Apple Updates Airport to 6.1.1 for Mac OS X
Read all about it:
- Hard reset behavior is improved. With this firmware version pressing and holding the reset button for more than 5 seconds will cause the LED to flash rapidly. This visual feedback lets you know you’ve held the button long enough to trigger a hard reset
- Improved reliability of WDS networks when using WPA security. If you had a WDS network secured by WDS and then removed any of the WDS nodes, this could cause a memory leak resulting in the need to reboot your WDS network nodes
- Resolved an issue with inbound passive FTP to a port-mapped computer on the network
- Resolved an issue with certain printers which were no longer recognized by the base station after the 6.1 firmware update was installed. With the 6.1.1 firmware these printers are again recognized by the base station.

The following items were part of the previous 6.1 release and are also included in this firmware:
- AirPort firmware updates are now packaged in a new utility application which simplifies the process of installing firmware updates. This application is available for use on Mac OS X computers (10.3 and later) and on Microsoft Windows 2000 or XP computers
- Support for Keyspan Express Remote - You can now use a Keyspan Express Remote to control AirTunes.
- USB printer renaming - USB printers connected to the AirPort Express can now be renamed by using the AirPort Admin Utility (version 4.1 or later).
- WPA security for WDS networks - WDS networks comprising AirPort Extreme and AirPort Express base stations can now be secured with WPA-Personal security. All AirPort Extreme and AirPort Express units must be upgraded to the latest AirPort Extreme 5.5 or AirPort Express 6.1 firmware before the network can be secured with WPA
- Improved reliability for WDS networks - WDS nodes will now check for the presence of other WDS nodes. This should result in better WDS network connectivity. All AirPort Extreme and AirPort Express units must be upgraded to the AirPort Extreme 5.5 or AirPort Express 6.1 firmware
- Ability to disable the AirPort wireless interface - If you have your AirPort Express connected to an ethernet network for use with audio and printing features, you can now turn off the AirPort wireless interface if you do not wish to have a wireless network
- Ability to disable the ethernet interface - When the AirPort Express is configured as a wireless client, the ethernet interface is non-functional. You can now completely disable it so that ethernet connections will not recognize a link from the ethernet port on the AirPort Express. This setting will also disable the ethernet port when the AirPort Express is used as a WDS Relay or WDS Remote node
- The 6.1 firmware improves reliability of playing AirTunes audio through the AirPort Express
- In certain situations wireless clients could send certain types of data which could cause the AirPort Express to stop transmitting data. This issue is fixed in the 6.1 firmware
- The 6.1 firmware fixes performance and other concerns related to FTP, RTSP, IPSec, TCP, UDP, and other IP protocols
- Certain DNS traffic could affect the AirPort Express performance. This issue is improved in the 6.1 firmware
- Certain PPPoE connections (commonly used with DSL ISPs) could encounter a situation where the AirPort Extreme could not communicate with the ISP, requiring the base station and/or the ISP’s modem to be rebooted. This issue is improved in the 6.1 firmware
- Improved behavior when AirPort Express is configured as a wireless client and is joining a WEP-secured wireless network
- Improved printing performance when printing to USB printers connected to the AirPort Express
- Certain IP ports that were not actively used have been disabled

File Size: 2.4MB

Way too much information.

FIX!
Apple have announced that the 200,000,000th iTunes customer - a Ryan Alekman from Belchertown, MA - downloaded a song from the iTunes exclusive Digital box set. What are the chances of that? Amazing.

Mac OS Updated to 10.3.7. Key enhancements include:
improved AFP support for saving documents with long file names
improved OpenGL technology and updated ATI and NVIDIA graphics drivers
improved FireWire device compatibility
updated Preview application
improved compatibility for third party applications
previous standalone security updates

iCal has been updated to version 1.5.5. The update improves iSync synchronisation on computers running Mac OS X 10.2. Do you think those mac users who who don't keep up to date with their OS are going to bother updating iCal?

TheMacMind has a CG diagram of the new Flash memory based iPod Flash. To me it doesn't look like anything that would ever come out of the R&D department at 1 Inifite Loop, I'm sure that, even though it's gonna be cheap, they would find enough money to sick a simple digital display on it. And 256MB? Steve Jobs used to say that flash player were something people would get given as gifts and not even use. If Apple are going to produce one, it would have to use a 1GB drive or else it wouldn't be worth it. A load of Codswallop if you ask me.

Security Update 2004-12-02 v.1.0 This update delivers a number of security enhancements and is recommended for all Macintosh users. This update includes the following components:
Apache
AppKit
Kerberos
Safari

After all the bad press in the Times newspaper, the iTunes store is now selling the Band Aid 20 single. The paper wrote a cutting piece saying that Apple wouldn't sell 'Do They Know It's Christmas Time' for more than the usual 79 pence then 'because it would damage the company's dominance of the download market.' All other download sites are selling it for £1.49. Well the Times are now eating humble pie because you can buy the charity song is available for 79p but Apple are donating the difference out of there own pocket. It's still a bit sneaky of Apple though, as they will be stealing customers because of the price difference.
By the way, the three track CD costs a whopping £3.99. Quite high for a single, but it's all for charity remember.

iCal Updated to 1.5.4. iCal 1.5.4 includes security enhancements to help protect your computer when importing events with alarms that open files or applications.

Also there's a Firmware Update for Bluetooth enabled Macs.

...And Virex has been updated for all of you .Mac subscribers.

Well, the London Apple Store is not been open for much longer than two days and the goody bags are already appearing on eBay. There were 300 bags for sale for £250 at the grand opening, but the contents are valued at over £700.
Here's one of the auctions on eBay.

