Aluminum & Glass

WWDC Announcements 3G iPhone & Mobile Me

2008-06-09T14:10:00.000-07:00

Quick WWDC Coverage

iPhone:

The iPhone 3G will be available July 11th in 22 countries for $199 for 8 GB and $299 for 16 GB.

New Features:

-3G-capable
-GPS
-2.0 Software( App store, Microsoft Exchange, new calculator, ect)
-Thinner in some parts thicker in others (Tapers like Macbook Air)
-Comes in White & Black (White is only an option on the 16gb model)
-Lighter
-flush headphone jack and improved Audio
-Better battery life: 5 hours talk time on 3G 10 hours on 2G, 300 hours stand buy time, 5 hours of internet use on 3G and 6 hours on Wifi, 7 hours of video playback, and 24 hours of Audio playback.

Things to note:

-Dose not come with a dock like previous generations
-Comes with new mini wall charger
-Plastic back might be more prone to scratches and finger prints
-No front facing camera, only rear facing like previous (2.0 megapixel)

Mobile me:

-Push Email
-Push calendar
-Push contacts
-Synchronization between iPhone, Mac and PC (Outlook for Windows integration)
-Desktopish Web Applications for Mail/Contacts/Calendar/photo gallery/ iDisk /
-Individual membership comes with 20GB storage
-Family membership comes with 40gb of storage

My Thoughts:

I personally can not wait for the new iPhone to launch here in Canada i am fairly certain that i will be lining up to get one on launch (unless my contract holds me back). I like the new look of the iPhone but the new black back is probably prone to scratches and finger prints more than that of the previous generations aluminum backside. One confusing thing about the new iPhone is that it comes in white as well.. it doesn't make sense to me with Apples new design direction. Overall im impressed an excited for the new iPhone as well as Mobile me but, i still think that .Macs replacements price is too high for what you get.

Images and information from Apple

Movies finaly avalable on iTues for Canada!

2008-06-04T16:55:00.000-07:00

Apple has announced that Movies are now available for both rental and purchase on the Canadian iTunes store; now i have another reason to finally get an Apple TV. If you rent you have up to 30 days to start watching it,when you start a movie you get 48 hours to finish it.

$9.99 catalog title purchases

$14.99 for recent releases

$19.99 for new releases.

Rentals are $3.99 for library titles a

$4.99 for new releases

HD is one loonie more (Apparently only avalable through Apple TV)

Quote from Apple:

“Canadians have made iTunes the most popular place to find and buy music and TV shows online,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s vice president of iTunes. “We’re thrilled to give iTunes customers access to over 1,200 movies from major studios to rent or purchase, whether to enjoy at home on their widescreen TV with Apple TV or on-the-go on their iPod.”

New Apple Retail Store in Vancouver Overview

2008-05-24T16:04:00.000-07:00

Today i went to the Grand opening of an Apple retail store in Vancouver B.C. Canada; The wait was long (about 3 hours) but it was well worth it. The store is simply beautiful and the staff was truly amazing; it was like nothing i have ever experienced before. Check out the video i made for a more in depth look at the store.

Vancouver B.C. Apple store Opening! May 24, 2008

2008-05-20T23:23:00.000-07:00

An official Apple store is now going to open in Vancouver Canada; the store will be located in Pacific Center ( 701 West Georgia street). The doors open at 10:00 am, be sure to line up early for some free t-shirts!

Apple spills the beans on new Macbook?

2008-05-11T20:58:00.000-07:00

For a brief moment of time Apples website showed a promo for its Macbook line saying "Up to 2.6 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo." At the moment the Macbook line only goes up to 2.4 GHz is it a typo? or did Apple spill the beans on the new Macbook processor?

Leopard Tip: How to Setup Time Machine

2008-05-01T19:03:00.000-07:00

One of the new and very useful features in Mac OSX Leopard is Time Machine; In this post i will show you how to set up a Time Machine backup drive in three easy steps.

Step 1: Connect your back-up drive of choice (must be at least the size of your internal drive)

Step 2: Launch the Time Machine application in either your dock or application folder if it did not launch automatically.

Step 3: Slide the Off button to On, and choose where and when you want to backup your files.

iPhone Finally Coming To Canada!!!!

2008-04-29T16:15:00.000-07:00

iPhone finally coming to Canada!

It is about dam time, i have waited ages for the iPhone to finally drop in Canada. Rogers has officially announced that the iPhone will be coming to Canada later this year! I no i will be lining up on launch day :D

Official statement from Rogers:

TORONTO, April 29 /CNW/ - Ted Rogers, President and Chief Executive
Officer of Rogers Communications Inc. today issued the following statement:
We're thrilled to announce that we have a deal with Apple to bring the
iPhone to Canada later this year. We can't tell you any more about it right
now, but stay tuned.

iMac updated to faster Intel Processors

2008-04-28T16:15:00.000-07:00

Apple Updated the iMac with a processor bump today; the new Intel chips have 6mb of L2 cache and a 1066 MHz front-side bus.

Specs for the latest models are as follows:

20", 2.4GHz, 1GB RAM, 250GB Hard Drive, ATI Radeon HD 2400 XT 128MB. $1199

20", 2.6GHz, 2GB RAM, 320GB Hard Drive, ATI Radeon HD 2600 PRO 256MB, $1499

24", 2.8GHz, 2GB RAM, 320GB Hard Drive, ATI Radeon HD 2600 PRO 256MB, $1799

24", 3.06GHz, 2GB RAM, 500GB Hard Drive, NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GS 512MB, $2199

Apple brings home the bacon

2008-04-23T18:37:00.000-07:00

Apple officially announced its profits for the second quarter which ended March 29, 2008. Today Apple achieved a revenue of $7.51 billion dollars! Read below for official details from Apples site.

P.S. I'm taking a short brake this week to make adjustments to the blog, it will be up and running regularly on monday.

(CUPERTINO, California—April 23, 2008—Apple® today announced financial results for its fiscal 2008 second quarter ended March 29, 2008. The Company posted revenue of $7.51 billion and net quarterly profit of $1.05 billion, or $1.16 per diluted share. These results compare to revenue of $5.26 billion and net quarterly profit of $770 million, or $.87 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter. Gross margin was 32.9 percent, down from 35.1 percent in the year-ago quarter. International sales accounted for 44 percent of the quarter’s revenue.

