Apple posts Security Update 2004-10-27

Apple Computer posted Security Update 2004-10-27, which includes an updated version of Apple Remote Desktop v1.2.4 running on Mac OS X v10.3.

The Digital Dispatch open Forum

In Order to accomodate and answer the ever growing number of Mac related questions the Digital Dispatch crew have added to the list of free services, a forum on google. Free for everyone, this is a great place to meet and exchange on various Mac topics.

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MacJams.com launches Loop Store

MacJams.com has announced the opening of its new "Loop Store," an online site where musicians can browse, listen to, and immediately download over 40,000 loops and sound clips

Allume updates Internet Cleanup

Internet Cleanup 2.0.3 from Allume Systems is the latest version of the privacy tool that blocks suspicious data transmissions, cookies, referring URLs, spyware, ad banners, and pop-up windows. Very handy!

BIAS announces SoundSoap 2

BIAS today announced SoundSoap 2, the next version of its "one-click" audio cleaning software for Mac OS X

Apple stock 'riding the iPod wave'

Shares of Apple (AAPL) continued to climb Thursday, gaining another US$1.89 to close at $52.19

Apple Ships Logic Express 7

Apple announced that it is shipping Logic Express 7, a streamlined version of its music composition and production software developed for education customers and advanced hobbyists. Logic Express 7 features Apple Loops support, the ability to open songs from Apple's GarageBand software, includes software instruments and effect plug-ins and more. Logic Express 7 also features a studio-style mixer, movie scoring capabilities, and editing and printing using music notation.

RIAA files 750 new file-trading lawsuits

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on Thursday announced it has filed 750 new lawsuits against alleged file-traders using peer-to-peer (P-to-P) software. The 750 new lawsuits were against "John Doe" defendants not yet identified by the RIAA. In addition to those new lawsuits, the RIAA filed another 213 lawsuits against named defendants who declined or ignored RIAA efforts to settle their cases. So glad we are Canadians!

Prosoft Engineering Announces Picture Rescue v1.1.0 for Mac

Prosoft Engineering Announces Availability of Picture Rescue v1.1.0 for Mac

Prosoft Engineering announces the availability of Picture Rescue v1.1.0. Picture Rescue is an easy to use software utility, which recovers pictures from corrupt or reformatted media cards or pictures that have simply been deleted from the media card.

New Features Include:

? Thumbnail Preview of all recoverable images

? Drag & Drop Recovery, simply select the picture in the Image Recovery Window and drag it directly to a destination folder or desktop.

? Secure Card Erase, you can now securely erase all contents of your camera media card. Three levels of erase security, allow you to choose the best tradeoff between erase speed and security level.

?Recovering digital pictures has never been this easy before,? said Greg Brewer, CEO of Prosoft Engineering.

Other Changes:

Also further improvements were made in reliability and speed.

Availability

Picture Rescue is available for purchase online at www.prosofteng.com or at Apple Stores, Fry?s Electronics, ClubMac, MacMall, MacZone, MacConnection and Amazon.com

Revolution 2.5 Now Available

This is version 2.5 and contains the following enhancements and new features:

* Full support for SSL for secure data transmission over networks and the Internet
* Linux native theme support (GTK) for a more professional appearance on Linux
* Industrial strength encryption support for data security
* Improved Unicode support
* New XML-RPC library
* Overhauled development user interface
* New learning centre with Video, PDF and Sample Projects library
* Better reference documentation
* New Externals SDK for running code written in other languages
* Over 700 other enhancements and stability improvements

Great software, at a great price.

Prosoft Engineering Announces Data Rescue v10.4.3 for Mac

Prosoft?s award-winning Data Rescue is the best data recovery utility on the market for recovering files from a problem hard drive. The new version 10.4.3 now has added support for the German language.

\"We\'re excited to provide this new version of Data Rescue with support for German language machines. Prosoft and our partner in Germany (Brainworks) have been supporting the German market for some time now, so this is a natural progression for us. We will continue to add German support for all our products shortly,? says Greg Brewer, CEO at Prosoft Engineering.

Other Changes:

? Scanning speed for drives with hardware read problems has been greatly improved.

? Stuffit .sit and .sitx file types and Entourage mail database types are now supported in Content scan mode.

? Improved TIFF file and AAC/M4A audio file recovery in Content scan mode.

? Improved support for terabyte drives.

? The Disk Spanning feature is now considered obsolete, and has been removed, along with the related Extractor application.

Data Rescue is available for purchase online at www.prosofteng.com or through German partner, Brainworks Computer Technology http://www.brainworks.de/Site/hersteller/her_prosoft.html. Also, Apple Stores, Fry?s Electronics, ClubMac, MacMall, MacZone, MacConnection and Amazon.com

Velan Software announces release of FAST DVD COPY 3

Velan Software announces today the release of FAST DVD COPY 3, the first software built for Mac OS X that allows users to copy their DVD video collections, Audio CD collections, PlayStation 2 games, DVD-ROMs or CD-ROMs without losing any quality from the original. FAST DVD COPY 3 is the most powerful digital technology copy software for Mac available on the market today.

A free trial version of FAST DVD COPY 3 can be downloaded on the company's website.

Upgrades from version 1.x or 2.x are FREE for registered users.

The best Mac DVD Back-up product just got better.
We give it a well deserved 4.5* out of 5
Making Fast DVD Copy 3 our Product of the week.

iPod Mini: Xtreme Protection

Protection, style and versatitlity - the ultimate solution for the iPod mini. This all-in-one kit comes with a Protective Clear Cover, iPod mini clip, belt clip, neck strap and car dash mount. A must have for iPod mini owner!
One more great products from XtremeMac.

2
Originally uploaded by thedr.

Colourfull Silicone iPod Cases

These are not your typical silicone cases! Hot new Silicone Sleeves for ALL 3G & 4G iPods, iPod mini and the all new iPod Photo! 7 Hot Colors to choose from.
XtremeMac are on a roll!

1
Originally uploaded by thedr.

iLingo First Pocket Translator for your iPod

Talking Panda iLingo equips iPod toting travelers with over 450 translations of words and phrases per language. English to Japanese, English to French, French to German and many more to choose from. All translations are shown on screen and spoken by native speakers.
Great for any iPod owner who travels. Fine idea from XtremeMac

5
Originally uploaded by thedr.

"Spam Kings" Released by O'Reilly

At one time, spammer Davis Wolfgang Hawke grossed more
than $600,000 per month selling herbal male enhancement products over the
Internet. His customers came from all walks of life--CEOs, mutual fund
managers, soldiers, housewives, landscapers--in other words, people who
should have known better. Most people consider spam to be at least an
irritation; many consider it to be more: a scourge, a significant drain on
resources and money, a violation of the sanctity of one's personal
computer, even an assault against one's moral sensibilities.
Great book on a cultural trend that reflects the brave new world we live in.
Not to be missed.
Spam Kings
Brian McWilliams
ISBN 0-596-00732-9
From O'reilly

0596007329
Originally uploaded by thedr.

G5 PowerBook... Don't Hold Your Breath!

