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iPhone vs BlackBerry Storm vs BlackBerry Bold

Tags: iPhone, BlackBerry Storm, BlackBerry Bold, 3G, Apple, RIM

New Apple MacBooks

Apple’s taking all that new MacBook Pro love and shrinking it down to size for the all-new MacBook. The laptop includes those same NVIDIA 9400M graphics and fancy glass trackpad of its big sibling, but does it with a 13.3-inch LED-backlit screen and typically friendly MacBook pricepoints. The base model weighs in at $1299 with a 2GHz Core 2 Duo processor, while $1599 gets you 4GB of RAM and a 320GB HDD. There’s also an SSD option if you’re really looking to splurge. If none of the new speed or style appeals to you, Apple’s also slashing its existing low-end MacBook to $999.

Source: Engadget

Tags: Apple, Apple MacBook, Brick, MacBook Pro, NVIDIA

Apple “Notebook” event is on, October 14th!

The rumors were true folks. Apple is staging an invitation-only Town Hall event in San Francisco next Tuesday, October 14th at 10AM PST. It’s absolutely safe to say they’ll be showing off new laptops… and you know we’ll be there live! Will this be an unveiling of a whole new form factor? Will this “Brick” mystery be put to bed? Will they come in rainbow colors? Tune in to find out.

Source: Engadget.com

Tags: apple, breaking news, BreakingNews, event, macbook, macbook pro, MacbookPro, October 14th, October 14th 2008, October14th, October14th2008, san francisco, SanFrancisco

10 Million iPhones sold in 2008?

Seeking Alpha summarizes findings by MacObserver forum members who have been compiling iPhone IMEI numbers into a public spreadsheet.

According to those numbers, it appears that Apple may have already reached 10 million iPhone sales for 2008. According to the sequential Type Allocation Codes (TAC), Apple has reached 9.2 million iPhone 3Gs manufactured. When combined with the sales figures 2.4 million 1st generation iPhones sold earlier this year, it brings them well above the 10 million mark even if over a million 3G iPhones remain in the sales channel.

SeekingAlpha notes there are a few assumptions that may introduce some error into these estimates:

The actual number of handsets sold versus manufactured depends on a variety of factors including the amount of inventory Apple carries in its retail chain, defects that were destroyed, defects that were sold and then exchanged, display models etc.

A goal of 10 million iPhone sales in 2008 has been Apple’s stated goal when first announced the iPhone in January 2007.

Source: MacRumors

Tags: apple, iphone, iphone 3G

With friends like Google, does Apple need Microsoft?

Tags: android, Apple, featured, g1, google, iphone, iphone 3g, Iphone3g, microsoft, smartphones, switched on, SwitchedOn

iPhone 3G reception issues

Source: CNet.com
Posted by: Tom Krazit

Apple has finally acknowledged the iPhone 3G’s reception issues, confirming that the iPhone OS 2.0.2 software update was designed to fix those problems.

A company representative told the Associated Press overnight (thanks, Macworld) that the latest update “improved communication with 3G networks,” after weeks of silence regarding the reception issues reported by iPhone 3G owners around the world. Apple was reportedly working on such a fix last week, but Monday’s update was labeled with the briefest of descriptions–”bug fixes”–making it difficult to know exactly what was addressed with the update.

The thing is, it’s not clear whether all of the problems have actually been fixed. Several people have told me that the update did in fact dramatically improve their reception: one CNET employee is now getting reception on the BART subway system in places he never did with his iPhone 3G. But other readers who have been in contact over the weeks we’ve been watching this issue say they are still having trouble maintaining a connection to the 3G network in places said to have excellent coverage.

A former Apple employee, Chuq Von Rospach, reported on his personal blog earlier this week that those-in-the-know at Apple think it will take several months for a fix to be developed by Infineon, believed to be the source of the reception problems. So perhaps the 2.0.2 update isn’t the complete fix, but a starting point for putting the reception issues to rest.