From this we can see that the goodies inside were:

AIRPORT EXPRESS
iLIFE 04 DVD
JBL PORTABLE MUSIC BOX
PRO MOUSE
PRO KEYBOARD
KEYNOTE
GARAGEBAND JAM PACK 1
LONDON INTERACTIVE DVD
WORLD BOOK
The ultra special gifts of infinite value:-
THE BAG (ONE OF 300) WITH ITS ORGINAL DO YOU FEEL LUCKY?/APPLE REGENT STREET TAG
THE TSHIRT (ONE OF 1,300) A BLACK TSHIRT WITH THE APPLE LOGO AND LONDON ON THE FRONT with DESIGNED BY APPLE IN CALIFORNIA ON THE BACK
THE APPLE GIFT CARD
A ONE OFF 10% CARD ON ANY PURCHASE IN THE STORE!

It will be interesting to see if this item is worth more that the sum of it's contents.

At 1am last night a group of Mac fans started the queue for the opening of the new Apple Store on Regent Street. Unlucky for them it was the coldest night of this winter so far. See Macworld for more details.

AirPort Extreme Firmware 5.5 for Mac OS X . It's for the best, y'know.

AirPort Express Firmware 6.1 for Mac OS X . I installed it yesterday and everything is Hunky Dory.

AirPort 4.1 for Mac OS X Update. The AirPort 4.1 for Mac OS X 10.3 software supports all models of Apple AirPort base stations including the AirPort Extreme and AirPort Express models.

What's new in AirPort 4.1:
• Supports Keyspan Express Remote for use with AirTunes (AirPort Express only)
• Support for WPA security on WDS networks
• Ability to rename a USB printer connected to a base station

MAc OS Update: The 10.3.6 Update delivers enhanced functionality and improved reliability for Mac OS X v10.3 "Panther" and is recommended for all users. Key enhancements include:
• improved file sharing for Mac (AFP), UNIX (NFS) and PC (SMB/CIFS) networks
• more reliable network automounts and launch of network applications
• improved OpenGL technology and updated ATI and NVIDIA graphic drivers
• additional FireWire audio and USB device compatibility
• updated Calculator, DVD Player, Image Capture, and Safari applications
• improved compatibility for third party applications
• previous standalone security updates
But will it make my PowerBook any quicker?

The Apple Music Event Oct 2004 is available to view online. It was staged at the California Theatre in San Jose. The same theatre that was featurerd in the first ever Rip. Mix. Burn. ad for iTunes when it was launched back in 2000 (the one with Barry White and De La Soul). Also Apple will start selling iPod Socks and you will hear The (printer guy) Edge speak and play piano!

With all this iPod updating, iTunes and Quicktime got an update too. They should be available via Software Update soon. Before I forget, the iTunes Music Store is now available across most of Europe.

iPod goes Colour! The iPod Photo has everything we presumed it would. It comes in 40 and 60GB sizes both with a sharp colour screen. You can: Keep up to 15,000 songs in your pocket; Take up to 25,000 4MP photos wherever you go; Auto-sync your music, photos and album art with iTunes 4.7; Sharp, vivid 2-inch Colour LCD screen displays 65,000 colours; Connect iPod Photo to a projector or TV and give slideshows — complete with music; Enjoy up to 15 hours of continuous music thanks to extended battery life. No movies playing ability though. Next year, perhaps.

Apple unveil dodgy looking iPod U2 Special Edition. It's only 20GBs but it includes a bold, black enclosure with a unique red Apple Click Wheel; On the flip side: find the autographs of all four U2 band members; Includes an iTunes Music Store coupon you can use to save when you purchase "The Complete U2", a digital boxed-set that includes more than 400 songs and more than 25 rare and unreleased tracks; and an Exclusive U2 poster. Yes. But it still looks WRONG.

It's rumoured that the U2 event next week will see the launch of a BLACK iPod! Very metal.

There's a new Power Mac G5 base model. It has a single 1.8GHz G5, with 600MHz of frontside bus and a SuperDrive. The remaining spec is the same as the Dual 1.8GHz G5. It costs £1099.

Today Apple have updated the iBook G4. They're faster (up to 1.33GHz) and have Airport Extreme built-in. Even better is that they start at £749 for a 12" 1.2GHz, 30GB Combo Drive. It makes my 1st-gen 12" PowerBook look puny. Goddammit!

MacCentral: Special Apple music event planned for Oct. 26 Jobs, Bono and the Edge will host a special event in San Jose. Could this be something to do with the upcoming new 60GB iPod?

Apple have started charging more than the usual 79p for single tracks but they're doing it in a very sneaky way.
Some tracks are listed as only available as part of an album but when you click on VIEW ALBUM you will see that the album has only one track. This one-track album costs £1.49!
Look for yourself: Lola's Theme by the Shapeshifters has many remixes. But some (the one's over seven minutes long) are 'album only'. A few of these are part of EPs, but not the Norman Jay vocal mix, for example.
Yes, these tracks are longer than usual, so do Apple charge less for track that are less than a minute long? Of course they don't! Best Foot Forward by DJ Shadow is only 48 seconds long but you'll still have to fork out 79p.
Rather sly don't you think?

There's a new iTunes TV Ad featuring no other than U2 singing their new single 'Vertigo'. The ad follows the same silhouette against a bright colour theme as before, but this time they haven't completely blacked out the faces of the stars - why would they pay all that money for U2 if you can't see who it is? There's a thirty second TV spot and an extended 2 minute video. You can see them on the Apple site or on iTunes.