There's been a lot of gossip on the Apple rumor sites about the possibility of a G5 PowerBook being released sometime soon. Unfortunately, it looks like this configuration won't be available for another six months (at the very least). The official word from Apple is that power requirements and cooling problems have hampered developing a G5 processor for the PowerBook.


Since waiting for a newer, faster computer is a never-ending proposition, we don't recommend waiting for the Next Big Thing, especially if you have a need for speed or any of the many features the current PowerBooks have to offer.

iVideo shares movies on a LAN

Canadian developer Waterfall Software has released iVideo 2.5, an update to its video clip organization software that features the ability to share movies on a local area network (LAN), support for multiple libraries, live searches, three library types and more. This is a free update; the full version is US$19.95. Mac OS X v10.2 is required. A demo that's limited to a library of 10 movies is available on the Waterfall Web site. Go Habs Go!

iVideo shares movies on a LAN

Canadian developer Waterfall Software has released iVideo 2.5, an update to its video clip organization software that features the ability to share movies on a local area network (LAN), support for multiple libraries, live searches, three library types and more. This is a free update; the full version is US$19.95. Mac OS X v10.2 is required. A demo that's limited to a library of 10 movies is available on the Waterfall Web site. Go Habs Go!

RadTech Announces the 4G PodSleevz iPod Sleeve Case and OmniCleanz advanced screen cleaner

The revolutionary play-through-case design continues in RadTech’s new 4G PodSleevz. OmniCleanz provides breakthrough cleaning technology for computer screens, notebooks, LCD panels and more.

RadTech™, producers of innovative solutions for today’s digital lifestyle, today announced immediate availability of their 4G PodSleevz, the next in its series of award-winning iPod protective sleeve cases and OmniCleanz, the ultimate cleaning solution for display screens and much more.

RadTech’s 4G PodSleevz are available in a full array of colors and feature the same play-through-case design unique to the distinctive line of RadTech iPod sleeve cases. The form-fitting sleeve case is made with super soft, ultra tough Optex™, RadTech’s exclusive optical-grade material that’s thin and lightweight for durable, long-lasting protection without the bulk ­ allowing it to be used with the Apple iPod clip case.

The 4G PodSleevz features an elegantly debossed control area that allows the iPod to be played directly through the case, providing perfect sensitivity for the controls and eliminating the need for any control cutouts. With full wrap-around protection, the sleeve case keeps the controls fully covered and clean. And, a super-clear protective window covers the display for scratch-free protection.

“People are passionate about keeping their iPods in pristine condition.” said John Greskowiak, chief engineer for RadTech. “We are passionate about making a protective case that allows them to do that, but one that doesn’t take away from the iPod’s sleek form or compromise the user experience. A lot of hard work went into developing an aesthetically pleasing case that not only protects, but is also unobtrusive. People can use their iPod just as they normally would, playing it right through the case, almost as if it wasn’t even there. I don’t know of another product that offers that. The response from the iPod community has been overwhelmingly enthusiastic.”

Also announced today, OmniCleanz, widely available beginning September 20th in individual 1, 4 and 8 oz sizes. Or, as a kit combined with RadTech’s exclusive Optex wipes ­ forming an unbeatable cleaning force. A limited number of 1 oz kits will be on hand at Apple Expo Paris for those who wish to get a preview of this amazing product.

OmniCleanz functions as a molecular release agent and pre-coating cleaner for high-end optical applications where critical, one-micron or finer cleaning is essential. OmniCleanz cleans at such a deep level, it actually cleans what other cleaners leave behind. Many computer cleaners contain polymers which leave streaking residues behind. OmniCleanz removes charged particulates, helping to control static and leaves behind an ultra-clean surface. OmniCleanz contains NO polymers, alcohol, ammonia, detergents, acetone or other harmful VOCs making it an environmentally responsible alternative to other cleaners. And, in addition to superior cleaning for display screens, it safely cleans all coated and non-coated lenses, CDs, DVDs and more.

“We constantly hear complaints about screen cleaning products that once used, leave hard to remove streaks and smears.” states Matthew Renda, director of Marketing for RadTech. “And true to form with our company’s mission, we are pleased to offer an alternative that is truly remarkable. This is the most amazing cleaning solution I’ve seen.” We absolutely love RadTech products. We have tested many over time and we still fight over the office as to see who will end up keeping them after reviewing. I can say that since i am the editor, I keep most of them and glad I do! Pay our friends at RadTech a little visit and see why we think nothing comes close!

Company URL: http://www.radtech.us

In case you haven't heard...Apple introduces new entry level G5

Apple monday introduced a new entry-level PowerMac G5 with a single 1.8 GHz G5 processor selling for $1499.(USD)

The new configuration includes 256MB PC3200 (400MHz) RAM expandable to 4GB, an 80GB Serial ATA 7200 rpm drive, and a SuperDrive (DVD-R/CD-RW).

Tiger Early Start Kit for Developers

Apple has announced a $500 Tiger Early Start Kit for Developers, including an ADC Select Membership plus extra materials to help developers make their applications Tiger ready.

FileMaker Updates FileMaker Pro 7 and FileMaker Developer 7

FileMaker today announced software updates for FileMaker Pro 7 and FileMaker Developer 7, available at http://www.filemaker.com/support/updaters.html. These important updates improve the performance of each of these products.

"If you're using FileMaker Pro 7 or FileMaker Developer 7, which have both been widely acclaimed by editorial reviewers and customers alike, you'll want to download the updates now," said Ryan Rosenberg, vice president, Marketing and Services, FileMaker. "And, if you haven't yet upgraded, now is the time!"

Giga offers dual CPU upgrade for mirror door G4s

Looking to punch up the processing power your mirror drive door-equipped Power Mac G4? CPU upgrade maker Giga Designs on Tuesday announced a new processor upgrade for those systems that uses two Freescale 7455B CPUs clocked at up to 1.42GHz. The system features 2MB of Level 3 cache per processor, and operates at 1.42GHz on 167MHz bus systems or 1.4GHz on 133MHz bus systems. Compatible Macs include the original mirror drive door-equipped Power Mac G4 made in 2002, the FireWire 800 model, and those made in 2003. The upgrade features a copper cooler with an 80mm fan which Giga Designs claims lets the Mac run quieter. No software or firmware upgrades are required to get it to work. Giga Designs expects to deliver the new model in November, 2004 for a suggested retail price of US$699.

Apple opens EU iTunes Music Store, Canada in Nov.

Shortly before Apple's special music event on Tuesday featuring Bono and The Edge from U2, the iTunes Music Store was updated with links to allow residents of nine new European countries to buy music online. In addition to the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Germany, iTunes now supports Austria, Belgium, Finland, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal and Spain. At long last, Apple also announced plans to bring the iTunes Music Store to Canada in November.

Apple intros iPod Photo, iPod U2, iTunes 4.7

At a special music event featuring Bono and The Edge from rock group U2 held on Tuesday, Apple took the wraps off the iPod Photo, a color iPod available in 40GB or 60GB storage capacities. The company also introduced the iPod U2 Special Edition, Apple's 20GB player clad in black, equipped with a red Click Wheel and featuring engraved U2 band member signatures. The iPod Photo is available immediately, and Apple expects the iPod U2 Special Edition to ship in mid-November.