Tags: Apple, iPhone, iPhone 3G

60 million iPhone apps downloaded and $30 millions in 30 days

Steve Jobs, presumably speaking from a hyperbaric chamber where he’s being nourished with an infusion of liquified developers-souls before his next public appearance, had a few interesting tidbits about the AppStore for the Wall Street Journal this morning. Namely, users have downloaded some 60 million programs for the iPhone representing sales of about $30 million since the launch last month — a 30/70 revenue split between Apple and developers, respectively. “The thing’s going to crest a half billion soon,” Jobs added, “I’ve never seen anything like this in my career for software.” He went on to say that phone differentiation is no longer about radios and antennas (or uh, battery life) but about software. Steve also confirmed the controversial iPhone application kill switch in the event that Apple inadvertently approves a malicious program for distribution. Jobs said, “hopefully we never have to pull that lever, but we would be irresponsible not to have a lever like that to pull.” As to the $999.99 I Am Rich application, the dubious download that displayed nothing but a glowing red gem, pulling that from the store was a “judgment” call. Sure, but that doesn’t explain how it made it through the vetting process to begin with.

Steve Jobs: 60 million iPhone apps downloaded, confirms kill switch - Engadget

Tags: apple, appstore, breaking news, BreakingNews, I am rich, IAmRich, iphone, iphone 3g, Iphone3g, ipod touch, IpodTouch, steve jobs, SteveJobs

Report: iPhone Nano to ring in the holidays

You can expect an iPhone Nano to be on the shelves in time for the holiday shopping season, according to a report on the U.K.’s Daily Mail Web site Sunday.

The report, which cited “an industry source,” said the product would launch in the U.K. by mobile phone operator O2 for the pay-as-you-go market, but offered no clue when or if it would be launched in the United States.

The report seems to indicate the iPhone Nano would be a dumb-down version of the current iPhone 3G.

“The iPhone 3G has been the fastest-selling phone ever in the U.K., but it is too expensive to be a realistic proposition in the pay-as-you-go market,” the source told the newspaper. “However, a cut down version, with the candy bar shape of iPod Nano music players, would be a huge hit as a Christmas gift.”

The newspaper suggests that the new iPhone Nano could have a touch wheel interface on one side and a screen on the other, meaning that calls would be dialed from behind and lack full Internet browsing functionality.If this all sounds a bit familiar, it’s because this rumor was floating around last year. Considering the wild success of the iPhone and Apple’s plans for a family of iPhones, a move like this certainly makes sense. Whether Apple is ready to do it soon seems to be a bigger question.

One of the more-recent rumors has the iPod Nano getting a slimmed-down makeover. iLounge reports that Apple plans to bring back the thinner iPod Nano design of years past but in a taller package that’s a nod to the screen size of today’s “fat” iPod Nano.

Apple has held a September iPod event the last several years, and we’re pretty sure they’ll have another one on tap this year, with a revamped iPod Touch likely to accompany a new iPod Nano. In support of that suspicion, AppleInsider is reporting that resellers have been told to expect shortages of iPods and Macbooks in the coming weeks.

Crave, the gadget blog - Page 3 - CNET

Tags: Apple, iPhone 3G, iPhone Nano

Rumor: Apple will not use Intel chipsets in the upcoming MacBooks

Source: Dailytech.com

Apple could be on the verge of shaking up its all-Intel CPU/chipset arrangement

Mention Apple in the tech community and one is sure to invoke a firestorm of criticism and debate.  Indeed few topics excite tech readers quite like the moves of Apple which tends to draw inordinately passionate praise and criticism.  However, one of the few moves that both critics and supporters alike seemed to agree was good news was “Mactel” — Apple moving to adopt Intel processors and chipsets, starting in 2006.

Now it appears that the Mactel romance, which helped propel Apple to a modest marketshare and a third place spot in PC sales may be on the rocks, if new reports are to be believed.  While Apple will continue using the microprocessor giant’s CPUs, a report from AppleInsider cites an inside source as saying that Apple will ditch Intel’s chipsets in the new Apple computers that are scheduled to be announced in coming weeks.

Currently Apple uses the same Santa Rosa mobile platform that competitors Dell and HP use, just slightly tweaked for an OS X world.  However, according to the report, Apple believes that by moving away from Intel chipsets, it can set itself above the competition.  According to the reports the upcoming trio of Macbooks to be announced in several weeks will not feature the Montevina chipset, the chipset component of Intel’s Centrino 2 platform.

What remains unspecific is what Apple plans to replace Intel’s chipsets with.  One thing seems certain; whoever is making the new chipset is going to need an Intel licensing agreement, which could lead to an awkward situation for Apple.  One line of thinking is that Apple may revert to developing its own proprietary chipset as it did in the PowerPC days.  These thinkers point to Apple’s acquisition of chipset company P.A. Semi.  However, Apple has previously insisted that this acquisition is purely to drive iPhone and iPod Touch chipset efforts.