All the signs are pointing towards a launch of a new 60GB iPod.Think Secret have posted details from a reliable source. The new iPod will have a 2" colour screen, iPhoto synchronsation and audio/video out capabilities (plug it into a TV) for around £400. It's design will follow the current 4G iPod but be slightly thicker and heavier. Earlier this year Toshiba (who make the mini hard drives) let slip that Apple had ordered it's new 60GB drive. So this videoPod doesn't come as much of a surprise at all.

.Mac membership now comes with 250 MB of combined .Mac Mail and iDisk storage. They've also increased the maximum email message size to 10 MB. About time too.

Apple today introduced Logic® Pro 7 and Logic Express 7, the next major releases of its award-winning professional music creation and audio production software applications used by more than 200,000 musicians and audio engineers worldwide. At £699 (inc. VAT), Logic Pro 7 includes breakthrough new software instruments such as Sculpture, a component-modelling based synthesiser; UltraBeat, an innovative and powerful drum machine; and new plug-ins including Guitar Amp Pro, a full-featured guitar amplifier simulator. Along with over 100 workflow enhancements, new mastering plug-ins and support for Apple Loops, Logic Pro 7 debuts distributed audio processing, a revolutionary technology which allows audio pros to tap into a virtually unlimited number of Macs to expand available Digital Signal Processing (DSP) power.
Logic Express 7, a streamlined version of Logic, provides a basic set of professional tools for students, educators and advanced hobbyists at an affordable price of £199 (inc. VAT). Logic Express 7 and Logic Pro 7 both come with support for projects from GarageBand™, Apple’s consumer music creation software, offering users a smooth migration path to high-end audio production.

Two new Jam Packs have also been released for GarageBand™ music creation software, giving musicians and aspiring musicians alike all of the loops and software instruments they need to create music in the genre of their choice. Jam Pack 2: Remix Tools makes it easy to produce compelling dance, hip-hop and electronica tracks; and Jam Pack 3: Rhythm Section offers songwriters a complete backing band to help build a professional sounding foundation for their rock, alternative and country music.

It's been a busy day.

Methodshop.com has published a page of rejected iPod Engravings . They include "10,000 Stolen Tunes Inside" and "Powder and razor blade not included." Now that's just plain naughty.

Useless iPod add-on No.54. The iBeam from Griffin Technology. Weren't these banned a while back? I remember complaints of footballers being dazzled during matches. The iPod Thug is born.

There's an interesting story on the Aple Pro Video sit. It explains how Kerry Conran started creating his new film 'Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow' on a Mac IIsi. Luckily he upgraded before he finished the film.

Apple goes to the Bullring! The store will open in early 2005 and they're hiring now.

AppleInsider news: P. Diddy sports diamond encrusted iPod at VMA after-party. Too bling to be an Apple. Has HP broken the first rule of cool by letting Puff do this? Ive won't be impressed.

The New iMac has landed
So, here it is. Not quite what we expected having seen MacBidouille.com's pics last week.
Still, the specs look pretty impressive. A starter 17" model with 1.6GHZ going up to the mighty 20" 1.8GHZ for the bargain price of £1,349.01

Where's the Superdrive? It's a slot loader on the right hand side of the monitor.
Where's the hard drive, isn't that just the display? As Apple inform us "The display is the computer". This also includes the speakers too, but at what quality i wonder.

See the new iPod advert here. It features the song "Walkie Talkie Man" by Steriogram.

Can't wait until tomorrow? Then build your own iMac G5. Not bad considering it an old Blueberry G3 inside.

MacBidouille.com have posted photos taken by an I Hepworth of what could be the new iMac. It looks like a thick TFT display to me and nothing like the ground-breaking new product that has been promised. They were hastily taken in a lift in the airport en-route to the Paris Expo. We'll know if this is the new iMac by Monday, when it is scheduled to be unveiled.

Airport Express Updated to v 4.0.1. This update is recommended for all customers with AirPort Express base stations.
What's New in this Version is:
Improvements to Profiles support in the AirPort Admin Utility
Improve handling of WEP keys with third-party access points.
It's only 1.1MB.

Apple .Mac subscribers can now download Virex 7.5. It includes background scanning, updated scan engines and intelligent detection of virus variants.

Apple .Mac members have a free game to download. Wingnuts is "a zany arcade-style game involving a time-traveling airforce that takes you through 30 levels of play from World War I to the modern age and beyond. Plus you'll get a 25 percent discount on Airburst Extreme: the sequel to Game Hall of Fame member AirBurst, AirBurst Extreme mixes the paddles-and-balls theme of Pong and Breakout with fresh and fun new elements for an action-packed gaming experience. AirBurst Extreme is just US$22.46 for .Mac members. That's £12.33. Cheap as chips!

Attention all 15" PowerBook Owners: Your battery may burst into flames! The recalled batteries have the Model Number: A1045 and serial numbers that begin with: HQ404, HQ405, HQ406, HQ407, or HQ408. Batteries with the affected serial numbers contain cells that were manufactured by LG Chem, Ltd. of South Korea during the last week of December 2003 only. Check the 15-inch PowerBook G4 Battery Exchange Program.

Due to Steve Jobs' recent cancer op it looks like Philip Schiller (Apple's senior vice president) is the man worthy of launching the new iMac (or whatever it is) at Apple Expo 2004 on August 31 in Paris. So no black jumper and blue jeans then?

AppleInsider has a report on a tablet design that was filed for a European design trademark. Could this be part of the new iMac, or something else? A PDA?!