Apple shipped 2,289,000 Macintosh® computers during the quarter, representing 51 percent unit growth and 54 percent revenue growth over the year-ago quarter. The Company sold 10,644,000 iPods during the quarter, representing one percent unit growth and eight percent revenue growth over the year-ago quarter. Quarterly iPhone™ sales were 1,703,000.

“We’re delighted to report 43 percent revenue growth and the strongest March quarter revenue and earnings in Apple’s history,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “With over $17 billion in revenue for the first half of our fiscal year, we have strong momentum to launch some terrific new products in the coming quarters.”

“We’re thrilled to have generated $4 billion in cash flow from operations in the first half of fiscal 2008, yielding an ending cash balance of $19.4 billion,” said Peter Oppenheimer, Apple’s CFO. “Looking ahead to the third quarter of fiscal 2008, we expect revenue of about $7.2 billion and earnings per diluted share of about $1.00.”)

Leopard Tip, how to customize Stacks

2008-04-22T16:49:00.000-07:00

One of the annoyances with stacks is that the top most document/application icon appears and shows all of them clumped together, in my opinion it looks ugly and disorganized. A simple way to solve this problem is to download a set of icons provided by Optica Optima. The download adds a drawer like image to your stacks; When you do this you create an elegant and organized solution.

Step 1: create a stack if you haven't already, all you have to do is drag and drop the folder that you want to become a stack into the right side of your dock.

Step 2: Download and unzip the package

Step 3: Drag the the icon you want to its corresponding stack

Its as simple as that, enjoy your beautified stacks :D

iPhone coming to Italy!

2008-04-21T17:27:00.001-07:00

The Italian newspaper La Repubblica says that he iPhone is coming to Italy. The provider is said to be Telecom Italia; and they will not be sharing revenue with Apple. The contract is apparently not going to be long-term, but the iPhone will be 3G.

Apple continues to force Safari on Windows users

2008-04-20T12:35:00.000-07:00

Apple has made some changes to there safari update via iTunes, since it has had some major criticisms. The prior update placed safari with the iTunes update so windows users wold think its an update. The new download manager separates the two in sections "updates" and "new software". I personally think Apple shouldn't force downloads on people to gain safaris market share, if safari is the superior browser people will download it on there own.

New Aluminum Macbook and Macbook pros leaked?

2008-04-17T16:55:00.001-07:00

Today a Macrumors reader came across a sketchy .Mac web site and forwarded it to them. The page has "promotional" images of Apple products and some were ones that haven't been released (the new Macbook, Macbook pro and iTunes 8)

Update: it appears that the images are indeed fan made, but that does not explain how the email was from an Apple owned account :O something seams fishy...

Safari update 3.1.1 now avalabe, recomended for all users

2008-04-16T15:59:00.000-07:00

New Safari updates for both Mac and Windows (seeing safari on windows still gives me shudders) Apple says that this update is recommended for all Safari users and it includes improvements to stability, compatibility and security.

NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT upgrade kit released!

2008-04-15T17:24:00.000-07:00

Apple released a new graphics upgrade kit today, the kit is the $279 NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT (first generation) The new Graphics upgrade offers 512mb of dedicated memory, PCI Express interface, and has two dual link DVI ports. Apple says "Requires Mac Pro (bus speed 1.33GHz) with PCI-Express Includes a DVI to VGA connector for easy connection to VGA-based displays. Note to owners of Mac Pro (early 2008): Please select the NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT (early 2008) Graphics Upgrade Kit for Mac Pro."

Psystar comes out with Headless Mac

2008-04-14T19:58:00.000-07:00

Psystar has announced an $399 PC called "Open Mac" they claim that it is a leopard compatible mac built from PC parts. The $399 price tag gets you a 2.2GHz intel core 2 duo, with 2gb of ram, integrated intel GMA 900 Graphics, 20x DVD drive, 4 usb ports, and a 250GB 7200RPM drive.

Robert from Psystar says that they are not doing anything wrong or illegal..."Psystar believes Apple's prohibition against third-party installations might not hold up in court: What if Honda said that, after you buy their car, you could only drive it on the roads they said you could? We're not breaking any laws,"

Nike+ coming to the iPhone and iPod Touch

2008-04-13T13:50:00.000-07:00

Stuff.tv reported that on a tour of the Nike campus located in Oregon that the Nike+ fitness kit will be expanding to include the iPod Touch and the iPhone not only the Nano.

Pro Applications Update

2008-04-11T17:02:00.000-07:00

Apple is sure releasing allot of updates this month, today Apple released a Pro Applications update. This update improves reliability for all of Apple's pro applications like final cut studio, final cut server, logic studio, and shake.

Adobe Media Player for Mac

2008-04-10T17:44:00.001-07:00

Adobe launched an new media player today which offers free content that is ad-suppoted. Adobe said that it will have payment systems in the near future for rentals and purchases. The Adobe Media Player supports FLV, h.264, and HD content (1080p, 720p) It is said that this content is to be DRM free when downloads are available. I have tried it out my self and its pretty slick so far look for a review soon.

Adobe Media Player

iPhone build v2.0 brings contact search and meeting invite folder

2008-04-09T16:43:00.000-07:00

A new beta for the iPhone was released (v2.0) on Tuesday which includes lots of minor adjustments but also come with new goodies like contact search and meeting invite folder. On previous builds the button for this option didn't do anything.

Firmware update time

2008-04-08T17:51:00.000-07:00

Today Apple released firmware updates for the Macbook Air, Macbook, Macbook pro, and iMac.

Apple says

"This update fixes several issues to improve the stability of [MacBook Air. Macbook, MacBook Pro, iMac] computers."

There is also an Aluminum keyboard firmware update available for download

"This firmware update addresses an issue with the aluminum Apple Keyboard and the aluminum Apple Wireless Keyboard where a key may repeat unexpectedly while typing." The update is available through software update.