O'Reilly announces OS X Innovators Contest winners

Technical book publisher O'Reilly on Tuesday revealed the winners of its second annual Mac OS X Innovators Contest, which was open to both hobbyists and professional developers. During this week's O'Reilly Mac OS X Conference, the company announced that the first place winner from the United States was Delicious Monster Software's barcode scanning application Delicious Library while the same prize in the International division went to Boinx Software's slideshow software FotoMagico.

Apple makes QuickTime 6.5.2 available

In addition to its iPod- and iTunes-related announcements, Apple also released QuickTime 6.5.2 on Tuesday. The update features a security update, bug fixes, enhancements to the Apple Lossless Encoder and AAC codecs and better support for iTunes and other QuickTime-based applications. You can visit the QuickTime download page to get the full copy of the software or run Software Update to install the upgrade. Mac OS X v10.2.8, a G3 processor running at 400MHz and 128MB RAM are required.

Apple iPod event posted via QuickTime

Apple iPod event posted via QuickTime

If you'd like to view Tuesday's special event itself, now you can. Apple has posted a QuickTime stream of the event, held in San Jose, Calif. Apple CEO Steve Jobs took the stage to take the wraps off a color iPod that can display photos, a special edition U2 iPod, and introduced Bono and The Edge themselves. He also talked briefly about Apple's success with the iTunes Music Store, and noted that the iTunes Music Store is now available in nine additional European countries.

Virus targets Mac OS X users

A new virus targeting Mac OS X is not expected to cause much trouble. But malcode experts said it should serve as a warning to those using alternatives to Microsoft that their machines are not attack-proof. “I don’t see this particular virus as much of a threat, but I worry about the functionality of it,” said Mikko Hypponen, director of antivirus research for Finnish antivirus firm F-Secure Corp.

The Brand New ipodphoto Edition

The Brand New ipodphoto Edition
Originally uploaded by thedr.

First Look at U2 iPod

First Look at U2 iPod
Originally uploaded by thedr.

Back View of the new U2 iPod autograph by the band members of course!

Apple release 2 new iPods

After months of speculation, here they are. And available for shipping (USA)
the 2 new iPods; The first one is a U2 Special edition and the other one is a iPodphoto.
Wow!

Apple To Announce Next-Gen AAC Called aacPLUS

Apple director of QuickTime product marketing, Frank Casanova, will deliver a keynote speech at the Cellular Telephone and Internet Association (CTIA's) Wireless IT and Entertainment 2004 tomorrow in San Francisco.

Sharing the stage with Frank will be Vodafone Group Services executive head of content development, Graeme Ferguson. Vodafone has launched a 3G business services for Macs on September 6, 2004 the same day that Vodafone launched their new Vodafone live! – Portal.

It is here where an Apple announcement should break concerning the adoption of the next generation of ACC call aacPlus for QuickTime and iPod. For the last two years there’s been speculation about when Apple would jump on board this standard.

However, On September 28 2004, announcements came forth that 3GPP standardized aacPlus thus “paving the way for music services to be the next big hit in mobile communications”, said Michael Bomhausser of SDC. SDC is one of Europe’s leading multimedia duplication companies that provide duplication and replication services - from one to one million - in CD, CD-ROM, DVD, Video and MC formats.

The fact that Apple is Supporting 3GPP/3GPP2 and that Vodaphone, who adopted aacPlus in March of this year, is on stage with Frank Casanova points to a sure announcement. At such time we could further expect a second technology roll-in to QuickTime called X3D, a state-of-the-art interactive 3D graphics ISO approved MPEG-4 multimedia standard, which was announced on August 9/04 that the formal publication was expected in October. Well, it’s October folks and who better to make these announcement but the man himself – Frank Casanova.

ELECTRIC RAIN SWIFT 3D 4.0 AND SWIFT 3D XPRESS NOW AVAILABLE FOR MAC OS X

New releases provide quick, easy and powerful 3D design capabilities for Mac OS X users enabling direct integration of vector and raster-based 3D content into Macromedia Flash

Today Electric Rain, Inc. announced the immediate availability of Swift 3D version 4.0 and Swift 3D Xpress for the Mac OS X platform. Swift 3D is a standalone application allowing designers to build and export vector and raster-based 3D animations to the Macromedia ® Flash™ (SWF) file format, as well as other popular formats. Swift 3D Xpress is a plug-in for Macromedia Flash that instantly converts 2D artwork and text to 3D animations without leaving the Flash interface. The applications are both available now at http://www.erain.com.

The Best just got better. We will feature a full review of the product in the next issue of The Digital Dispatch.

Freeverse releases Big Bang Board Games

Freeverse Software debuted Big Bang Chess earlier this year as free download to much acclaim -- the game walked away with two Apple Design Awards at this year's Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC). Freeverse on Tuesday announced that it has released Big Bang Board Games, a collection of classic board games including a more "refined" version of Big Bang Chess.

Apple to sell scaled-down version of Nvidia 6800 DDL

The Apple Store has announced that will begin selling a scaled down version of the high-end of Nvidia 6800 Ultra DDL graphics card in order to better meet demand for the product. The high-end Nvidia GPUs are required when using Apple's flagship 30-inch Apple Cinema Display HD and have delayed orders for the display (and card) by as much as three months--some since the debut of the products in July 2004. Both products feature 256MB of GDDR3 memory and 16-pipe superscalar architecture; however, the Nvidia 6800 GT features a slightly lower bandwidth of 32GB/sec for delivery of 525 million verticies and 5.6 billion textured pixels per second. The Ultra version features 35.2GB/sec throughput for 600 million verticies and 6.4 billion textured pixels per second. Both high-end graphics cards block the adjacent PCI slot. The Nvidia GeForce 6800 GT DDL graphics card will be available for order as a BTO option for Power Macs in early November.

Mac users face rare threat

A script-based threat that spies on Mac users was discovered late last week.

The malware, which has been dubbed Opener by Mac user groups, disables Mac OS X's built-in firewall, steals personal information and can destroy data.


Security experts say these traits are common among the thousands of online threats targeting Microsoft's ubiquitous Windows operating system but are virtually unheard of on Apple Computer's Mac OS.

Paul Ducklin, Sophos' head of technology in the Asia-Pacific region, said that the software, which Sophos calls Renepo, is designed to affect any Mac OS X drives connected to an infected system and that it leaves affected computers vulnerable to further attack.

Ducklin said Opener disables Mac OS X's built-in firewall, creates a back door so the malware author can control the computer remotely, locates any passwords stored on the hard drive, and downloads a password cracker called JohnTheRipper.

According to Ducklin, Opener tries to spread by copying itself to any drive that is mounted to the infected computer. This could be a local drive, part of a local network or a remote computer.

Most worryingly, Ducklin said, this could be the start of a spate of attacks that use Mac OS X’s scripting features against its users.

"The existence of Unix shells--such as Bash, for which this virus is written--and the presence of powerful networking commands opens up the game a little bit for Mac users. It is no longer necessary to know about Mac file formats or executables. You can write your malware in script. And if you really wanted to, you could probably write a portable virus that would run on many flavors of Unix" and Mac, said Ducklin.