Above: The filed design.

Above: An artist's impression.

Another iPod Updater (but only for those with the newest grey clickwheels).

iPod Updater 2004-08-06 includes iPod software 3.0.1 for iPods with a Click Wheel. iPod Updater 2004-08-06 contains the same software versions as iPod Updater 2004-07-15 for all other iPod models.

iPod Software 3.0.1 provides:
Improved connectivity with some FireWire cards using the VIA chipset
Improved connectivity with FireWire hubs, and with 4-pin FireWire ports
Improved power management
Improved performance with the optional external battery pack
Removing headphones while the hold switch is on no longer wakes iPod
For more information about iPod, go to http://www.apple.com/support/ipod.

Think Secret source leaks next generation iMac specs. Basically the new home Mac will come with 17 and 20 inch with 1.6 and 1.8GHz G5s. They say the all-in-one, 'gubbins behind the screen' Mac is "impressive" and "an eye catcher". I should think so too. They also say it will be similar in design to the Sony Vaio W700G (the one that looks like a flat TV), but much sleeker. Look forward to the launch at the Paris Apple Expo on 31st August.

Apple release Production Suite. Everything you need to produce a proper professional movie. Even more reason for production houses to update to a nice new dual processor G5 and HD display.

Updates Galore! Time to check your system updater because there's a lot to download.Mac OS X has been updated to 10.3.5. Plus there's a Security update, a Java update and an iSync update to clog up your bandwidth.

Mac OS X Updated to 10.3.5.
These are some of the enhancements included with the Mac OS X 10.3.5 Update:
Bluetooth enhancements
* Bluetooth FIle Exchange now works better with Bluetooth-capable Hewlett-Packard printers.
* Resolves an issue in which an application that's performing an asynchronous Bluetooth operation could quit unexpectedly, if the computer went to sleep before the data transfer was complete and the "Allow Bluetooth devices to wake this computer" preference setting was disabled.
* Addresses an issue in which Bluetooth File Exchange could unexpectedly quit if you tried to copy several files but one or more of them already existed at the target location.

Networking, Internet enhancements
* If you had difficulties connecting to the Internet with a Comcast cable modem and your account uses DHCP configuration (as opposed to PPPoE), then this update can help you connect more easily. If it doesn't, contact Comcast for further assistance. (An example of this issue would be that your computer can't get an IP address when connected to the cable modem, and your Network preferences are set to configure via DHCP.)
* Improves the way Safari handles certain kinds of GIFs, including ones that could cause Safari to quit unexpectedly.
* Reintroduces shorter server pathnames; the overall limit remains 89 characters, but now only 24 characters (instead of 39 with Mac OS X 10.3 through 10.3.4) are reserved for the beginning of the pathname.

Other enhancements
* Image Capture can now import MPEG-4 movies (.MP4) from compatible digital cameras.
* Resolves a potential data loss issue after renaming a Mail mailbox file.
* Addresses an issue for Mac OS X 10.3.4 in which Installer might unexpectedly quit when installing software that has a Japanese name.
* Corrects an issue in which analog speakers connected to a PowerBook or iBook during sleep sometimes didn't produce sound after waking the computer.
* Resolves an issue with Mac OS X 10.3.4 in which the internal microphones of some iBook (Dual USB) computers would not be available to applications or Sound preferences.
* Allows the "Attach" button of Eudora version 6.0 and 6.0.1 to work as expected.
* Improves support for NTFS-formatted volumes.
* Updates the libpng (Portable Network Graphics) component.
* Includes recent Security Updates.

iPhoto 4.03 replaces 4.02. It didn't work. Something went wrong. Well done for a prompt replacement but don't let it happen again.

First Free UK iTMS download available now. It's a track called Break of Day by Tina Dico. Gift horse. Mouth.

Here's Steve Jobs' email to his staff about his pancreatic cancer op in full:

Team,
I have some personal news that I need to share with you, and I wanted you to hear it directly from me.
This weekend I underwent a successful surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from my pancreas. I had a very rare form of pancreatic cancer called an islet cell neuroendocrine tumor, which represents about 1 percent of the total cases of pancreatic cancer diagnosed each year, and can be cured by surgical removal if diagnosed in time (mine was). I will not require any chemotherapy or radiation treatments.
The far more common form of pancreatic cancer is called adenocarcinoma, which is currently not curable and usually carries a life expectancy of around one year after diagnosis. I mention this because when one hears 'pancreatic cancer' (or Googles it), one immediately encounters this far more common and deadly form, which, thank god, is not what I had.
I will be recuperating during the month of August, and expect to return to work in September. While I'm out, I've asked Tim Cook to be responsible for Apple's day to day operations, so we shouldn't miss a beat. I'm sure I'll be calling some of you way too much in August, and I look forward to seeing you in September.

Steve

PS: I'm sending this from my hospital bed using my 17-inch PowerBook and an Airport Express"

iPhoto updated to v4.02 to address minor issues with Smart Albums and European books, and provides notification when new versions of iPhoto are available. It's a 7.1MB download.

Go to Engaget to find out how to turn your iPod in to a Universal Infrared Remote Control. You don't even have to pull it apart.

Today Apple released a press release stating that a slimmed-down version of iTunes will be ported to Motorola's next-generation of mobile phones.

Click wheel comes to 20 & 40GB iPods. A millimeter thinner and with up to 12 hours of juice life, the 4th Gen iPod is now available for as little as 219 pounds. You can shuffle songs from the main menu, save multiple on-the-go playlists, adjust the speed of audiobooks and charge via USB 2.0. Hopefully these new iPod software extras will soon be available for 3rd Gen iPods too. Apple have also updated the software for all sizes and ages of iPods.