Apple notebooks are about to see Major Design changes

2008-04-07T17:10:00.000-07:00

Appleinsider claims that the current Macbook and Macbook Pros are about to go through a "major" design change. The Macbook family is said to adopt the same look as the Macbook Air being both more economically friendly and lighter/thinner. Those who hate the black keyboard might want to stay away, since this keyboard is likely coming to the new Apple notebooks. The new Macbook's are rumored to launch in June with the Montevina chipset, which are said to have a faster front-side bus (1066MHz) and processor speeds of (2.26-3.06GHz).

Images of the 3G iPhone appear

2008-04-06T17:53:00.000-07:00

Apparently the next generation iPhone will have a shiny black back instead of the aluminum one it had before... Some images of the next generation iPhone are popping up all over the web, although this could very well be a custom colorware iPhone it also might not. I personally like the aluminum it has now and think the shiny black plastic makes it look cheep what are your thoughts?

3G iPhone coming in 60 days?

2008-04-05T12:08:00.000-07:00

Walt Mossberg says that there will be an iPhone with 3G in about 60 days, since Mossberg usually gets Apple products ahead of time to review them.. he possibly might all ready have one, or one is coming for him to review in 60 days.
9to5mac reports

On another note i will be back on track to blog regularly now since i am no longer sick, luckily not too much Apple news has been dropped or rumored this week. I look forward to get back into the swing of things tomorrow.

Mac OS X 10.5.3 (9d10) seeded to developers

2008-03-30T00:59:00.000-07:00

Apple released Mac OS X 10.5.3 (9d10) to developers yesterday, this update addresses multiple issues with dashboard, parental controls, iCal syncing, memory leeks and stability problems. The parental controls are in dire need of fixing in fact some of the settings do not even work at all, like time limits and website restrictions, hopefully this seed will improve there stability issues.

Asus Eee PC 900 is a Macbook Air wannabe

2008-03-26T11:56:00.000-07:00

The manual of the new Asus Eee PC 900 reveals a Macbook Air style trackpad, no GPS or Touch screen as previous rumors suggested. Will Asus be able to create the smooth feel of the Apple trackpad or will it be just a cheep nock off? Although this might be bad news for Apple its good news for consumers because, this means that multi-touch will probably be mainstream and will be offer by other companies other than Apple.

3G iPhone coming in a few months?

2008-03-26T11:27:00.000-07:00

Ken Dulaney claims that he has herd from "sources in Asia" that Apple has already ordered 10 million 3G iPhones. Some other feature that are said to make it into this version of the iPhone are an OLED display which would improve battery life, and a camera on the front for video calling. This version of the iPhone is said to drop in a few months, so hold of on buying one if you can.

John Mayer reports a Bug to Apple :P

2008-03-24T23:10:00.000-07:00

John Mayer reports a bug to Apple read on to find out what happened its actually quite funny.

He wrote

"From time to time, I ask my Mac to do a few too many things at once and an application locks up on me. When it does, it asks me if I'd like to report the incident to Apple. It always strikes me as unnecessary, like filing an insurance claim on a fender bender that doesn't leave any damage. "I don't see any reason to make this harder on us", I say. Lately, though, I've been wondering what would happen if I did file a report, and it is out of sheer curiosity that I decided to click on the blue button instead of the white one..I'll let you know if I get a response from anyone at Apple. I wonder if somebody on the other side is really going to read it ... I can hear it now, the squeak of a chair pushing away from a desk as a man grinds his cigarette into an ashtray, stands up waving a printout over his head and screams "WE GOT AN iTUNES CRASH OVER HEEAH!!!" Because in my mind everything looks like a '60s era spy movie.

Mac Mini to be reworked?

2008-03-21T22:39:00.001-07:00

Apparently there is a small team of engineers that have been working on the Mac Mini, and giving it a new lease on life. Some of the changes include processors from 2.1GHz with 3MB of L2 cache and 800MHz front side bus. The new Mac mini is said to have the same internal graphics card as the current Macbook lineup.

Adobe will bring Flash to the iPhone

2008-03-19T10:38:00.000-07:00

Adobe is developing a flash player for the iPhone, however it is almost impossible with the current SDK because you cannot create plugins. Though there is an option that does seam most likely if Apple doesn't allow a flash plugin for Safari. Adobe would just have to develop a standalone flash player just like quicktime.

Subscription based iTunes service

2008-03-19T10:32:00.000-07:00

Apple to offer a subscription based iTunes service in the near future, meaning you play a fee every month and download what you want; or that iPod and iPhone users will be able to access the entire iTunes library as users are already paying a premium for the device.

iPhone flip phone patent

2008-03-17T10:58:00.000-07:00

Apple has filed a patent for an iPhone "clamshell" (Flip Phone). is this the rumored iPhone Nano? The patent features a flip phone that has dual touch surfaces and can be used while its open or closed.

Apple updated the AirPort Express

2008-03-17T10:57:00.001-07:00

Apple updated the AirPort Express to 802.11n today, Making it the last one in there wireless base station lineup to join the N family. Still has the same slick features as the old one like wireless printing and AirTunes

iPhone in Austria

2008-03-15T12:01:00.000-07:00

Apple and T-Mobile are now selling the iPhone in Austria. The iPhone will be 399 euro for the 8GB and 499 euro for the 16GB. Apple said that they plan to launch the iPhone in Asia and other European countries in 2008.

WWDC Date Announced

2008-03-13T18:23:00.000-07:00

Today Apple Announced that WWDC (World Wide Developers Conference) will be during June 9th to June 13th. The keynote is likely to be on the 9th which is on a monday not on tuesday. The image above with the two bridges symbolizes that there are now two development platforms the iPhone and the Mac.

iPhone SDK downloads/My 50th Post!

2008-03-12T17:53:00.000-07:00

Apple has said that Over 100,000 iPhone SDK downloads have taken place over the span of only 6 days, and over 1 million people have watched the launch video on the Apple website. This shows that there is great interest in the iPhone SDK, and when the applications are released will obviously provide a huge leap in iPhone sales. At the present moment this is my 50th post on Aluminum & Glass, i am looking forward to manny more posts in the future :D Thanks for reading and i hope you have been enjoying my Blog Thus far.