Chris Waldrip, president of the U.S.-based Atlanta Macintosh Users Group, posted a detailed description of Opener on the MacInTouch Web site.

Waldrip, who acknowledges that the threat has him "a bit spooked," said Opener seems to have started out with a "legitimate purpose" but has now been developed into a replicating piece of malware.

"I'm not sure how this could be guarded against," he said.

Mikko Hypponen, director of antivirus research at F-Secure, said that viruses targeting the Macintosh system virtually disappeared in the late 1980s.

"Things have been really quiet on Macintosh front, virus-wise. Back in the late 1980s, viruses used to be a much bigger problem on Macs than on PCs. We here at F-Secure used to have an antivirus product for Mac but discontinued it after the macro viruses died out," said Hypponen.

Symantec said users of Norton AntiVirus for Mac OS X were protected as long as they had updated their signatures over the weekend. A representative for the company said the relevant signature files had been available since Friday evening.

Camera Phone Obsession Publish by Paraglyph Press

"Camera Phone Obsession" (Paraglyph Press) is a unique guide that marries
the technology of camera phones with its emerging culture. Author Peter
Aitken shows you how to purchase the best camera phones, how to best shoot
and print photos, what the best services are for sharing photos, and how
to use your camera phones with your PCs.

This book shows how camera phones are a breed apart from digital or film
cameras, and discusses the dos and don'ts of camera phone etiquette,
privacy, and legal concerns for camera phone users. The author guides you
through the basics of camera phone photography so you take the sharpest
pictures, navigate through the technology maze of sending and storing
photos, and save money and time with this emerging technology. The book
features numerous hands-on projects and tips and techniques to create art
and have lots of fun with camera phones.

"Camera Phone Obsession" discusses the key aspects of why camera phones
are such a phenomenon:

-Creating an image that can be instantly shared changes the way we think
of our day-to-day experiences.
-Technological limitations force the camera phone user to think about the
artistic aspects of the medium in new ways.
-Users are obsessed with the technology features of their phone and love
to share their experiences and thoughts with other users--creating another
cultural phenomenon, the moblog.


To order your copy or for more information, see:
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/1932111964/
or call 1-800-998-9938
or email orders@oreilly.com


Camera Phone Obsession
Peter Aitken
Publisher: Paraglyph Press
ISBN: 1-932111-96-4, 272 pages, $19.99 US, $28.99 CA
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/1932111964/

JOIN THE CULT OF MAC WITH LEANDER KAHNEY AS YOUR "SPIRITUAL GUIDE"

JOIN THE CULT OF MAC WITH LEANDER KAHNEY AS YOUR "SPIRITUAL GUIDE"


The much-anticipated hardcover book The Cult of Mac is arriving in
stores nationwide. Find out the lengths to which people will go to
personalize their hardware and adopt a Mac-centric lifestyle, as
documented in The Cult of Mac's 280 full-color pages and more than 500
original photos. It's full of people doing innovative, bizarre and
artistic things with their computers (such as the guy who makes furniture
out of cardboard Mac boxes and many who express their love with tattoos),
as well as interesting tidbits and trivia about the company, its history
and its personalities.

Leander Kahney covers Apple and the Mac community for Wired
News, where his Cult of Mag blog has been a reader favorite for several
years. He treats his subjects with humor but with fondness too. His
experiences interacting with Mac fanatics and attending Mac events around
the world are highly entertaining and introduce an element of human warmth
you wouldn't expect from technology.

WHO CARES? Anyone who's ever been passionate about a hobby will love this
story. Anyone who watches reality TV to see actual people being their
actual nutty selves will love this story. It's not just for techno-geeks
or Mac users.


BOOK INFO: THE CULT OF MAC, Leander Kahney,
ISBN 1886411832, November 2004
US $39.95 ($55.95 Cdn), 280 pp., 4-color, hardcover
Available at fine bookstores everywhere, from www.oreilly.com/nostarch, or
directly from No Starch Press (www.nostarch.com, orders@nostarch.com,
800.420.7240)
No Starch Press titles are distributed throughout the U.S. by O'Reilly
Media, Inc.

Syngress Publishing Announces the Release of "Game Console Hacking: Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo, Atari, & Gamepark 32"

Book Shows How to Hack Modern, Retro, and Classic Game Systems

Syngress Publishing, Inc., today announced
the publication of "Game Console Hacking: Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo,
Atari, & Gamepark 32" (ISBN: 1-931836-31-0), a book written by Joe Grand,
Frank Thornton, Albert Yarusso, and featuring a special foreword by Ralph
H. Baer, the "Father of Video Games."

Amorette Pedersen, Vice President, Syngress Publishing, said, "Covering
the 'old favorite' consoles of yesterday, right up to the latest machines
from Microsoft and Sony, this book has something for everyone--from the
beginner hobbyist with no electronics experience to the self-proclaimed
gadget geek. Whether you like to get your hands dirty with hacking
hardware or whether you're an aspiring game developer, this book shows you
how to take an ordinary piece of equipment and turn it into a personal
work of art."

Hacks include:
-Revive your retro console! Turn your old Atari 2600 into a fully featured PC.
-It's Independence Day! Hack your PlayStation 2 to boot code from the
memory card.
-GP32?! Experiment with the Gamepark 32, the unfamiliar yet extremely
hackable handheld system.
-Have you played Atari today? Create an arcade-style Atari 5200 paddle
controller or transform the Atari 2600 joystick into one that can be used
by left-handed players.
-You can do that? Run Linux on your Microsoft Xbox.
-Let there be light! Add an Afterburner LCD frontlight to your GBA.
-Avoid the flashing blue screen! Fix the infamous cartridge slot on the
Nintendo NES

Chapter topics include: Introduction to Hardware Hacking, Tools of the
Warranty Voiding Trade, Case Modifications: Building an Atari 2600PC,
Modern Game Consoles, Xbox, PS2, Handheld Game Platforms, Nintendo Game
Boy and GBA, GP32, Retro and Classic Systems, Nintendo NES, Atari 2600,
Atari 5200 SuperSystem, Atari 7800, and Electrical Engineering Basics.

BOOK DETAILS
ISBN: 1-931836-31-0

ELECTRIC RAIN SWIFT 3D 4.0 AND SWIFT 3D XPRESS NOW AVAILABLE FOR MAC OS X

New releases provide quick, easy and powerful 3D design capabilities for
Mac OS X users enabling direct integration of vector and raster-based 3D content into Macromedia Flash


Electric Rain, Inc.® announced the immediate availability of Swift 3D® version 4.0 and Swift 3D Xpress for the Mac OS X platform. Swift 3D is a standalone application allowing designers to build and export vector and raster-based 3D animations to the Macromedia® Flash (SWF) file format, as well as other popular formats. Swift 3D Xpress is a plug-in for Macromedia Flash that instantly converts 2D artwork and text to 3D animations without leaving the Flash interface. The applications are both available now at http://www.erain.com

"We are thrilled to introduce the powerful new set of 3D modeling and animation features included in Swift 3D 4.0 to the Mac OS X community," said Mike Soucie, President of Electric Rain. "This new release expands on Swift 3D's renowned ease-of-use and unrivaled vector output, further solidifying its leadership in the 3D to Flash market. Swift 3D now allows designers using Mac OS X to quickly and easily output professional quality 3D animations, while providing unlimited room for growth through its new advanced modeling environment."