Think Secret sources have confirmed that smaller, sleeker iPods are on the horizon. They will replace the white iPods in the first few weeks of August and will come in a variety of colours including purple, orange and yellow (Yuck!). Now this means that they will be lauched a few weeks before the Paris Expo. Could this mean Apple are keeping the Paris clear for the new iMac? I hope so.

How did they let this happen?! It looks goddamawful.

Looking through the iMixes on the old iTunes today, I noticed that many are using their own iMixes as a protest against the lack of indie music for sale. With titles like "iTunes Needs More Indies" and "5* Me For More Indies" their descriptions ask you to give the compilation a five star rating in the hope that Apple will take notice. It's amazing how quickly renegade iTuners have adapted this new feature to their advantage. I wonder how long will pass before Apple puts it's foot down and removes them. On the subject of iTunes here's my current playlist for you to laugh at.

Last night the iTMS sold it's 100 Millionth Song. It was Dangermouse's remix of Somersault by Zero 7. Of course it looks like Apple has, more than likely, twisted the truth again by revealing that this milestone download was one of the store's 'cooler' tracks. The lucky bastard who bought it (Kevin Britten, age 20, of Hays, Kansas) has won a 17-inch PB, a 40GB iPod and a 10,000 song gift certificate! I'm turning green as we speak.

Apple's iPod mini will be available to buy from July 24th and will cost £179. Yes that is including VAT.

16-yr old boy in E17 iPod horror.Were you in Shernhall Street at around 11am on Friday, June 18th? Police are looking for a thin black yoof, about 17, 5ft 10ins, wearing a grey hooded top and a red and white baseball car with the letter S on it. He stole an iPod from a young lad, so if you know who he is, call DS Casey on 0208 529 8666. The Waltham Forest Guard are after him.

If you can't get enough of seeing Steve Jobs strut up and down a stage in black sweatshirt and blue jeans get over to the WWDC 2004 stream. He launches the largest tft display in the world can only run off a G5 fitted with a specially designed Dual DVI nVidia Graphics card, so you can run 8.2 million pixels! (if you have two 30 inchers). Look out for the impressive stage plinth action too. Jobs goes through ten of the new features of Tiger (with a little help from his friends). Spotlight looks like it will be the most useful addition to the next OS. It looks like whenever I shell for some cool app, Apple go and copy it and give it away for free. It happened with Cassidy & Green's
Soundjam, now it's happened with Konfabulator.
Ho-hum.

The buyer of the 100,000,000th track from the Apple iTunes Music Store will win a 17-inch PowerBook, a 40GB iPod, a gift certificate for 10,000 iTunes songs to create the ultimate music library for their iPod and the opportunity to create their own Celebrity Playlist to be published on the iTunes Music Store. Every 100,000th customer between 95,000.000 and 100,000,000 will win a special iPod. Get buying!

Proof that there will be a new iMac soon appeared on The Apple Store (U.S.) today. All orders for the current line have stopped and the new ones are lined up for a September release.

Today's Tiger Preview showed us the next gen Mac OS X built especially for 64-bit processors. There'll be a new search engine called Spotlight, a better iChat AV with party mode and Dashboard - a bit of a rip off of Konfabulator (one of the few third-party apps I actually use every day).

NewApple Cinema Displays out today. Ooh look! 30 inches!! Nearly four million pixels! The perfect compliment to your G5.

The UK iTunes Music Store has sold 450,000 tracks in its first week and 800,000 across Europe. That's 16 times more than OD2. Peter Grabriel is polishing his sledgehammer as we speak.

Just as I was wondering when we were going to hear anything about the redesigned iMac, AppleInsider post a rumour. It looks like it will be powered by a 2GHz G5 housed in a 'pizza box' behind the LCD screen. it all sounds a bit too obvious to me. Too many competitors have gone for this design (especially with tablet PCs), but if Apple can make it sexy enough, who knows?

As I was trawling the internet for past Apple adverts (I'm putting together my first iMix) I came across this little beauty. A super fast... super quiet... super computer, in an eight... inch... cube. With a Hendrix soundtrack. Why didn't it sell? (OK, OK. It was too expensive). Must. Bring. Back. Cube.

Apple have disclosed details of the upcoming iPod device for BMWs. The adapter can be installed in 2002 or later 3 Series, X3 and X5 SAVs, Z4 Roadsters and MINIs with compatible audio configurations.Strangely, when hooked up, the iPod is hidden away in the glove compartment. There's also a TV ad.

Go to: iTunes Music Store Launch to watch the webcast of last week's monumental event.

I'm not going to say much about the deal between BMW and Apple as reported in Bloomberg.com I'm tired of blogging about all this new iPod stuff. I want to be blogging about the new Mac for the home. The one you can (wirelessly) plug into your TV and record like a TiVo. The one that's a monitor-less, budget of the failed Cube. The Mac that will really make a difference to our lives. The true digital hub for the home. C'mon, Jonathan Ive must have one in his sketch book somewhere.

Today I was quoted in Macworld UK - iTunes poll: It's spend, spend, spend I'm the 'one reader' saying "How much I spend on iTMS will always depend on how good the product is. The more rare tracks and exclusives the better, but I'd always prefer to buy something on CD."
Well last night (after a few hours browsing) I managed to find a few exclusives to my taste and the music off the Audi 'Hendrix' ad that I've been after for ages. It was quite simple really as all I had to do to set up an account was log in using my .Mac account. I've created an iTunes playlist into which I can drag potential purchases (just like a wish list on Amazon). All it takes is one drunken night and I'll be buying them all in one foul swoop.

