into a capacity crunch. You are already experiencing the capacity crunch in the United States."

While we love our iPhones here, RIM has got something to be proud about - various reports have praised the company for offering email and attachment viewing features that consume a fraction of the bandwidth of solutions from other carriers.

That means you can have “three paying Blackberry browsing customers for every one other customer," Lazaridis said.

Will 3G bandwidth ultimately be the testing fields for the smartphone biz? Or will femtocell technology save the day?

The analysts at Informa this morning issued us with the following statement re: femtocell technologies.

“The femtocell market is undergoing rapid growth around the world with Asia, North America and Europe now having multiple deployments each. Global operator demand for femtocells is clearly undeniable. The reason for this is simple – femtocells allow operators to deliver enhanced coverage at home, leading to an improved user experience that would not be economically viable with traditional network upgrades,” said Dimitris Mavrakis, Senior Analyst at Informa Telecoms & Media.

Apple releases audio update for Mac Pros

Seth Weintraub — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 00:00:44 +0000

Apple today released Mac Pro Audio update 1.0 that addresses the CPU overheating issues we talked about last month caused by playing audio. The update is also available via Software Update.

9to5mac at Macworld

Seth Weintraub — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:41:12 +0000

Macworld starts tomorrow and we'll be on the floor looking at all of the new/upgraded products on display. The event has decidedly less attention this year due to Apple's bypassing, but there is still no other gathering outside of Apple's own events with a bigger Apple audience.

Although Apple won't officially be here, we've been invited to check out Apple's subsidiaries who have rented hotel space near Moscone to show their wares as well.

If you are coming to the event, you might want to check out the free iMacworld app for iPhone and iPod touch to help navigate the show floor space. If you want to get in contact with us, shoot an email to macworld2010@9to5mac.com.

Mac OS 10.6.3 build 10D548 seeded to developers

Seth Weintraub — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 13:29:33 +0000

Some news from the Mac development realm today: OS X 10.6.3 build 10D548 was released to developers last night.
From the seed notes:

Included in this update:

- Performance improvements for 64-bit Logic
- Addresses compatibility issues with OpenGL-based applications
- Includes changes to QuickTime X that increase reliability, improve compatibility and address security.
- Improves printing reliability and compatibility with 3rd party printers
- Respects the DNS server ordering as specified in Network Preferences
- Addresses an issue that causes background message colors to display incorrectly in Mail when scrolling
- Resolves an issue that prevented files with the # or & in their names from opening in Rosetta
- Resolves an issue that prevented files from copying to Windows shares
- Resolves an issue that caused machines using BTMM and the Bonjour Sleep Proxy to wake unexpectedly

Focus Areas
- AirPort
- GraphicsDrivers
- iCal
- QuickTime
- Printing

But the biggest news?

Known Issues
- none

Which means we might see it sooner rather than later.

Nehalem Mac Pros take 20% performance hit when playing audio?

Seth Weintraub — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 16:17:32 +0000

You hardcore Mac workstation users might want to cut the music when it's time to start rendering your big projects if the latest Ars tale is to be believed. According to the story, Mac Pros exhibit a strange behavior when using iTunes, Quicktime or keeping USB audio interfaces plugged in:

The problem manifests as what has been described as excessive increases in power use and processor core heat when playing songs in iTunes, watching videos via Quicktime, or even when keeping USB or FireWire-based audio interfaces plugged in and active. While hardware monitors only report a small percentage of processor use, it can still cause performance decreases of up to 20 percent for other tasks.

The problem only affects all 2009 Nehalem-based Mac Pros. Strangely, booting affected Mac Pros into Windows 7 also eliminates the problems, leading one user to suspect the issue is related to power management kernel extensions.

A young hacker involved in the hackintosh scene believes the problem is related to the driver that controls newer features of the Nehalem Xeons, including SpeedStep and Turbo Boost. He generated a hacked power management kernel extension that disabled these features, which eliminated the high heat and power draw issues while playing audio. With SpeedStep disabled, however, the CPU drew more power at idle.