For more info visit the Electric Rain web site at http://www.erain.com

O'Reilly Releases "Adobe InDesign CS One-on-One"

The new "Adobe InDesign CS One-on-One" is the closest thing possible
to private InDesign lessons with
author and Adobe Certified Expert Deke McClelland, the world-renowned
digital publishing guru whose more than seventy books on computer design
and imaging have won numerous industry awards.

In this highly visual, full-color book, McClelland guides readers through
a dozen topic-driven lessons, each with step-by-step, project-based
exercises. Readers will learn what to do--and why--as they develop both
the skills and understanding they need to become InDesign experts. "I
walk you through InDesign just as if I were teaching you in a classroom or
corporate consulting environment," says McClelland. "Except that instead
of getting lost in a crowd of students, you receive my individualized
attention. It's just you and me."

Readers work on relevant, real-world projects while mastering fundamental
and advanced concepts, theories, best practices, and techniques for making
the most of InDesign. "Read the book, watch the videos, do the exercises,"
advises McClelland. "Proceed at your own pace and experiment as you see
fit. It's the best way to learn." It's also the easiest and the most
enjoyable.

Deke McClelland's entertaining and comprehensive multimedia training
approach includes:
-Learning InDesign the best way--by putting the program through its paces.
In twelve information-packed lessons, McClelland walks readers through
more than fifty practical and useful projects, pointing out helpful tips
and hard-won insights along the way. Every file readers need is included
on the accompanying CD.
-Two hours of video instruction hosted by the author and produced by
computer training pioneers, Total Training. Readers can peek over
McClelland's shoulder as he introduces the key concepts for each lesson
and shows how to get real work done in real time.
-More than 600 full-color images, diagrams, and screen shots to illustrate
every key step along the way. "You're never left scratching your head,
puzzling over what to do next," assures McClelland.
-"Extra Credit" sections that show readers how to tap into InDesign's
powerful--and sometimes arcane--features to give documents a professional
polish.
-Multiple-choice quizzes follow each lesson--a great teaching tool for
educators and great way for new users to test their knowledge.

With McClelland's countless pearls of wisdom and unique one-on-one format,
this guide delivers a training experience like no other. As David Blatner,
author of "Real World Adobe InDesign CS" remarks, "This combination of
hands-on lessons and video demonstrations is invaluable. Deke really
brings InDesign to life!"

Additional Resources:

For more information about the book, including an author bio, see:
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/adobeindesign/index.html

O'Reilly Releases "Mac OS X Power Hound"

Fans of the Macintosh have spent years collecting and
sharing tips, tricks, and secrets--a keyboard shortcut here, an
undocumented double-click there--and then Mac OS X 10.3 came along. "This
OS, which has tripped up more than one computer veteran, is unlike
anything that came before," says Rob Griffiths, author of the new "Mac OS
X Power Hound, Panther Edition" .

Mac OS X has captured the attention of consumers and programmers alike
with its ability to run existing Mac programs along with Unix and Open
Source software. The latest version, Panther, includes more than a hundred
new features and improves many of the technologies underlying Mac OS X,
including graphics and the Unix-based core. It's an elegant operating
system with Formula One power under the hood, Griffiths says, and he
promises "the time you invest learning Mac OS X Panther will gain you
boatloads of speed and efficiency."

Mac OS X Panther harbors as many (or more) delicious secrets as any
operating system that came before--only users need to know where to find
them. "Mac OS X Power Hound" is the perfect resource for just that.

Griffiths is the creator and editor of Macosxhints.com (the most popular
Mac OS X tips site on the Web), and he knows Panther inside and out.
Together with editors David Pogue (weekly computer columnist for the "New
York Times" and creator of the Missing Manual series) and Adam Goldstein
(teenage Mac expert and the author of the soon-to-be-released
"AppleScript: The Missing Manual"), he delivers more than 400
illustrations, two massive chapters on Unix (the engine under Mac OS X's
hood) and reveals more than 650 secrets, hints, tips, and tricks in every
conceivable category, including:

-Desktop and Finder: Shut down using only the keyboard; use an animated
screen saver as a desktop picture; and jump to System Preferences with a
keystroke.
-iApps: Burn six hours of iTunes music onto a single CD; merge calendars
in iCal; and send an instant message to anyone's cell phone--straight from
iChat.
-All Apple programs: Unlock 32,000 secret Unicode symbols in each font;
rename the System Preferences panes; add an "Email this page" button to
Safari; and make Mail announce, in a British accent, "You've got mail, O
wise one."
-Mastering the system: Customize keystrokes in any application; connect to
a Mac from the road; and run a web bulletin board right from the desktop.
-Terminal: Save Terminal commands as Finder icons; put background programs
to sleep; download huge files to a home Mac by remote control; wake a
sleeping Mac via the Internet; unearth the secret emacs adventure game;
and more.

Each entry stands alone; readers can dip in and sample as needed while
they learn Panther's secrets, appreciate its idiosyncrasies, and manage to
customize it to their particular needs and wants. With "Mac OS X Power
Hound" at the ready, users will be finding easier, faster, and better ways
to use and enjoy Panther.

Additional Resources:

Chapter 3, "The Dock," is available online at:
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/macxpu/chapter/index.html

For more information about the book, including table of contents, index,
author bio, and samples, see:
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/macxpu/index.html

Apple Store Locations for iPod 1.0 (Free File of the Week)

Apple Store Locations for iPod 1.0

Contains all Apple Retail store locations, plus addresses, telephone numbers, and basic directions.

Requirements:
3rd or 4th generation or Mini iPod with firmware 2.0 or later.
Get it 4 free at http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/16224

Great stuff from the macupdate web site.

Apple: On the Road to iPod-Live! In 2005

It was during Fred Anderson’s last financial analyst meeting in March of this year where he and his associates let it be known that Apple’s iTunes wasn’t the only Trojan horse in their stable but that in fact the iPod itself was yet another.

In addition, Fred Anderson laid out Apple’s current roadmap as follows: 1 - Portable -- mobility and wireless communications, 2 - The digital lifestyle and 3 - Music, iPod, iPod mini, and iTunes Music Store.

At the time I found those two revelations quite odd. Let’s face it, Apple’s focus concerning the iTunes Music Store and the iPod up until that moment was focus number one, period. But then again, analyst meetings are about forward looking statements, so perhaps mobility and wireless communications would prove to be number one: A point to remember. But deeming the iPod a Trojan horse was an oddity given that their explanation remained couched within it being a hint. Why did they “hint” that it was a Trojan horse and then go on to present a quasi logical position? Could there be more to that statement that meets the eye?

Well, it appears that in fact it was really one of the best “heads-up” statements that Fred Anderson ever made on Apple’s behalf and over the next few chapters of this ongoing series of The Next Wave of the Internet, it will be proven that the iPod is a Trojan horse beyond anyone’s imagination.