New Mac Pro Software Update available

2008-03-11T22:53:00.001-07:00

Apple pushed out an update for Mac Pro owners today, this includes the ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT Firmware update and an Airport Utility update. The firmware update of the ATI Radeon HD improves system reliability and meats the latest energy star requirements. The Airport Utility update also improves system reliability, but also has other general bug fixes.

Lionsgate will soon be offering an iTunes digital copy of their films.

2008-03-10T19:45:00.000-07:00

Not only Fox will be offering the free iPod/iTunes ready digital with some of there DVD and Blu-Ray films, now Lionsgate is joining the party. In order to copy the film to iTunes you will need to use a code found within the movie case. Officially the first two movies to come bundled with this are Rambo and The Eye, they will be available for purchase around summer.

Java coming to iPhone

2008-03-09T20:02:00.000-07:00

Sun Announced that they are getting ready a virtual machine to let Java applications run on the iPhone. The version of Java that will be native on the iPhone thanks to the SDK will be based on the Java micro edition (ME). This will let the iPhone run a huge library of existing java applications such as games from EA, Gameloft, and Omnigroup.

"We're going to make sure that the JVM offers the Java applications as much access to the native functionality of the iPhone as possible,"

Penryn iMac and Mac Mini updates soon?

2008-03-08T12:59:00.001-08:00

Macscoop reported that apple is to start shipping the 45nm Penryn chip in the iMac and the Mac Mini. They also speculated that the Mac Mini will be upgraded to the GMA3100 graphics chipset which is currently used in the latest Macbook's. Even thought they also reported that Apple is trying to make the iMac even thinner, this update is likely not to be cosmetic.

iPhone/ iPod Touch Games

2008-03-06T18:28:00.000-08:00

The iPhone/iPod Touch are getting multi-touch games and they take advantage of everything the devices have to offer. EA and Sega are developing games for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Some games that were demoed included Spore and Super Monkey Ball, each will be complete games and have full featured levels and neat gameplay. Since the iPhone and iPod touch don't have buttons you play by using the accelerometer providing a "Wii" like gameplay.

App Store

2008-03-06T18:06:00.000-08:00

Looks like iTunes will be the main and only provider for the iPhone/iPod Touch apps, they will be sold over the App store which can be used on the device itself or via iTunes on your computer. Apple predicts that users will most likely download it on the go from there iPhone or iPod touch instead of iTunes, no word on how large the files could be look for lengthy download times if using the EDGE network.

iPhone/ iPod Touch SDK

2008-03-06T17:30:00.000-08:00

Apple Has posted ALL the juicy details about the SDK that will be officially released in september, free update for iPhone users but iPod touch users will be charged if they want the update.

Details Below:

Apple Announces iPhone 2.0 Software Beta Includes SDK & Built-in Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync

CUPERTINO, Calif., March 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Apple(R) today previewed its iPhone(TM) 2.0 software, scheduled for release this June, and announced the immediate availability of a beta release of the software to selected developers and enterprise customers. The iPhone 2.0 beta release includes both the iPhone Software Development Kit (SDK) as well as new enterprise features such as support for Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync to provide secure, over-the-air push email, contacts and calendars as well as remote wipe, and the addition of Cisco IPsec VPN for encrypted access to private corporate networks.

"We're excited about creating a vibrant third party developer community with potentially thousands of native applications for iPhone and iPod touch," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "iPhone's enterprise features combined with its revolutionary Multi-Touch user interface and advanced software architecture provide the best user experience and the most advanced software platform ever for a mobile device."

The iPhone SDK provides developers with a rich set of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and tools to create innovative applications for iPhone and iPod(R) touch. Starting today, anyone can download the beta iPhone SDK for free and run the iPhone Simulator on their Mac(R). Apple today also introduced its new iPhone Developer Program, giving developers everything they need to create native applications, and the new App Store, a breakthrough way for developers to wirelessly deliver their applications to iPhone and iPod touch users.

With the iPhone SDK, third party developers will be able to build native applications for the iPhone with a rich set of APIs, including programming interfaces for Core OS, Core Services, Media and Cocoa Touch technologies. The iPhone SDK will allow developers to create amazing applications that leverage the iPhone's groundbreaking Multi-Touch(TM) user interface, animation technology, large storage, built-in three-axis accelerometer and geographical location technology to deliver truly innovative mobile applications.

Apple has licensed Exchange ActiveSync from Microsoft and is building it right into the iPhone, so that iPhone will connect out-of-the-box to Microsoft Exchange Servers 2003 and 2007 for secure over-the-air push email, contacts, calendars and global address lists. Built-in Exchange ActiveSync support also enables security features such as remote wipe, password policies and auto-discovery. The iPhone 2.0 software supports Cisco IPsec VPN to ensure the highest level of IP-based encryption available for transmission of sensitive corporate data, as well as the ability to authenticate using digital certificates or password-based, multi-factor authentication. The addition of WPA2 Enterprise with 802.1x authentication enables enterprise customers to deploy iPhone and iPod touch with the latest standards for protection of Wi-Fi networks.

The iPhone 2.0 software provides a configuration utility that allows IT administrators to easily and quickly set up many iPhones, including password policies, VPN setting, installing certificates, email server settings and more. Once the configuration is defined it can be easily and securely delivered via web link or email to the user. To install, all the user has to do is authenticate with a user ID or password, download the configuration and tap install. Once installed, the user will have access to all their corporate IT services.

The iPhone 2.0 software release will contain the App Store, a new application that lets users browse, search, purchase and wirelessly download third party applications directly onto their iPhone or iPod touch. The App Store enables developers to reach every iPhone and iPod touch user. Developers set the price for their applications -- including free -- and retain 70 percent of all sales revenues. Users can download free applications at no charge to either the user or developer, or purchase priced applications with just one click. Enterprise customers will be able to create a secure, private page on the App Store accessible only by their employees. Apple will cover all credit card, web hosting, infrastructure and DRM costs associated with offering applications on the App Store. Third party iPhone and iPod touch applications must be approved by Apple and will be available exclusively through the App Store.