Macworld UK's minute by minute report of the Euro iTMS event tells us that the store holds 700,000 songs and more than 5,000 audiobooks which will increase very soon. Steve Jobs, who presented the new Store in Billingsgate, East London, let slip that his favourite soundtrack is Mary Poppins (how gay?) and let rip at Napster's subscription-based service. An in-car iPod device was also ear-marked for later this year. Alicia Keys then took the stage and played a tribute to the late, great Ray Charles with a rendition of 'Night and Day'. Alicia is one of the many artists that have release exclusives on the iTMS, others include Anastasia, Ash, The Beastie Boys, Beginner, Black Eyed Peas, The Corrs, Jamie Cullum, The Cure, The Darkness, Arielle Dombasle, Bebel Gilberto, Herbert Groenemeyer, PJ Harvey, The Hives, Indochine, Norah Jones, Keane, Bob Marley, George Michael, Eddy Mitchell, Moby, Pascal Obispo, The Pixies, Rosenstolz, Seeed, Snow Patrol and Mano Solo. Airport Express was also demonstrated and penciled in for a July launch. I'd better start saving now.

European Music Store Now Open!
MacNN: "As expected, Steve Jobs this morning introduced iTunes for Europe in Germany, France, and the UK at the London Music Event. Apple says it has 700,000 songs from all five labels, including 12,000 classic tracks, 'dozens of Indies', and exclusive tracks. Apple will offer music song for purchase (via download) for 99p".
It all looks a bit empty compared to the American store, but it is here at last. Hallelujah!

Macworld UK has proof that we are about to enter a new age. iTMS posters are cropping up all over London. Excited yet? I'm wetting myself!

Think Secret have a rumour that Apple are on the verge of bringing out a new range of re-designed displays including a HD 30-incher. Neill won't be please. He's just had a display delivered along with his 15-inch PowerBook.

iTunes 4.6 Update. iTunes 4.6 includes support for playing your music wirelessly using AirPort Express with AirTunes. It also includes a number of other minor enhancements. It's an 8.4MB download.

Picture: ©Apple

As many predicted, Apple has revealed the new range of PowerMac G5s today. God knows how they're going to fit a liquid cooling system into a G5 PowerBook. We'll have to wait and see. Just don't expect one this year.

I managed to get hold of a copy of the invite to the European iTMS launch party. Click here to see it in detail.

Details of the new G5s appeared momentarily on the Apple website today. All models will have liquid-cooled, dual-processors (up to 2.5GHz) and an 8-speed Superdrive. Cool. Quite literally (laugh now).

Think Secret have revealed details of the upcoming G5 PowerMacs. "Sources expect the company to offer three dual-processor configurations with 2.5GHz, 2GHz, and 1.8GHz PowerPC G5s, as well as an entry-level single-processor 1.8GHz model. While it was previously thought that the updated Power Macs would top out at 2.6GHz, these four models are currently believed to represent the speed-bumped product line.
The highest-end G5 configuration, at 2.5GHz, will include dual 1.25GHz frontside buses and will reportedly ship with an ATI Radeon 9600 XT graphics card (128MB); the other models will include an NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 Ultra card (64MB). Both graphics cards will provide dual display support."

Rolling Stone Magazine's 50 Moments That Changed The History of Rock n Roll includes the invention of (yes you guessed it) the iPod. "I never used to see people walking around listening to music on the streets,' said (balding vegan) Moby. 'Now everywhere I go, I see the iPod’s white headphones." It's in there with Elvis Presley at Sun Studio in 1954 and the death of John Lennon in 1980. Well. Is the iPod really that important? After all, it wouldn't be there without the mp3 explosion. Perhaps that's in there too. I'll have to check.

Security Update 2004-06-07 delivers a number of security enhancements and is recommended for all Macintosh users. This update includes the following components:
DiskImages, LaunchServices, Safari, Terminal.
Mac OS X will now present an approval alert when an application is to be run for the first time either by opening a document or clicking on a URL related to the application.

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Apple launch AirPort Express. It's a traveling mini airport basestation that plugs directly into a socket for sharing a single broadband connection (up to 54Mbps). The device also has a USB socket for wireless printing and a sound output for connecting to a stereo. Using what looks like an iTunes plug-in called AirTunes, you can wirelessly stream music from your Mac. And it's only £99! Ummmm. My old 1st Gen Graphite BaseStation is showing it's age now. Goddammit! Sucked in again! That's something else I might have to buy. Curse you Apple!

Christopher Breen and Adam Engst have discovered that you can access the music files on your iPod using the Omniweb browser. Just drag the iPod icon onto the browser window. See this US MacWorld Mac 911 Weblog for the whole story.

European iTunes Music Store to launch next week! Apple have sent out invites for a special music event for the press and media on the 15th. The invite reads: 'The biggest story in music is about to get bigger'. Hopefully it won't be the launch of a bigger iPod. Think of all those free downloads and iMixing we've been missing out on.

Airport Extreme Driver Update. This software update provides improved AirPort Extreme wireless networking software and is recommended for all customers with an AirPort Extreme enabled computer. It enhances networking reliability during certain memory intensive operations.