The iPod as a Specialized Computer

In May, Jon Rubenstein was crowned leader of Apple’s newly created iPod division. Apple’s decision to choose an advanced engineer over a Hipster type personality to head up this cool new division was yet another square peg in a round hole. However, it began to make some sense once June rolled around and we got our next clue.

In Walt Mossberg’s continuing interview with Steve Jobs at the Wall Street Journal’s tech forum, this interesting exchange took place:

Mossberg: You said the iPod was a specialized computer, which I guess it is. You've been criticized for not playing in the low end of the PC market. Is the iPod your $400 computer?

Jobs: Yes, we actually approached it that way. We said we're going to invest in the iPod rather than the PDA and we also said it looks a lot like a $400 computer and for us the volume is pretty good. So yes.

So now we have a twist to the Trojan horse angle: it’s a specialized computer. That would indeed go a long way in explaining Jon Rubenstein’s new appointment if the iPod is in fact more than just a Music Player. But we’re still left with the question: What is meant by the term – specialized computer?

In short, the reference is in regards to Apple’s next generation iPod launching in 2005. In an upcoming chapter in the Next Wave of the Internet series, I’ll present you with a basic overview of this unit’s revolutionary architecture. However, in order to appreciate the need for such an architecture, I think it’s important to lead up to that story with the required context. So let’s begin this journey by exploring a few of the interesting interrelated initiatives that could tie into Apple’s future “iPod-Live” and beyond.

The iPod in Telematics

At this year’s World Wide Developer Conference, Steve Jobs introduced Apple’s entry initiative into consumer telematics with their BMW (see iPod/BMW video) announcement. Noteworthy is Steve Jobs closing point on this matter:
“This is a great first start but we think there's a lot more coming to mate iPod with car.”
(Starts @7:20 of Tiger QuickTime video)


That was completely in sync with his earlier comments to Walt Mossberg saying that “People want a much better solution for listening to music in their car. We're working with some folks and hope to have some exciting announcements later this year”. So what could these exciting announcements entail? Well, while I don’t claim to have a crystal ball, I could fill you in on some of the developments that are happening behind the Telematics scene that have Apple’s fingerprints all over them in an attempt to give you a bit of a heads-up.

Psst…Take a peek

On Motorola’s Automotive Technology page you’ll find two very interesting QuickTime (only) presentations.


The first titled Total-E basically covers how a QuickTime-Live type of in-car iService platform will use simple voice commands to make a music transaction to your online account in realtime while driving. You could easily extrapolate that principle to next year’s iPod by substituting the voice command with a simple click of the wheel feature. In addition, Apple will either provide a built-in on-the-fly transaction identification/security feature and/or offer an optional Java smart-card upgrade.

The second Motorola presentation titled In Sync simply covers how in-car voice-mail/smart-mail systems will be able to interact with cross-continental iService based accounts such as a live version of Apple’s .Mac.

In context with the recent Apple-Motorola iTunes mobile music player agreement, we could easily see how this agreement is likely to extend into Motorola’s Total-E platform. We’re also likely to hear more about additional collaborative joint-initiatives on this platform in 2005.

Satellite Radio: Part one

Advanced Telematics like Motorola’s Total-E platform could work seamlessly with various types of Satellite based iServices including those from OnStar or Satellite Radio stations Sirius and XM. This brings us back to Apple’s iPod to BMW scenario. Sirius Satellite Radio has exclusive agreements with certain BMW models as well as with Ford, Chrysler, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Volvo, Mazda, Dodge, Jeep®, Volkswagen, Audi, Nissan and Infiniti vehicles. So as Apple’s “Live” features come on board we’re likely to hear of an agreement with Sirius. Sirius by the way, at least lists Apple’s Safari browser as supported browser even though they still require that you use the MS Media Player. Perhaps that’ll change in 2005. If you want a little more on this subject, check out: Apple could make a Sirius move into Satellite Radio.


Satellite radio goes beyond the car to include businesses, boats, boom-boxes, PDA’s and so forth. If it could connect to a PDA, I’m sure the iPod will be introducing this feature in 2005.

And lastly on this topic, there’s this from the How Things Work site - In comparison to traditional radio, Internet radio is not limited to audio. An Internet radio broadcast can be accompanied by photos or graphics, text and links, as well as interactivity, such as message boards and chat rooms. This advancement allows a listener to do more than listen. In the example of a listener who hears an ad for a computer printer ordered that printer through a link on the Internet radio broadcast Web site. And in order to do that, we’ll need to use…

The Micro-Browser

Here’s an example of a micro-browser that could be found over at QNX. It’s designed for micro displays in cars and other types of digital devices. QNX offers the leading in-vehicle multimedia systems platform utilizing the “Media Oriented Systems Transport” (or MOST) bus specification which is the leading auto industry standard. The QNX Software System is the industry leader in realtime, microkernel OS technology. The inherent reliability, scalable architecture, and proven performance of the QNX Neutrino RTOS (Real-time Operating System) makes it the most trusted foundation for future-ready applications in the networking, automotive, medical, and industrial automation markets.


What’s interesting with the QNX example of the micro browser is that the system uses Netscape extensions (frames, JavaScript, tag attributes) and the plug-in support conforms to the Netscape plug-in interface. In context, that directly links to the reasoning behind the birth of the New Browser Alliance that came out of Apple’s World Wide Developer Conference (WWDC) on June 30, 2004. Note the following content from their joint press release:

The Mozilla Foundation, in partnership with Apple, Macromedia, Opera and Sun Microsystems today announced a series of changes to web browser plugins that will allow web developers to offer richer web browsing experiences, helping to maintain innovation and standards on the Net.

"Apple is happy to have made a significant contribution to this next generation plugin technology," said Philip Schiller, Apple's Senior Vice President of Worldwide Product Marketing. "Apple is a strong advocate for web standards and will ensure that Mac OS X Safari users have access to the latest standards-based web technology."

Web browsers capable of supporting the new plugin enhancements and plugins that take advantage of the new capabilities are expected to ship this fall.

That “significant contribution to this next generation plugin technology” that Phil Schiller was referring to is none other than Apple’s WebCore. In February 2004 KDE was the first to adopt WebCore into their Konqueror browser after working with Apple’s Safari team for well over a year. More recently, the Omni Group’s OmniWeb 5 browser adopted WebCore using their new slogan “Revolutionize your web browsing experience.” Now those within the new browser alliance will be on board WebCore.

So although the QNX example of a micro-browser GUI is that of another brand doesn’t exclude Safari from running on the QNX platform. It may not be an official offering today, but it will be in the not too distant future. Furthermore, if WebCore is the underlying framework for all future Alliance browsers, then Apple gains the ability to offer consumer based iServices like iTunes or and any future enterprise pro-iService to a much wider audience captured by this new “open” browser-platform. If you’re a shareholder, then you probably just cracked a smile just about now. That works both ways, so it’s a win-win situation for the entire Alliance. Lastly on this point, Apple’s Safari has a unique twist in regards to a micro-browser design launching in 2005 that I’ll present to you in an upcoming report. It’s going to Rock and Roll!