The iPhone SDK provides a reliable, fast and secure way to create innovative applications for the iPhone and iPod touch. In addition to the rich set of iPhone OS APIs, the iPhone SDK also provides advanced tools for creating native iPhone and iPod touch applications including: Xcode(R) for source code editing, project management and graphical debugging; Interface Builder with drag and drop interface creation and live preview; Instruments to monitor and optimize iPhone application performance in real time; and the iPhone Simulator to run and debug applications.

During the beta iPhone SDK program, a limited number of developers will be accepted into Apple's new iPhone Developer Program and offered the ability to get code onto iPhones for testing. The Standard Program costs $99 (US) per year and gives members an iPhone SDK and development tools; access to pre-release iPhone software; technical support; the ability to get code onto iPhones for testing; and distribution of applications via the new App Store. The Enterprise Program costs $299 (US) per year.

In addition to these new iPhone network and security features, the beta iPhone 2.0 software provides several new Mail features such as the ability to view PowerPoint attachments, in addition to Word and Excel, as well as the ability to mass delete and move email messages.

Pricing & Availability

Apple plans to release the final iPhone 2.0 software, including the iPhone SDK and new enterprise features, as a free software update for all iPhone customers by the end of June. Third party applications created for the iPhone will also run on the iPod touch, and iPod touch users will be required to purchase a software update to run these applications. The free beta iPhone SDK is available immediately worldwide and can be downloaded at developer.apple.com/iphone/program. The iPhone Developer Program will initially be available in the US and will expand to other countries in the coming months. Apple is accepting applications beginning today from enterprise customers who would like to join the private iPhone Enterprise Beta Program (http://www.apple.com/iphone/enterprise).

iPhone/ iPod Touch Enterprise Features

2008-03-06T17:15:00.000-08:00

Today Apple announced the iPhone/iPod touch Enterprise features, here is a quick look at them

Enterprise features in iPhone 2.0 software beta.

Upcoming iPhone support for Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync and industry-standard corporate security standards will allow I

T professionals to seamlessly integrate iPhone into their enterprise environments.

New features include:

Push email
Push contacts
Push calendar
Global Address List

Certificates and Identities
WPA2/802.1x
Enforced security policies

More VPN protocols
Device configuration
Remote wipe

Enterprise-grade networking.

iPhone 2.0 software supports Cisco IPsec VPN to ensure the highest level of IP-based encryption for transmission of sensitive company information. Employees will be able to authenticate via password, two-factor token, or digital cert

ificate. iPhone will also support WPA2 Enterprise with 802.1x authentication — the standard for Wi-Fi network protection. These features help provide safe access to sensitive company information on iPhone.

Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync support.

If your office uses Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 or 2007, iPhone 2.0 software will allow you to wirelessly push company email, calendar events, and contacts over Wi-Fi or EDGE networks to iPhones. With secure push email and over-the-air contacts and calendar features, users will stay up to date wherever they go. And thanks to the iPhone Multi-Touch display, users will find it easier to perform common tasks such as accepting meeting invitations and finding contacts in the company directory or Global Address List (GAL).

IT administrators can securely manage any iPhone that contains confidential company information with remote wipe and enforced security and password policies. These device configuration and remote management capabilities allow IT departments to quickly and seamlessly deploy iPhone throughout their companies.

Set your alarm, iPhone/iPod touch SDK details to emerge tomorrow

2008-03-05T18:16:00.000-08:00

It is unknown weather or not the SDK (Software Development Kit) will be released tomorrow but we will definitely find out what the future plans are for it. Hopefully we will find out what those "Exciting new enterprise features" that Apple Teased us with.

The iGym a reality?

2008-03-04T19:49:00.000-08:00

Nike announced upcoming plans for the Nike+iPod partnership with Apple. they said that they are partnering with fitness equipment manufacturers. This partnership would allow Nike+iPod users to connect their iPod's to treadmills, ellipticals, stationary bikes and stair climbers. When released this will be international.

"The Nike + iPod experience revolutionized running. Now we’re revolutionizing the gym cardio experience,” said Trevor Edwards, Nike’s Vice President of Global Brand and Category Management. “We’re enabling people who go to the gym an opportunity to set goals, track progress, and compete in challenges with their friends and with other members of nikeplus.com. It’s a groundbreaking tool for people who want to maximize their workouts.”

Macbook Air selling out

2008-03-03T17:07:00.000-08:00

The MacBook Air seams to be running in short supply at Apple stores and Resellers. The reason for short supply is unknown, it could be because the Air is selling like hot cakes or due to short supply of components. ArsTechnica noted that when Apple does get shipments of the Air it sells out within that day.

ArsTechnica said:

"After a full month of being on the market, the MacBook Air is still a difficult commodity to obtain in some markets (not all), and Apple is still quoting a 5-7 business day minimum shipping time even for the most standard models ordered from its web site."

"Meanwhile, Amazon won't be shipping orders until March 16 now, and many customers who run to a Best Buy thinking they'll find one hiding out there will be surprised: there aren't many to go around. One Best Buy source (not a retail floor worker) told me that Apple has kept them pretty thin on stock."

New iPod Nano Color?

2008-03-02T16:25:00.000-08:00

There is an image traveling around the web of a circuit city flier that shows a purple iPod nano, It seams legit but will Apple actually release another Nano color when they just released a pink one in february?

iPhone/iPod Touch SDK Details

2008-03-02T16:24:00.003-08:00

Even though iLounge said that Apple would be very tight on iPhone and iPod Touch third party applications, Electronista clams that Apple will only have restrictions on applications that are purchased through iTunes.

"the new contact claims that free applications are not subject to the same rules that will guide paid software downloads. In this model, free software is unlikely to be subject to much if any scrutiny by Apple"

Its still a little early to have conclusions about Apple's SDK, since very little is known about their plans, Hopefully we will have more details after the media event on Thursday March 6th.

New Apple Patent

2008-02-29T18:59:00.000-08:00

Apple has patented the Macbook Air "Port Door" so it seams highly likely that this will make its way to other Apple laptops in the near future. The patent oddly enough shows the "door" with multiple USB, ethernet, and Firewire which are lacking in the Macbook Air.

New iPod Touch Ad

2008-02-28T17:34:00.000-08:00

Last night Apple introduced a new iPod touch ad which shows a table thats full of iPod Touches showing of its features. Brendan Benson is the Artist featured in the new ad with there song What I'm Looking For. Will they get as much attention as Feist did?