It might be best to wait for Apple to release a software update patch for this one, however. In the meantime, listen to your iPod.

Steve Jobs graces the cover of the Economist

Seth Weintraub — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 03:03:28 +0000

Just saw this for the first time just now. It and the accompanying story are a bit over the top.

What's it like to work for Apple at a big event?

Seth Weintraub — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 21:00:16 +0000

Here's a little interview with former Apple Senior Systems Engineer Edward Eigerman on what it is like to work at Apple and go to an Apple event without knowledge of what your own company is about to do.

Interesting perspective to say the least (Bloomberg lady compares to terrorist org!?). Eigerman now works as a technology consultant in the New York area. He is principal of Eigerman Consulting, Inc.

3.33GHz Octo-core Mac Pros showing up on eBay

Seth Weintraub — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 21:26:15 +0000

Advertised as faster than Apple's and "sealed in the box", someone is selling some pretty speedy Mac Pros on eBay. They've likely bought the Intel 8 core 3.33GHz Nehalem chips and transplanted those chips into a base model Mac Pro. Then "sealed" them in the box.

Still. If you need the fastest Mac around…there are 9 left.

Apple posts Virtualization firmware updates for Mac Pro and XServes

Seth Weintraub — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:54:22 +0000

Apple today posted two updates for its early 2009 Mac Pros and XServe.

Mac Pro EFI Firmware Update 1.4 (1.96MB)

XServe EFI Firmware Update 1.2 (1.81MB)

Improves compatibility with virtualization products utilizing VT-d
Improves system reliability during the boot process

Add 'iGuide' to possible Apple tablet names/technologies. To replace iTunes?

Seth Weintraub — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 14:42:34 +0000

Macrumors is knee-deep in filings for secret Delaware companies made by Apple's Senior Trademark Specialist Regina Porter. This morning, they've found another name that could at some point be used in a future Apple product/service.

'iGuide'.

According to Macrumors, the trademark classification includes the following passage:

Computer hardware and computer software for accessing, browsing, searching, recording, organizing, storing, transmitting, receiving, manipulating, streaming, reproducing, playing, and reviewing audio, video, games, music, television, movies, photographs, and other multimedia content.

Even more revealing was a later passage which describes downloadable electronic content of a wide variety:

Downloadable electronic publications in the nature of books, magazines, newsletters, journals, and blogs in the fields of entertainment, sports, science, history, culture, celebrities, news, current events, politics, technology, and education;

As TechCrunch points out, the registration for this name tends toward it being a service rather than being a physical product.

From the description above, it seems that iGuide would replace much of the functionality of iTunes if it were to be released on the Mac platform as well (and Apple likes to maintain continuity among all of its platforms). As we've pointed out in the past, iTunes functionality has grown far beyond its original purpose of organizing music.

Could the 'iGuide' name replace 'iTunes' in the future? It also looks like it would encroach on 'Front Row' as well.

Apple recruiting team for iWork to extend into the cloud

Jonny Evans — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 11:25:31 +0000

As Apple tablet rumours drove company stock to new highs across the Christmas period, another small slice of information has emerged, suggesting the company does indeed hold plans to extend its application provision into the Cloud.

(As if they were done with the critically acclaimed current online version that is years behind Google Apps)

An Apple job posting this week reveals the company to be looking for an engineer to “be part of the core development team” and “engage in an area from design to development” of a new javascript rich internet application for the iWork team.

Here’s the ad, as conveniently spotted by TechCrunch on TechCrunch's own job board:

“The Productivity team (i.e. iWork) is seeking an energetic, highly motivated software engineer in building a scalable rich internet application. The person will be part of the core development team and engage in an area from design to development of the software system.

“Besides exceptional programming skills and devotion to creating great software, we look for one or more of the following kinds of expertise or experience:
• JavaScript language and browser technology - understanding from inside-out, or
• Computer graphics - the mathematics, algorithms and programming, or
• Experience developing scalable rich internet application, or
• Experience developing presentation/collaboration or word processing projects

“BS or better in Computer Science or Electrical Engineering.”