Others believe that the new systems will feature NVIDIA or VIA chipsets, which would solve the licensing problems and could likely prove more full-featured than Intel’s designs.  Many are hopeful that Apple will adopt this approach. 

It appears that a couple factors may be driving Apple’s possible departure from Intel chipsets.  One is power consumption.  Intel’s integrated graphics and chipset offerings are overly power hungry according to some analysts.  Another factor is unique capability — Apple may be looking for unique features that Intel cannot provide it.

The reports could have something to do with Apple chief financial officer Peter Oppenheimer’s comments during a conference call in which he stated boldly that Apple will be unveiling new technologies that will hurt its profit margins but send competitors reeling.  Said Mr. Oppenheimer, “We have some investments in front of us that I can’t discuss with you today where we’re going to be delivering state of the art new products that our competitors just aren’t going to be able to match and as a result, I would see gross margins being about 30 percent and that’s – that’s all I can tell you at this point.” 

The comments echo allusions made by Apple CEO Steve Jobs recently that Apple will soon be revealing game-changing new products.  Both executives’ comments are out of character for Apple which has built a reputation for secrecy.

The official word from Apple and whatever it has up its sleeve is expected to coincide with the announcement of the new MacBooks which is coming in 6 to 8 weeks.  The new MacBooks are expected to release in time for the back-to-school shopping rush.

Tags: Apple, MacBooks, Intel chipsets, Mactel, Montevina, Santa Rosa, Apple chipset

Apple Mac Mini vs Dell Studio Hybrid

Dell has just released its new line of slim-line/small factor desktops: Studio Hybrid. The Studio Hybrid starts at $549 (Canadians), but upgrades to the processor, memory, hard drive, and wireless networking adapter push our review configuration up to $959. This new desktop first appeared in April featuring a bamboo-made cover. It is not quite hard to feel the need to compare this new baby with the solid contender from Apple: The Mac Mini.

Some users have reviewed the new Dell Studio Hybrid giving mixed comments but one of the most prominent are the ones related to the old chipset. Actually, CNET has posted a review two days ago stating this:

“It’s hard for us to recommend the Dell Studio Hybrid desktop for any practical purpose. As a desktop for productivity, you can get more bang-for-your-buck from a typical budget-priced midtower PC. And if your goal is either space-saving or using this system as a media PC, we’d instead point you to a similarly priced laptop, which has an integrated display, will perform most of the same functions, and is also portable. Still, we imagine that for some of you, the Studio Hybrid’s unique design holds plenty of appeal. Compared with other desktops in its small-scale cohort, Dell’s entry is actually one of the best equipped. If aesthetics are your chief concern, the Studio Hybrid will reward you with its good looks and respectable computing power. “ (Cnet.com)

With this in mind, I think the only thing that could set the Studio Hybrid apart from the Mac Mini, is the HDMI connector. The Mac Mini features a DVI and VGA connector but no HDMI. Users will find this useful when using this baby as a Media Center and hooking it with your TV.

To put things on your side, I have put together all the specification side-by-side for you to make your final choice. My recommendation is to wait a couple months more and wait for the new Apple line-up (coming soon). Even the Mac Mini looks like a better package (except for the HDMI) than the Studio Hybrid but imagine future versions