Link to the new ad

iPhone now coming to Ireland

2008-02-28T17:32:00.001-08:00

O2 announced hat they would be brining the iPhone to Ireland on March 14th, 2008. O2 retail stores and Carphone Warehouse will be selling the iPhone. The 8GB is 399 euro and the 16GB is 499 euro.

45 euro/mo: 175 minutes, 100 texts, 1GB data

65 euro/mo: 350 minutes, 150 texts, 1GB data

100 euro/mo: 700 minutes, 250 texts, 1GB data

As of right now Visual voicemail is not available

iPhone/iPod Touch SDK Delayed and Time Capsule starting to ship

2008-02-27T16:28:00.000-08:00

Finally the iPhone/iPod Touch SDK has a launch date, and yes it is late but only by a little bit. An invitation was sent for the launch of the iPhone SDK the event will be showing on Cupertino campus on March 6th. But don't be hating Apple because they might actually make there promise on a release date this time. According to AppleInsiders sources Time Capsule is starting to ship. Some readers pointed it out to them and said "I just checked Apple's web site and my Time Capsule order has changed to 'preparing to ship, Historically that usually happens the same day products I have ordered from Apple ship."

iPhone/iPod Touch 1.1.4 update and iTunes now #2

2008-02-26T16:26:00.001-08:00

A new 1.1.4 Firmware update for iPhone and iPod Touch was released by Apple today, there are no details yet on what new features have been included except "Bug Fixes". Some early reports say that the new Firmware does break some unofficial apps. Hopefully this has something to do with iPhone Software Development Kit (SDK) maybe it will be released this month! The 1.1.4 firmware update is available through iTunes so grab it for your iPhone/iPod touch. Speaking of iTunes its now the #2 music retailer in the United States, just behind Wal-Mart.

Statement from Apple:

"We'd like to thank the over 50 million music lovers who have helped the iTunes Store reach this incredible milestone,"We continue to add great new features like iTunes Movie Rentals to give our customers even more reason to love iTunes."

Penryn Macbook's

2008-02-26T16:14:00.000-08:00

Today Apple updated there consumer laptops the Macbook's with a few new features. The Macbook still has the same 13-inch glossy widescreen display(not LED), the new MacBook lineup comes in three models which includes faster processors (Penryn) and larger hard drives. The new Macbook's are expandable to hold up to 4GB of ram. Another thing to note is that the Macbook's do not feature a Multi-Touch trackpad like the Air/Macbook Pro and the base model Macbook still has a combo drive.

$1099. Macbook 13" 2.1GHz / 1GB / 120GB / Combo / White

$1299. Macbook 13" 2.4GHz / 2GB / 160GB / Super / White

$1499. Macbook 13" 2.4GHz / 2GB / 250GB / Super / Black

Apple updates the Macbook Pro

2008-02-26T16:03:00.001-08:00

Today Apple released new Macbook Pro's based on Intel's latest Penryn mobile processors plus the newest NVIDIA graphics processors with up to 512mb of Vram, and that snazzy new Multi-Touch trackpad found on the Macbook Air. The new Macbook Pro runs at speeds up to 2.6GHz with 6MB of shared L2 cache and 2GB of memory standard, the Pro also has larger hard drives (up to 300gb). Unfortunately no redesign on the new pros, it seams we have been waiting an eternity on an exterior refresh.

$1999. Macbook Pro 15" 2.4GHz / 2GB / 200GB 5400RPM / 256MB Vram

$2499. Macbook Pro 15" 2.5GHz / 2GB / 250GB 5400RPM / 512MB Vram

$2799. Macbook Pro 17" 2.5GHz / 2GB / 250GB 5400RPM / 512MB Vram

New Macbooks coming not Macbook pros?

2008-02-25T21:50:00.000-08:00

Allegedly Apple Insider said that new Macbook Pros were coming due to the "leaked" model numbers in the Best Buy/FutureShop innovatory but new information refutes this information and says its new Macbooks that are coming.

"I just printed the inventory at FutureShop, the store I work at, and found new MacBooks... NOT MacBook Pros. The items are APPLE MACB MB402LL/A and MB403LL/A. I saw this posted in other places, but the prices is what will interest you. They're listed at 1149.99 and 1349.99. These are Canadian prices, mind you, so I imagine they'll be less in the states. Take a look at the picture, the two I'm mentioning are at the bottom."

New Apple product/software on tuesday?

2008-02-25T16:26:00.000-08:00

Something is to be released this Tuesday from Apple, the question is what is it going to be? Multiple rumor sites say its either going to be the much anticipated Macbook pro update with new Core 2 Duo Penryn mobile processors running up to 2.6GHz, and Multi-Touch trackpad, or the iPhone/iPod touch SDK(software development kit) which was rumored to be pushed back a few weeks. Make sure to check the Apple website regularly tomorrow to see all the new goodies that might possibly be released.

Apple improves their recycling program

2008-02-25T16:23:00.000-08:00

Apple has improved its recycling program , you can now send your old iPods, Mac's and cell phones (Any brand) And this is free of charge, Good on you Apple!

Apple's Statement:

"All the e-waste we collect in North America is processed there and nothing is shipped overseas for disposal. Apple meets the requirements of the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundry Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal. In addition to annual compliance audits of our recycling vendors, we review the performance of their downstream vendors. Recyclers must comply with all applicable health and safety laws, and we do not allow the use of prison labor at any stage of the recycling process. Apple does not allow the disposal of hazardous electronic waste in solid waste landfills or incinerators, including waste-to-energy incinerators."

Happy Birthday Steve!

2008-02-24T16:56:00.000-08:00

Today Steve Jobs turned the ripe old age of 53, will Steve ever retire? Who will most likely take his place? Sadly some day he will have to retire the more i think about it Jonathan Ive(Designer of iconic products such as the iPod & iMac) will most likely take his place and take Apple to new heights.

iPhone/iPod Touch SDK delayed?