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Some helpful chap at a printers has leaked some sexy internal close-ups of a (supposedly) new G5. They're from a future service manual. It must be pretty fast - just look at the size of that heatsink! SeeAppleInsider

One-Handed Typists Rejoice! The FrogPad is a mobile keypad with a innovative 20 full-size key layout optimized around the most frequently used characters. The reckon it's quite easy to get used to. The bluetooth version can be used with PDA, PCs, mobiles phones and they all come in a variety of colours, there are also left and right hand versions. Why not type as you, er... pick your nose?

MacMinute: Toshiba drive paves the way for 60GB iPod It Looks like a 60GB iPod could be on the cards in the next upgrade. Toshiba have upped the capacity of the 1.8inch drive used in the 'thin, white duke'.

Even more .Mac Treats!: "The stream of .Mac updates continues with a new support site and a brand new learning center. Also, check out our latest member benefit: a free download from O'Reilly Publishing!"

Apple Euro music license win signals mid-June launch? | The Register. This story says that Apple have secured the music deals it needs to launch the iTunes Music Store over here. Some worry that they may have been a smidgen too late because of last week's launch of Napster. But considering most of Napster's music is encoded as Windows Media Audio (.wma), they should have nothing to worry about. These files don't play on iPods unless you convert them to either .m4a, .mp3, AIFF or WAV files (which can lead to a deterioration of sound quality).

Word up! calling all mac using musicians. Get yourself to the Sound on Sound Music seminar at Lock 17 (the old Dingwalls) Camden Lock, London. See here for details.

Roll up, roll up get your iPods fixed here. 24hr battery replacement service. £75 sterling to you. Visit or call PlugStore 020 8487 9249

AppleInsider has been given 'inside' information about the new line of iBooks. There will be four in the range and the top-end 14 incher will boast a superdrive and 1.2GHz G4 processor as standard (before it was only available as BTO).

Mac OS X Update 10.3.4
"The 10.3.4 Update delivers enhanced functionality and improved reliability for Mac OS X v10.3 'Panther' and is recommended for all users.
Key enhancements include:
- improved file sharing and directory services for Mac (AFP), UNIX (NFS), PPTP, and wireless networks
- improved OpenGL technology and updated ATI and NVIDIA graphics drivers
- improved disc burning and recording functionality
- iPods connected via USB 2.0 are now recognized by iTunes and iSync
- additional FireWire audio and USB device compatibility
- updated Address Book, Mail, Safari, Stickies, and QuickTime applications
- improved compatibility for third party applications
- previous standalone security updates."

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The G4 PowerBook range took home a silver last night at the D&AD Awards 2004. A yellow pencil also went to the 'Office in a Bucket' in the Products for Work or Industry category.

Check out the new look Macworld UK website.

Apple are up for another pencil in the D&AD Awards. This year the the PowerBook range has been nominated in the Product Design Category. Also the silouhette posters for the iPod have been nominated for Art Direction. The Awards night is this Wednesday. I'll be there, so come back on Thursday morning to find out if they come up smelling of roses.

SHOCK ADVERTISING?
I received this image today from a friend.
The line reads '10,000 volts in your pocket, guilty or innocent.'
Not sure how Pro-War Apple are, but i'm sure they won't approve of their wonderful iPod ads being spoofed in such a tasteless way. Tisk, tisk!

Want to look like a ghost on iChat?
Then try this...

The Griffin Sightlight is supposed to enhance the picture quality of the iSight by fitting over the lense, but in reality it's actually too powerful.
The effect you get is an over exposed look, equalling that of what Casper the Ghost wakes up to every morning. Or does he never sleep? Anyway, if you have an iSight my suggestion is to experiment using a cheap ikea desk lamp (which no doubt cost less than £25!)



Picture © Griffin 2004

Think Secret has unearthed a recent Apple document describing how iPod mini colors may vary in shade. So don't buy a couple expecting them to match exactly. Only read the above link if you carry a book of Pantone swatches around with you.

Security Update 2004-05-24 delivers a number of security enhancements and is recommended for all Macintosh users. This update includes the following components: HelpViewer.
It that it?! HelpViewer?! Pathetic.

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Gwyneth and Chris Martin have just named their new-born daughter Apple. Let's hope she doesn't follow her father into the music industry, Apple Corps will sue her ass. Mmmm. Perhaps I could get away with naming my next sibling after my favourite computer company. Surely my wife wouldn't see through my suggestion. After all, she did suggest Betsie Muffin the other day. If we produced a boy next Mac would be the first choice. Max could be a good compromise. Hang on. There's buckets full. Lisa (Macintosh XL)... err, I just check MacTracker for other Apple code names... Ivory, Pismo, Mecury, Hooper, Nautilus, Yeager, Escher, Ansel, Bob (W), Cinnamon, Dartanian, Tim, Monet, Jedi (no chance), Asahi, Rosebud, Malibu (well it would match the name of my soon-to-be niece, Talulla), and that's just the PowerBooks. Generally Apple's code names get better the further you go back. Elsie (Macintosh LC), Becks or Paris (Mac II), Mr T? (Mac Plus), Spartacus (20th Anniversary Mac), Carl Sagan (PM 7100), Pheonix (PM5500), Trinity or Rubican (Cube), Mystic (PM G4), Tessera (TFT iMac), Elroy (original iMac), Lindy (Message Pad 110) or Venus (Quicktake 100). The good lady wife must fall for one of these without seeing through my ploy. Surely.

Java Update 1.4.2. Those coffee cup plug-ins should work better now because "in addition to providing support for Sun’s Java 1.4.2 APIs, this release includes enhancements to drawing performance and stability for both Java applications and Java applets." It's 28MBs. Not that I care now I've finally got broadband at home (Ooh! La-di-dah!) I took those lazy bastards at BT three weeks to convert my line though.