The Micro Dashboard-Display

This particular in-vehicle Micro Dashboard-Display is from Vision Joy of Korea. You’d have to agree with me that this kind of puts a whole new twist on Apple’s forthcoming Dashboard widgets running on WebCore based browsers. Better yet, is the context it provides us with in order to better understand the mysterious Euro filing concerning a wireless display from Apple. Here’s how the reporter of the Register described the patent and illustrations:


The filing, made in May this year but only published this week, covers a "handheld computer" and contains sketches of what looks like an iBook screen minus the body of the computer. Hints that Apple might be working on such a product emerged in 2003 when a source close to Taiwanese contract manufacturer Quanta claimed that the company had been hired by Apple to build what was dubbed a "wireless display".

Instead of viewing it as an iBook screen minus the body of the computer (which is a rather useless vision), consider this perspective: A portable wireless in-vehicle display.


Pay particular attention to the unit’s underside that apparently provides for a detachable mechanism. That means that this unit was designed to be a wireless multi-purpose portable display from the very beginning. Think of it as a dual in-home/in-vehicle display. Nice move Apple!

In the Beginning… Apple created iPod

While this may conclude part one, it’s only the beginning. I think I’ve provided you with a bit more food for thought in respect to the notion of Apple’s Next Wave of the Internet, and in this chapter I’ve tried to focus in on a few of Apple’s “Live!” based initiatives Like the QuickTime-Live iServices platform and the next generation iPod-Live unit using Satellite connections.

There’s a lot to get excited about here folks. There’ll be more innovation coming out of Apple over the next two years than we’ve seen in the last decade. What I’m excited about is how in-depth their initiatives are both technically and from a marketing stand point.

By providing you with a bit of context, I hope you’re now better able to understand why the iPod was characterized as a specialized computer and why Apple’s top engineer Jon Rubenstein was assigned to lead the new iPod division – because it’s not just about music. If you don’t get it yet, you will once you see the radical architecture the next generation iPod is going adopt.

And lastly, throughout this series and going forward when you read about initiatives coming out of Sun Microsystems, keep in mind as I pointed out in part one of this series, that the whole software-system for Telematics and beyond in respect to mobility is centered around Sun Microsystems’ Java mobile platform to which Apple is a major partner. It could very well provide you with a “heads-up” perspective on what’s ahead for Apple. It’s been proven time and time again.

Apple fixes unexpected G5 update behaviour

Apple has released an amended firmware update for single processor Power Mac G5s that fixes 'unexpected behaviour' in the first version of the update, released two weeks ago.

Apple notes that Power Mac G5 Uniprocessor Firmware Update 5.1.5f1 could cause several problems including a kernel panic, the loss of USB function with some keyboards or mouse tracking devices, Bluetooth USB modules that don't respond five minutes after starting up and interrupted audio playback in iTunes.

The fixed update - Power Mac G5 Uniprocessor Firmware Update 5.1.5f2 - is available from www.apple.com/support/downloads.

Apple, Jobs nominated for Billboard Digital awards

Apple and Steve Jobs are among the finalists in the first annual Billboard Digital Entertainment Awards, which will be presented on November 5 in Los Angeles. Apple was nominated in three categories, including Innovator of the Year for iTunes (BitTorrent, Sony's Eyetoy, and XM Radio), Brand of the Year (EA Sports, Virgin Mobile, and XM Radio), and Best Music Service (Musicmatch, Napster, and Rhapsody) categories. Jobs was nominated as the Visionary of the Year.

Apple Unveils Fastest, Most Affordable iBook G4 Ever

iBook Now With Built-in Wireless Networking Starts at Just $999 (USD)

Apple unveiled the fastest, most affordable iBook® G4 ever for consumers and education customers, featuring built-in AirPort Extreme 54 Mbps 802.11g wireless networking across the line and prices starting at just $999 (USD). The iBook line includes PowerPC G4 processors running up to 1.33 GHz and an available slot-load SuperDrive(TM) for burning DVDs, as well as Apple's breakthrough iLife '04 suite for managing digital music and photos, making movies and music and creating professional-quality DVDs.

"Designed for the digital life on the go, the iBook G4 has been incredibly popular with consumers and students," said David Moody, Apple's vice president of Worldwide Mac Product Marketing. "With prices starting at just $999, including AirPort Extreme wireless networking built-in and faster PowerPC G4 processors, the new iBooks are a great deal for every student, home user and small business owner."

Encased in a sleek, durable polycarbonate plastic enclosure, the new 12- and 14-inch iBooks offer improved performance with either a 1.2 GHz or 1.33 GHz PowerPC G4 processor. Providing up to six hours of battery life for all-day use on the road or in the classroom,* the iBook lineup offers AirPort Extreme 54 Mbps 802.11g wireless networking in every model and an optional internal Bluetooth module for wirelessly connecting peripherals such as the Apple Wireless Keyboard and Apple Wireless Mouse.** All iBook G4 models also offer a full complement of I/O ports including FireWire® 400, USB 2.0, a built-in 56K v.92 modem and Ethernet (10/100BASE-T) for connectivity to a wide range of peripherals such as speakers, MIDI keyboards and iPod®.

Providing world class graphics capabilities, each iBook G4 offers ATI Mobility Radeon 9200 graphics with 32MB of dedicated DDR memory and AGP 4X support for gaming and watching DVDs, as well as VGA video out for easy mirroring to projection systems and external displays. The new iBook G4 also includes either a slot-load SuperDrive, for burning both DVDs and CDs, or a slot-load combo drive capable of burning and playing CDs and watching DVDs.

Every new iBook G4 also includes iLife '04, Apple's award-winning suite of digital lifestyle applications including iTunes® for managing digital music, iPhoto for organizing and sharing digital photos, iMovie® for digital movie making, iDVD® for creating and burning Hollywood-style DVDs and GarageBand(TM), the revolutionary music application that turns a Mac® into a professional-quality musical instrument and recording studio. iBook G4 also comes with a collection of productivity and entertainment titles including AppleWorks®, Mac OS® X Mail, Quicken 2005 for Mac, WorldBook Encyclopedia 2004 Edition, Marble Blast Gold and Nanosaur 2.

The iBook G4 comes with Apple's latest operating system pre-installed. Mac OS X version 10.3 "Panther" delivers more than 150 breakthrough features including iChat AV, an easy to use personal video conferencing solution; FileVault, which uses the latest security standards and 128-bit encryption technology to ensure that data in the home directory is kept secure; Exposi(TM), a revolutionary new way to instantly access any open window; Instant On, which wakes the iBook from sleep in just one second; Apple Setup Assistant, a migration tool that allows Mac users to quickly and easily transfer files, applications, and preferences from one Macintosh® to another; and Automatic Networking, which automatically switches the network connections between Ethernet, 802.11 and modem. With enhanced Windows compatibility, files, printers and network services can easily be shared with Windows users.

Pricing & Availability

The new iBook lineup is immediately available through The Apple Store® (www.apple.com), Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers in three standard configurations.

Apple To Unveil Special-Edition U2 iPod

Apple Computer is readying a new special-edition iPod that will coincide with the release of U2's upcoming CD, entitled "Vertigo," according to rumors circulating widely in the Mac community.