2008-02-23T16:47:00.000-08:00

Arik Hesseldahl from Business Week has said he has a source that told him that the iPhone/iPod touch SDK (software development kit) will be delayed by 1-3 weeks. As of right now Apple has not made any official statement about the delay of the SDK, but it seams likely that it will be delayed since they only have a week to finish it. This is rather disappointing but its better to have finished software without problems than one that is riddled with them.

http://www.businessweek.com/technology/ByteOfTheApple/blog/archives/2008/02/the_iphone_sdk.html

"There's Something in the Air"

2008-02-22T16:04:00.000-08:00

Macbook Air First impressions

Today i finally had the chance to go down to my local Apple store and check out the Macbook Air. The Air extremely thin, so thin that its hard to describe in words. The Macbook Air's is very light, feels sturdy, has a bright and crisp screen, and its surprisingly fast. The design of the Macbook Air is beautiful the pictures on the web do not do it justice. The contrast between the black keys and the aluminum finish is nice but some people will not like it. The touch pad is not as large as i thought it would be, but its Multi-Touch features are simple and intuitive. The Air was also very quiet and was cool to the touch (at least when i was using it). For me personally i wish Apple had made it have a 12" screen as opposed to 13" because it would have a smaller footprint and would be even more compact. Overall i like the Macbook Air and i am thinking its a possible candidate to replace my aging iBook G4, but i think ill wait for the next generation.

iPod Hi-Fi Review

2008-02-20T21:15:00.000-08:00

When Apple Discontinued the iPod Hi-Fi i felt lucky because i picked one up a few days before, an i have to say this is the best speaker i have ever owed. The bass on this thing is very powerful and rich but the treble is a bit soft. With the latest speaker systems on the market the Hi-Fi is not as powerful but it does have the best iPod compatibility. If you can still find one on clearance somewhere i highly recommend this product.

Things i like:

-Compact design

-line in

-works great with all iPods

-touch controls

-Great sound for the money

Things i don't:

-Cant use line in if ipod is plugged in

-The remote has limited function

-Not very portable

-Week treble

-Price

Xserve RAID no more and Xsan 2

2008-02-19T15:52:00.000-08:00

Apple Discontinues the Xserve RAID and instead promotes The Promise VTrak E-Class RAID Subsystem. Apple also introduced Xsan 2 which has the following features.

SAN volume

Xsan allows you to consolidate data into a single storage volume that’s accessible to all systems on the storage area network (SAN). Adding capacity is as easy as attaching more RAID storage systems to your Fibre Channel network.

Fibre Channel network

The SAN volume connects to the Xsan metadata controller and all Xsan clients through a high-speed Fibre Channel switch. Apple has qualified many popular third-party switches for use with Xsan.

Xsan metadata controller

Xsan includes software called the “metadata controller,” which acts as the traffic cop for the SAN. When an Xsan client attempts to read or write to a file, it gets permission from the metadata controller, then accesses the data directly on the SAN over high-speed Fibre Channel. Any Xserve or Mac Pro running Mac OS X Server can be an Xsan metadata controller.

Xsan clients

Mac desktop or Xserve systems running Xsan have direct block-level access to files stored on the SAN volume and full read/write capability. As performance needs grow, Xsan allows you to add servers and computers to the SAN. With Xsan, one SAN can handle hundreds of clients.

Ethernet network

File system metadata is handled “out of band” over a private Ethernet network shared by all systems connected directly to the SAN. This frees up Fibre Channel bandwidth for high-performance storage throughput.

Network clients

An Xserve with Mac OS X Server and Xsan can share data from the SAN volume with an unlimited number of networked computers over the Ethernet network using file-sharing protocols, such as AFP, SMB/CIFS, and NFS.

http://www.apple.com/xsan/

Macbook/Macbook pro keyboard update 1.0

2008-02-19T15:42:00.000-08:00

Grab this Update if you have been experiencing any problems with your macbook/Macbook pro keyboard, as it will most likely eliminate the problem. Details listed below

"This MacBook and MacBook Pro firmware update addresses an issue where the first key press may be ignored if the computer has been sitting idle. It also addresses some other issues. The update package will install an updater application into the Applications/Utilities folder and will launch it automatically. Please follow the instructions in the updater application to complete the update process."

Apple updates the iPod Shuffle

2008-02-19T15:34:00.000-08:00

The "new" iPod shuffle now comes in 1gb and 2gb, still in the same pastel colors. The iPod shuffle also finally got a much needed price cut. The 1gb is 49$ and the 2gb is 69$, the 2gb shuffle has no official release yet it only says "coming soon."

Safari on  tv

2008-02-18T16:13:00.001-08:00

Safari HD lets  tv owners browse the web right from the comfort of their couch. In order to use this patch you need to have what's called an ssh-enabled  tv. When downloaded the installer script will take care of everything and will install all the components for you. Another plus is that Safari HD lets you use bookmarks so you wont need to type in all your favorite websites.

http://www.brandon-holland.com/

BBC on iTunes UK

2008-02-18T15:56:00.001-08:00

Good new for all the people using iTunes as there media outlet in UK, BBC added there TV programs to the iTunes UK store. Each episode will run you at £1.89, they will be available for purchase about eight days after they are aired on TV.

Is Apple finally Going Green?

2008-02-17T21:08:00.000-08:00

The answer is yes, Apple has introduced 3 "Green" products but most of them have missed the mark of being called completely eco friendly. Apple's first attempt at going green was the iPhone; Apple said it was green because its made from recyclable materials such as aluminum & glass. But in reality the iPhone still has hazardous chemicals that are bad for the environment. Apples second greenish product was the iMac, the iMac's are sold with less bromine casings and printed circuit board laminates as well as PVC-free internal cables. Thus making the new iMac much more green than its predecessors. Apple's third green product is the newly announced Macbook Air, the Air is a mercury and arsenic free laptop plus it exceeds European Standards (RoHS directive exemptions). The Air has BFR and PVC free printed wiring on the motherboard.

Quote from Greenpeace

"The MacBook Air has less PVC and BFRs than other Mac computers, but it is not entirely free from those hazardous chemicals. Had it been it would have made Apple an ecological leader. With their product design on the right track Apple needs to make environmental leadership the theme of all its products - old and new. That means green design as standard right through the product line and a real global commitment to take back and recycling. We can almost taste that Green Apple, unfortunately it’s not ripe yet."