This suggests Apple is looking to develop its productivity app with extended internet-focused features and much-improved collaborative features.

Apple launched iWork.com one year ago.

Microsoft loses XML patent case, Word, Office face 11 Jan ban

Jonny Evans — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 10:02:42 +0000

Proving that sometimes the law does have teeth, even when dealing with the biggest corporations, a US Judge yesterday denied a Microsoft appeal, offering a judgment which could see Word and Office removed from sale starting January 11.

Canadian developer i4i first sued Microsoft in 2007, accusing the US company of illegally using its XML editing technology in the popular Word software line. In May, a Texas jury said Microsoft violated i4i's patent, and ordered it to pay i4i nearly $300 million in damages.

Microsoft filed various appeals and won a six-month delay in execution of the order to remove Word and Office in their current forms from sale. Now the Court of Appeals has upheld that injunction.

The case is likely to head two ways at this point - an appeal to the US Supreme Court or a settlement (financial deal) between Microsoft and i4i - otherwise Word and Office will be withdrawn from sale while various XML features are removed.

Microsoft will comply with the decision, a company spokesman said today. "We are moving quickly to comply with the injunction, which takes effect on 11 January, 2010," said Kevin Kutz, the director of public affairs for Microsoft, in an email.

“We expect to have copies of Microsoft Word 2007 and Office 2007, with this feature removed, available for U.S. sale and distribution by the injunction date. In addition, the beta versions of Microsoft Word 2010 and Microsoft Office 2010, which are available now for downloading, do not contain the technology covered by the injunction,” the company said in a statement.

Apple releases a firmware update for 27-inch iMac flickering issues

Seth Weintraub — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 21:33:19 +0000

Hopefully this fixes some of those issues we've been hearing about on 27-inch iMacs. The firmware update, or specifically the issue it fixes, might have been resposible for Apple's delaying the the delivery for the larger iMacs to after Christmas. According to Apple, the 683K file "updates the graphics firmware on ATI Radeon HD 4670 and 4850 graphics cards to address issues that may cause image corruption or display flickering." What do you think?

WWDC 2010 to be held Monday, June 28 to Friday, July 2?

Seth Weintraub — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 02:23:33 +0000

It is a bit early to be calling this one, but it looks pretty likely that this year's WWDC will be held on from Monday, June 28 to Friday, July 2, 2010. What makes us think so? Moscone Center's summer schedule (below) has a "Corporate Event" scheduled for those dates. Apple has used this un-named moniker in the past to reserve their dates at the convention center.

If you are planning on attending, it might make sense to avoid making appointments for that week (and why not be the first to book fully refundable travel reservations?). If scheduled as such, the event would also overlap with the 3rd anniversary of the release fo the iPhone and also AT&T's contract.

WWDC is traditionally when Apple rolls out its new iPhone hardware and software along with other product announcements. This year's event could see such far fetched items as a tablet and/or new iPhone mobile carriers. Thanks to BBTRINET

iTunes Videos competitor Vevo launches tomorrow

Seth Weintraub — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 16:43:22 +0000

Vevo, a joint venture between Sony and Universal Music, claims to be the "Hulu for music videos". That remains to be seen. However, the site did get a big boost today by announcing that a third (of the big four) music label, EMI, would be adding their content to the site.

The site launches tomorrow and is powered by Youtube. Coincidentally, Warner, the only major label not in Vevo, has a partnership with Google to do videos on their own. Vevo has put out their sloppy version of Video Killed the Radio Star below, with 50 Cent.

VEVO ANNOUNCES AGREEMENT WITH EMI MUSIC

New Premium Music Service to Launch on December 8
with Content from Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment
and EMI Music

NEW YORK December 7, 2009 -- VEVO, the new premium music video and entertainment service, today announced an agreement in which EMI Music will join Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment in providing music fans with professionally-created video content when the service debuts on December 8 in the United States and Canada.