Apple Mac Mini	Dell Studio Hybrid
Processors     * 1.83GHz or 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor     * 2MB or 4MB on-chip L2 cache     * 667MHz frontside bus Operating System     * Mac OS X Leopard Memory     * 1GB of 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM (PC2-5300) on two SO-DIMMs; supports up to 2GB Storage     * 80GB or 120GB 5400-rpm Serial ATA hard disk drive; optional 160GB drive(2) Peripheral connections     * One FireWire 400 port (8 watts)     * Four USB 2.0 ports (up to 480 Mbps) Optical Drives     * Slot-load optical drive One of the following optical drives:            o Slot-loading Combo drive (DVD-ROM/CD-RW): reads DVDs at up to 8x speed, writes CD-R discs at up to 24x speed, writes CD-RW discs at up to 16x speed, reads CDs at up to 24x speed           o Slot-loading SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW): writes DVD+R DL and DVD-R DL discs at up to 2.4x speed, writes DVD-R and DVD+R discs at up to 8x speed, writes DVD-RW and DVD+RW discs at up to 4x speed, reads DVDs at up to 8x speed, writes CD-R discs at up to 24x speed, writes CD-RW discs at up to 16x speed, reads CDs at up to 24x speed Graphics and video support     * Intel GMA 950 graphics processor with 64MB of DDR2 SDRAM shared with main memory1     * DVI video output to support digital resolutions up to 1920 by 1200 pixels; supports 20-inch Apple Cinema Display and 23-inch Apple Cinema HD Display; supports coherent digital displays up to 154MHz; supports noncoherent digital displays up to 135MHz     * VGA video output (using included adapter) to support analog resolutions up to 1920 by 1080 pixels     * S-video and composite video output to connect directly to a TV or projector (using Apple DVI to Video Adapter, sold separately) Audio     * Built-in speaker     * Combined optical digital audio input/audio line in (minijack)     * Combined optical digital audio output/headphone out (minijack) Wireless and Wi-Fi Options     * Built-in 10/100/1000BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet (RJ-45 connector)     * Built-in 54-Mbps AirPort Extreme(3) wireless networking (based on 802.11g standard)     * Built-in Bluetooth 2.0 + Enhanced Data Rate (EDR) up to 3 Mbps     * Optional external Apple USB Modem External Accessible Ports     * One FireWire 400 port (8 watts)     * Four USB 2.0 ports (up to 480 Mbps)     * DVI video output to support digital resolutions up to 1920 by 1200 pixels; supports 20-inch Apple Cinema Display and 23-inch Apple Cinema HD Display; supports coherent digital displays up to 154MHz; supports noncoherent digital displays up to 135MHz     * VGA video output (using included adapter) to support analog resolutions up to 1920 by 1080 pixels     * S-video and composite video output to connect directly to a TV or projector (using Apple DVI to Video Adapter, sold separately)     * Built-in 10/100/1000BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet (RJ-45 connector)     * AC adapter connector     * Combined optical digital audio input/audio line in (minijack)     * Combined optical digital audio output/headphone out (minijack) Size and weight     * Height: 5.08 cm (2 inches)     * Width: 16.51 cm (6.5 inches)     * Depth: 16.51 cm (6.5 inches)     * Weight: 1.31 kg (2.9 pounds)   Software Included     * Mac OS X v10.4 Tiger (includes Spotlight, Dashboard, Mail, iChat AV, Safari, Address Book, QuickTime, iCal, DVD Player, Xcode Developer Tools)     * iLife ’08 (includes iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, iWeb, GarageBand), Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac Test Drive, iWork (30-day trial), and Apple Hardware Test     * Front Row	Processors                     Intel®  Pentium®  Dual Core, Intel CoreTM  2 Duo   Operating System    Genuine Windows Vista®  Home Basic Genuine Windows Vista®  Home Premium Genuine Windows Vista®  Ultimate   Memory Up to 4GB 667MHz Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM The amount of RAM you have determines how many programs can be executed at one time and how much data can be readily available to a program. It also determines how quickly your applications perform and how many applications you can easily toggle between at one time. Simply put, the more RAM you have, the more programs you can run smoothly and simultaneously.   Hard Drives                  Up to 320GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (5400 RPM) External Connections Additional drives can connect to IEEE1394 and/or USB 2.0 ports   Optical Drives             8X Slot Load CD/DVD Writer (DVD+/-RW) 6X Slot Load Blu-ray/CD/DVD Combo Drive   Graphics Intel®  Integrated Graphics Media Accelerator X3100   Audio       Intel High Definition Audio 2.0 Optional Integrated Sound Blaster Audigy Advanced HD Software Edition   Wireless Integrated 10/100 Ethernet LAN on system board   Wi-Fi Options Built-in Draft-N Wireless Networking (Optional)   Externally Accessible Ports       Five USB 2.0 compliant ports IEEE1394a port (4-pin) HDMI video connector DVI video connector Integrated network connector 10/100/1000 LAN (RJ45) AC adapter connector Digital Audio: S/P DIF Out Analog Audio: Headphone (front); Line-in / Line-out (back)   Dimensions & Weight                  Length: 196.5mm (with sleeve) Height: 71.5mm (with sleeve) Depth: 211.5mm (with sleeve) Weight: 2.18kg (with stand)   Security  Cable lock chassis security slot
Starting from $649	Starting from $559

Tags: AppleMacMini, Mac Mini, Apple, Dell, Dell Studio, Studio Hybrid