Earlier this week, press reports surfaced indicating that Apple CEO Steve Jobs (news - web sites), U2 lead singer Bono and U2 guitarist The Edge would be hosting an invitation-only event on October 26th, which most likely will be the setting for the announcement of a new iteration of the iPod, Apple's enormously popular digital jukebox.

The so-called U2 edition iPod reportedly will include "Vertigo" and selections from the band's extensive back-catalog. The iPods will come in black and will be available the week of November 23rd, the week in which the new CD is expected to be released.

The likely emergence of this new U2 iPod seems in keeping with the relationship being forged between U2 and the Cupertino, California-based computer maker. U2 already has an agreement that gives Apple's iTunes Music Store exclusive online rights to sell the new album for the first several weeks following its release.

Moreover, Apple's latest iPod-iTunes advertisement features U2 singing a portion of the title track to the new album, which is also available for download exclusively at the iTunes Music Store.

Such an announcement, if it comes to pass, makes sense primarily because it would be coming in time for the holiday gift-buying season, Gartner G2 research director Mike McGuire told NewsFactor.

Moreover, the concept of customized iPods makes sense because the digital-music market still is in transition, with many more people choosing CDs over online downloads.

Purchasing a U2-branded iPod, should one be released, would require discretionary income, said McGuire, but if a potential purchaser is comfortable with the price point and has a rabid U2 fan on his or her Christmas gift list, "it would obviously be a very cool Christmas present -- though it might be the only present that [recipient] gets for the next year."

Campaigns like this one have the potential to differentiate Apple's iPod-iTunes offering in an increasingly competitive market, McGuire said.

"Apple has been very good at these sorts of campaigns over the years," said McGuire.

Apple ends Jaguar iChat AV development

Apple Computer this week quietly terminated both the development and sale of its iChat AV instant messaging software for users of its Mac OS X 10.2 "Jaguar" operating system, sources close to the company have revealed.

In a note to company employees, Apple's marketing division announced an end to the electronic sale and distribution of the software, stating that the Jaguar-based application is now EOL (end-of-life).

Subsequent checks of product availability confirm the removal of iChat AV from the company's online store. Likewise, a posting on the iChat product page, which once advertised the software to Jaguar users for a small fee, has also disappeared.

Apple introduced iChat AV along with its Mac OS X 10.3 "Panther" operating system in June of 2003, but also made the software available to users of Mac OS X v10.2.5 "Jaguar" or later as a standalone upgrade for $29.95.

The precise reasoning behind the discontinuation of the software for Jaguar users is unknown, but the company is hard at work on a new version of iChat AV that will deliver improved video quality, three-way video chat, extended audio conferencing, and Jabber support. This update is due in early 2005 as part of Mac OS X 10.4 "Tiger."

Apple Update Remote Desktop

Apple Remote Desktop Admin 2.1
The Apple Remote Desktop Admin version 2.1 Update delivers enhanced functionality and improved reliability for Apple Remote Desktop 2 and is recommended for all users of Apple Remote Desktop. Key enhancements include:
Support for full screen mode when controlling and observing remote computers

Support for controlling and observing remote computers with multiple monitors

Support for mouse scroll wheel and right-click when controlling remote computers

Support for computer restart for packages that require a restart

Improved reporting of output for the Send UNIX command

Improved printing of hardware and software reports

Improved remote data collection

Improved file copy for files on networked home directories

Enhanced column sorting in Administration application



For detailed information on this Update, please visit this website: http://www.info.apple.com/kbnum/n108086


Apple Remote Desktop Client 2.1
The Apple Remote Desktop version 2.1 Client Update delivers enhanced functionallity and improved reliability for Apple Remote Desktop 2 and is recommended for all users of Apple Remote Desktop

For detailed information on this Update, please visit this website: http://www.info.apple.com/kbnum/n108086

NOTE: Apple Remote Desktop version 2.1 Clients can only be managed by Apple Remote Desktop version 2.1 Admin software. Please unsure that have upgraded your Apple Remote Desktop Admin aoftwae to version 2.1 before upgrading your clients.

Apple "mini" stores to feature self-checkout stations

Apple Computer last week debuted its long-anticipated new style of retail store, opening six stores that are less than one-half the size of previous locations, and featuring a new design that's heavy on stainless steel.

At a satellite-televised press event at the new Stanford Shopping Center (N. Calif.) mini-store, Apple CEO Steve Jobs pulled back a black curtain to reveal the new store design, and said the smaller size would allow the company to take its products to more locations and potential customers. The stores are about 750 square-feet, according to Sr. V-P Retail Ron Johnson, small enough to fit into venues beyond shopping malls, perhaps in airports and university bookstores.

Two days later the Apple faithful arrived early at the six store locations to examine the new design in person, and to stand in line for the grand opening. But Apple had covered the storefronts with a black covering, which they removed just before the stores opened to the usual excitement and applause from the Mac enthusiasts. Once the stores opened, just 40 persons were allowed in at a time, a much smaller group that the bigger stores.

The store interior is highlighted by stainless steel walls, large back-lit photographs, a one-piece back-lit ceiling, and a shiny white, epoxy floor. There are two familiar-looking wooden display shelves at the front of the store, but the product mix is more limited: iPods, iPod Minis, iBooks, Powerbooks and iMac G5 desktops. At the rear of the store are wall-mounted steel shelves for accessories, software and books. A smaller version of the standard Genius Bar is at the very back of the store.

Perhaps the most interesting element of the new store is the two self-service check-out stations about half-way back into the store, mounted in either wall. The stations are intended to allow busy customers to simply grab their merchandise off the shelf, scan the barcode, and use a credit or debit card to complete their own purchase. However, during the grand openings, the stations weren't available for customer use, since the necessary touch-screen software hadn't been installed. So, store employees used the "easy pay" stations to process purchases during the grand opening, leaving the promise of self-service for a future time.

One other piece of new technology was introduced at the mini-stores: Vocera communications badges, which use the stores' AirPort base stations and Apple's IP network to allow local and inter-store voice communications. Store employees wear the tiny badges on a lanyard and can use them for paging, text messaging and telephone features. They're intended to allow mini-store employees to check with nearby larger stores for product stocks.

Jobs and Johnson both appeared at the Stanford store in mid-afternoon to gauge the success of the new mini-stores, and Jobs even obliged several people who wanted their photo taken with him.

Apple will open at least three additional mini-stores, in Syracuse (NY), Bethesda (Md.) and St. Louis (Mo.). At the press event, Jobs said the company would evaluate the mini-store performance and then decide whether to open additional branches of the mini-stores. No news as to when and if Canada will get any.....like always!

Apple to announce 4G iPod with color display, report confirms

Apple news and rumor site ThinkSecret claims that Apple Computer will introduce an iPod with photo-viewing capabilities within the next 30 to 60 days, further corroborating an AppleInsider report published earlier this year.

According to the rumor site, the player will now sport a 60GB drive rather than the previously rumored 50GB. Other details remain the same including a 2-inch color liquid crystal display, audio/video-out capabilities.
The web site adds that the player will also feature synchronization with Apple's iPhoto application.

No precise introduction date was reported.