Apple Overhauls .Mac. New features include Free Norton Parental Control (good if you've got kids- hence the name), many HomePage templates, a new downloads page, new iCards (intergrated with Address Book) and the option to build and maintain .Mac websites using Windows XP. Now I hope that I can upload iPhoto albums without it messing up my HomePage index page. MacWorld reckons it's faster to load, too. What a treat!

GarageBand 1.1 Update addresses isolated performance and stability issues, allows per-track Echo settings similar to other effects, supports loop libraries in other disk locations, supports importing unprotected AAC audio files in addition to AIF and MP3 files, and addresses issues with ReWire support, moving GarageBand songs between different computers, Help support, fixing the timing of individual notes (as well as entire regions), and dragging entire tracks in the timeline.

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Dension Audio Systems Ltd. have launched the ultimate iPoddery in-car accessory: the ice>Link. Well, it's not quite as cool as the Smart Car intergrated iPod console, but it'll do.

Backup 2.0.2 Update "adds performance and stability improvements to scheduled backups and is recommended for all Backup 2.0 users". It's 2.4 Megs.

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Apple are running a new TV Ad called Wild Postings in the States. It takes the familiar sihouette 'rotoscope' theme and brings it alive in the real world. Some indie-rock dude is listening to Ride by The Vines on his iPod and when he passes some bill posters they begin to dance 'through the magic of picture'. It's a good job The Neistat Brothers had just defaced them with iPods Dirty Secret slogans. Even though the styling is 'so of the times', it's quite a nice idea. Well done.

There's been a report on Macworld stating that five major music labels have bullied Apple into raising the price of their most popular iTunes downloads to $1.25 per track. Also, EMI has been pushing for some of their artists' albums to not be available as single tracks.
To date, Apple have declined to comment. So that means it's true.
The labels, Universal, Sony, BMG, EMI and Warners don't seem to get it, do they? Why would anyone buy a download when it's virtually identical in price to buying it on CD. Remember, the quality of a CD is higher than that of iTunes AAC file and think how much the labels are saving in CD and packaging production. iTunes and it's competitors are the future of mass music distribution. The sooner they wake up to this fact, the sooner they will stop shooting themselves in the foot. Silly buggers! All of them!!

The Apple Support Pages now include info on how to access your iDisk files from a Web browser (you only have an iDisk is you've got a .Mac account). To get hold of files in your iDisc's Music, Movies, Pictures, Public (and of course Sites) folders, all you have to do is type http://homepage.mac.com/member_name/.[foldername]/[filename]. Go to the support page for more gumph.

iBook Graphics Driver Update. Owners of 12" 1GHz and 14" 1.2GHz G4 iBooks should download the Graphics Update 1.0. It fixes a compatability problem when running OpenGL. The file is 12MB.

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You're a TIGER! ROAR!! Apple have reported that Steve Jobs is to preview Mac OS X 10.4 "Tiger" at WWDC. Everyone's tight-lipped about what this new version will include, but it will cost another £100 for sure. Interestingly, Apple trademarked the names Lynx, Cougar and Leopard last year. Previous 'big cat' code names include Puma (10.0), Cheetah (10.1) and of course Jaguar (10.2) - pronounced 'Jagwar' by Steve Jobs during its unveiling. What a freak.

Quicktime Updated to v6.5.1 Download this new version for Lossless Encoding (as used in the new iTunes 4.5).

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iPod Update 2004-04-28. If you're using iTunes 4.5, you'd best download this so your iPod syncs properly.

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iTunes Updated to v4.5. The new version of iTunes includes random party playlists, the ability to print CD cover artwork, a 'now playing' snapback button (as seen on Safari) and Apple Lossless Encoder (sound files as good as .wav and .aiff but half the size). Plus a load of stuff that we can't use because we don't live in America. Who knows? we might hear something about the European Music Store today too.

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All those of you who are experiencing low signal strength after updating to Airport 3.4 should download the AirPort Update 3.4.1. Hey don't curse me. I'm only the messenger.

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Apple has updated the Bluetooth Firmware to v1.1. "The Apple Bluetooth Module Firmware Update 1.1 improves Bluetooth performance and reliability."

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Smart i-move with matching Smart engraved iPod anyone? Yes, thought so.

Gucci iPod Bag anyone? No, thought not.

Apple Launch New Pro Film stuff. Motion is a high-performance motion graphic design and production app. Apple also unveiled DVD Studio Pro 3, the world’s most comprehensive and flexible DVD authoring package, Final Cut Pro HD, for High Definition, and a new version of Shake. All very useful if you're in the Film and TV business (and cheap too).

Airport Software updated to v3.4. AirPort Update 3.4 features:
"Improved antenna output control. Enhanced logging from your base station which is compatible with syslog. Performance improvements for WPA security implementations."

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Powerbooks Updated. All Apple PowerBooks have been updated too, and run upto 1.5Ghz, better video cards, 4x DVD Burning on Superdrives, all from £1,149 inc. VAT.

Giz a job, Jobs. Apple are advertising for Mac users to work in the new Regent Street Apple Store. See Apple (UK and Ireland) - Retail - Career Opportunities if you fancy it. You do get a cool T-shirt. Being a MacJobber beats being a McJobber any day. Now, how much could I earn? Damn. You aren't telling.

Apple Updates iBook G4 to up to 1.2GHz and a maximum RAM capacity of 1.25GB. Now that really annoys me being a 1st Gen 12" PowerBook owner.

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