What is your favorite Mac/Apple product?

2008-02-17T20:29:00.000-08:00

In every Apple enthusiast, there is one product that has a special place in there iHeart and steers up memories of the good old days. For me that product is the Apple iMac G4, as soon as i saw the keynote i was awe struck. When steve jobs said "Let each element be true to its self" i totally agreed. This for me is the most stunning apple product design ever, what is your favorite Mac/Apple product?

Western Digital My Book Review

2008-02-16T13:40:00.000-08:00

A few days ago i picked up a My Book Essential Edition 500gb to use with Time Machine, and so far it is an amazing external HDD. The My Book backs up quickly with usb 2.0 and has a whisper quite fan. One of the features that i like is that its plug and play all you do is plug it in and it powers on and off. In Mac OS X it immediately popped up on my desktop when plugged in and asked if wanted to use it as my Time Machine back of drive, no drivers or install was needed. If your looking for an external HDD for time machine i highly recommend this product for both its great features and low price.

Recent rumors false about Apple gaming device?

2008-02-15T17:19:00.001-08:00

Recent rumors suggested that apple will releasing a dedicated gaming device, but new interpretations say that Apple is just releasing more games for the iPod, iPod touch, and iPhone. The iPod touch and iPhone are probably going to see games come when the SDK (software development kit )launches this February.

Speaking of the SDK "Tiny Code no longer produces fixes or applications for firmware 1.1.3. We can't say much, but we are working with Apple and with their SDK for the next firmware release and SDK applications and we shouldn't be missed for long," Tiny Code also wrote: "We will no longer update our Installer.app repo for legality reasons and you should see us soon on iTunes."

http://www.macrumors.com/2008/02/15/hints-at-iphone-sdk-and-firmware-1-1-4/

Podmaps

2008-02-14T16:43:00.000-08:00

Apple Filed new "podmaps" patent

This concept is said to merge visual maps and spoken directions which lets users request directions from there location and is presented with visual maps and spoken driving directions. According to Apple the text, maps, and audio are sent to a "podmap creator" which turns the directions into a video podcast that is stored on an RSS server to be retrieved by the user at any time.

"In this regard, the application server can reply to the client program to notify the client that the requested podmap is now available from the podmap RSS server. The client program can then interact with the podmap RSS server to retrieve the requested podmap," (Apple)

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/08/02/14/apple_seeks_patent_on_podmaps_concept.html

Happy Valentines Day!

2008-02-14T16:27:00.000-08:00

Love Different!

When are we getting new Macbook Pro's!?!

2008-02-13T18:14:00.000-08:00

Multiple people are waiting and waiting for new Macbook pros to come out, but no one knows when they will actually be released at the moment. Some of the things that are 99% certainly going to make it to the new Macbook pro's are the new Penryn chips, Multi-touch trackpad, Macbook air keyboard, SSD or possibly dual drives one SSD and one HDD, and the DVI port might be replaced with the mini-DVI port. Rumors suggest that the new Macbook pro will be announced very soon! (Late February is most likely)

Spore is coming to the Mac on September 7th!

2008-02-13T16:20:00.000-08:00

Spore has been in development for many years and now on September 7th, 2008 you can finally play the highly anticipated game. Spore is the newest project of Will Wright who is the creator of the Sims. Spore is slightly similar to the Sims, since its a life simulation game. This game is very unique because you start out as a micro-organism and you control you own evolution. You create a civilization that after time will launch into outer space to settle among other planets. System requirement are unknown at the present moment, but if you have a newer intel mac or a G5 you would most likely be able to run the game.

Check out the Video of the game-------> http://www.spore.com/screenshots.php?movieID=0&play=hi

Apple reduces iPod/iPhone/Macbook production and increases iMac production

2008-02-13T16:03:00.000-08:00

Even though Apple is still on track to ship 10 million iPhones by the end of 2008, several analysts are saying that Apple pulled back iPod touch, iPhone, and MacBook production for Quarter 1. Apparently strong sales of the iMac have led to the production increase of about 35 percent.

Aperture 2 released

2008-02-12T16:30:00.000-08:00

Apple introduced Aperture 2, which is the next major release of there photo editing/management software. This new version of Aperture 2 has 100+ new features with a new simpler user interface and an entirely new image processing engine.

Some of the new imaging tools in Aperture 2:

-Highlight recovery

-Color vibrancy

-Local contrast definition

-Soft-edged retouching

-Vignetting and RAW fine-tuning

http://www.apple.com/aperture/whatisaperture/

Apple TV (Take 2) update now available

2008-02-12T15:59:00.000-08:00

The new FREE update adds Multiple features such as:

-A new more friendly user interface

-You can now buy all your content right on the device itself.

-HD content now available (Only 720p apparently)

-No computer required to use the device

10.5.2 is out!

2008-02-11T15:46:00.000-08:00

10.5.2 is out! Get it while its hot :)

• Airport connection reliability and stability improvements

• Back to my Mac for third-party routers
• Dashboard widget performance improvement
• Stacks fix! List view, Folder view, and updated background for Grid Vid View
• Menubar transparency disabling
• Less translucent menus
• Several iCal recurring meetings supports, bug fixes overall
• iChat Bugfixes
• iSync support added for Samsung D600E and D900i phones
• Finder bugfixes
• Mail bugfixes
• AFP network volume hanging fixed
• RAW support
• Preview bugfixes
• Time Machine bugfixes (some external drives not being recognized)

2008-02-11T13:06:00.000-08:00

Hello and welcome to Aluminum & Glass, this site will consist of Apple news, tips, tricks, and reviews. Our first entry is about the iPhone. The iPhone has been huge for Apple, but will people buy the 2nd Gen iPhone? Personally i think there are still a few things missing from the current version. Things like an office suite, if Apple seriously wants to compete in the smart phone market they need to make the iPhone more business friendly. The most obvious way to do this is to include iWork on the iPhone. It Just blows my mind why Apple did not include iWork in the first place. Here are some of the features that i want in the second generation iPhone:

-iWork 08
-3G network
-Better quality camera (with video)
-Home screen customization (let us change the background!)
-Larger capacity 16gb standard?
-Better battery life