As part of this agreement, music fans will be able to view professionally-created video content from artists on EMI's labels including Astralwerks, Blue Note, Capitol and Virgin, as well as the independent artists and labels represented by EMI Label Services and EMI’s Caroline Distribution unit.

Across the VEVO Network, users will now enjoy the largest selection of premium music content featuring the broadest array of chart-topping artists found anywhere on the Web. VEVO builds upon the success of YouTube, where Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment and EMI Music stream many hundreds of millions of professionally-created videos per month. In addition, VEVO recently announced a content deal with CBS Interactive Music Group.

“Our agreement with EMI Music marks a milestone in our mission to provide fans everywhere with the world’s best premium music video programming, when, where and how they want it,” stated Rio Caraeff, President & CEO of VEVO. “We look forward to collaborating with EMI on introducing our users to new professionally-created entertainment products through a truly interactive platform. VEVO is about much more than just high-quality videos; it is also about original programming and strengthening the connection between artists and fans through a dynamic and engaging experience; and immediately providing advertisers with the scalability they desire and access to the most sought after demographic on the Web.”

“VEVO offers the value of a powerful, new environment where our artists can showcase their work and create a deeper relationship with fans,” said Elio Leoni-Sceti, EMI Music CEO. “It’s an exciting entertainment destination for consumers, a tremendous creative medium for artists and also a great platform for brands.”
(more)
VEVO, EMI/2

About VEVO

VEVO is the premium music video and entertainment service created in partnership by Universal Music Group (UMG), Sony Music Entertainment (SME) and Abu Dhabi Media Company and is powered by YouTube.

VEVO is created for consumers, advertisers and content owners, and blends the very best in top-notch music content with YouTube's leading edge video technology and user community. The content will be made available on YouTube, on VEVO.com, the service's marquee destination site, and through a special VEVO branded embedded player. The service will also serve as a syndication platform for additional internet destination sites, expanding the reach of the VEVO brand across the worldwide web.

About EMI Music

EMI Music is one of the world's leading music companies. EMI Music represents artists spanning all musical tastes and genres. Its record labels include Angel, Astralwerks, Blue Note, Capitol, Capitol Latin, Capitol Nashville, EMI Classics, EMI CMG, EMI Records, Manhattan, Mute, Parlophone and Virgin. Its EMI Music Services unit provides EMI's roster of artists - as well as independent labels and artists - with a global menu of commercial services and seamless access to an expanding range of revenue streams

Contact:

Jennifer L. Press, VEVO, 212.331.2226

Jeanne Meyer, EMI Music, 212.786.8850

Server Admin Tools update

admin — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 04:08:53 +0000

The Server Admin Tools update is recommended for remote administration of Snow Leopard Server. This update includes the latest releases of:
iCal Server Utility
Podcast Composer
Server Admin
Server Monitor
Server Preferences
System Image Utility
Workgroup Manager
Xgrid Admin
For detailed information on this update, please visit this website: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3931

Security experts in denial on Mac security

Jonny Evans — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:46:37 +0000

Munir Kotadia is a journalist who specialises in internet security - and he’s had enough of security experts continued refusal to simply admit Macs are more secure.

“Have you noticed the most popular laptop brand on display at any security conference?,” he writes, “In my experience Apple Macs seem to make up significantly more than the five percent usually attributed to them.”

It goes on from there, with his chat with Dmitri Alperovitch, McAfee's vice president of threat research, posted below. Read his report where he writes, “For years now I have heard security companies and analysts claim that Apple Macs are just as vulnerable as Windows and the only reason there is virtually no malware for the Mac is because it has such a tiny market share.”

He’s not buying it anymore....

Read it here.

Computerworld: 27-inch iMac is "stunning"

Seth Weintraub — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 22:53:15 +0000

Look, everyone knows this thing is the best desktop computer money can buy. But that doens't mean we get sick of hearing about it. Ken Mingis at Computerworld got his review in today and had some very interesting observations:

It's important to note that the 27-in. model is $100 less than the $1,799 24-in. iMac that preceded it...or the $1799 30-inch Cinema Display that only has 10% more pixels.
It is so good, it could bring back the desktop [nah!] But with an absolutely stunning screen, a lot of under-the-hood performance improvements, the wireless keyboard and the new mouse, and flexibility that makes it fit in at work or at home, this new iMac could lead to a resurgence in desktop sales for Apple.
The screen, which manages to crowd in 109 pixels per inch, is the biggest selling point[Agree!]

[BluRay is biggest omission.] According to Apple, it's possible to connect up an external Blu-Ray player -- but an adapter will be needed to convert the HDMI signal coming from the player to the MiniDisplay Port on the iMac. And a scaler would be needed because of the screen's high resolution. Apple doesn't sell those, though, so it'll be up to another company to come up with a solution.
[Re: Magic Mouse] I'm less enamored of the two-finger swipes, because you have to hold the mouse in place with your thumb and ring fingers while swiping with your index and middle fingers.
The body of the iMac is now made entirely of aluminum. The flat black plastic used on the back in earlier models is gone, allowing Apple to use its unibody design process to carve the chassis out of a solid block of aluminum.

"Does this thing belong in the office or living room?'

Great question. Maybe it is best to get two.

Host your own Windows 7 torrenting party

Quincy Pince-Nez — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 02:28:34 +0000

Engadget wins the iMac/Magic Mouse unboxing race

Seth Weintraub — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 18:37:12 +0000

Seriously, pretty fast Engadget.

Some quick observations on the new Magic Mouse: It looks thinner than any mouse I've used before. Will it feel like one of those mice that fits into your laptop's PC card slot? And I wonder how the right and left clicking action will be. Remember, Apple isn't 100% awesome when it comes to mice. Anyone remember Jobs unveiling the "Puck Mouse" as the next greatest thing? Even the Mighty Mouse ball never worked perfectly for me - I reverted to a Logitech when the ball died.

Anyway, I'll judge it when we get to play with it - which I am excited about.

CNET tests show Snow Leopard besting Windows 7 on performance and battery life

Seth Weintraub — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:32:19 +0000

CNET went to town running Windows 7 on a Bootcamp partition of a MacBook Pro (to get exact hardware parity) and found that Snow Leopard was usually faster than Windows 7 and, at the same time, used less power.

To be fair, Snow Leopard is optimized for Apple's hardware. There is no way Microsoft can optimize Windows for all of its hardware partners' products. Get the full scoup at CNET.

Cops say, use Mac, not Windows for online banking

Jonny Evans — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 10:55:03 +0000

When in doubt, there’s always a security story somewhere and this one’s got something rather, erm, ‘special’ about it - it hits us right in our wallet...

See, internet banking is becoming de rigeur. It’s the nicest way to visit your overdraft or to watch the numbers growing on your credit card statement as those punitive borrowing rates slowly enhance your debt. (So, how is it again banks lost all that money), anyway - I digress - the story is that now Australian police are warning citizens ‘down under’ to belay use of Windows for internet banking, advising they use a Mac or Linux machine instead.

"Detective Inspector Bruce van der Graaf from the Computer Crime Investigation Unit told the hearing that he uses two rules to protect himself from cybercriminals when banking online," Kotadia reports. "The first rule, he said, was to never click on hyperlinks to the banking site and the second was to avoid Microsoft Windows,” reports a local Ozzie tech title.

The Detective is anxious that any future laws passed by the Australian government to help make online banking more secure may demand ISP’s check for things like firewalls and the like, as the MUCH SAFER Mac and Linux systems don’t tend to use them (he reckons - don’t shoot the messenger, people)..

In his own words, then, rather than this tedious translation: “Van der Graaf said he mentioned the two alternatives to Windows because he was concerned about any future law that could require internet service providers or banks to check their users had protection before allowing them to connect. 'If you had a rule where ISPs would have to check for firewalls or that sort of thing, people using this safer system would not be able to do their internet banking. People using an iPhone, which is quite safe, would then not be able to do their internet banking,' he added."

‘Course, Windows 7 will solve ALL these things, won’t it, as it’s already winning pretty wide praise for being the closest OS to a Mac that Microsoft’s ever shipped - well, kind of - take a look...

Via: MacDailyNews

Apple getting ready to put a touchpad on the mouse?

Seth Weintraub — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 14:55:43 +0000

We're seen the pictures from their patent applictions (below) for a number of years. We've even seen some pretty awesome mockups. Is Apple about to release a new mouse with its new consumer products?

That's AI's latest theory. They think that upcoming consumer Macs will be outfitted with a new "Mightier" mouse which could gain things like haptic feedback and multi-touch on the top. Us? We'd take a Multi-touch trackpad that could sit below our keyboards and be happy. But we're not the "Crazy Ones"

App store tops 2 billion downloads, 85,000 apps

Seth Weintraub — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 13:39:13 +0000

The numbers keep piling up for the App Store. Today, Apple announced that the iPhone App Store downloads surpassed two billion and the number of apps available for download surpassed 85,000. The App store hit a billion downloads in late April and turned a year old in July with 1.5 billion tallied.

App Store by the Numbers:

2 Billion: Apps downloaded
85,000: Apps available
125,000: developers
50,000,000: iPhone and iPod touch customers
500,000,000: Apps this quarter alone
>10,000,000 Average apps per day average currently

Apple's Press release follows:

CUPERTINO, California—September 28, 2009—Apple® today announced that more than two billion apps have been downloaded from its revolutionary App Store, the largest applications store in the world. There are now more than 85,000 apps available to the more than 50 million iPhone™ and iPod touch® customers worldwide and over 125,000 developers in Apple’s iPhone Developer Program.

“The rate of App Store downloads continues to accelerate with users downloading a staggering two billion apps in just over a year, including more than half a billion apps this quarter alone,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “The App Store has reinvented what you can do with a mobile handheld device, and our users are clearly loving it.”

Today, iPhone and iPod touch customers in 77 countries worldwide can choose from an incredible range of apps in 20 categories, including games, business, news, sports, health, reference and travel. With the recently introduced iTunes® 9, it’s now easier than ever to organize and sync your apps right in iTunes and they will automatically appear on your iPhone or iPod touch with the same layout.

iPhone 3.1 update disables free tethering, some Exchange connectivity

Cleve Nettles — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 01:20:15 +0000

As we warned before 3.1 came out, the latest iPhone update disables the tethering hack that so many of you enjoy using. That in itself is reason enough hold off on updating.

However, today TUAW publishes some more discouraging news. After the 3.1 update, non-iPhone 3GS users (touch, iPhone, iPhone 3G) won't be able to access Exchange servers for their Email, Contacts and Calendar if the Exchange connection has been set by their administrators with a forced device encryption connection. Only iPhone 3GS devices now work in this mode. Apple has said it improperly set up encryption on iPhone OS 3.0 which wasn't really encrypting the Exchange information.

Luckily, the Gmail Calendar and Contacts sync that uses Microsoft's ActiveSync API (to act like an Exchange Server) is not affected.

We're hanging back on this update a bit.

Toys: 1TB Mac Edition Hard Drive $65

9to5toys — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 15:14:50 +0000

From the Toys section:

Best Buy offers the Western Digital 1TB My Book USB 2.0 External Hard Drive, model no. WDH1U10000A, for $64.99. Shipping adds $5.50, or opt for in-store pickup. Even with shipping, that's $0.07/GB and the lowest total price we could find by $35. Sales tax is added where applicable.

Thieves do their Apple Store shopping in 31 seconds

Quincy Pince-Nez — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 05:01:48 +0000

You have to admit, these guys don't lollygag. Also, we enjoyed the newscaster who obviously had some sports play-by-play work in his past. Strangely, it doesn't look like the Apple Store in question used Kensington locks like all the ones we've ever visited.