Introducing MacBook Paper!

You can print your own here.

New iPod = New Accessories

This is what you used to get in your iPod box: A dock, a firewire cable, a remote, a holster case, a cloth bag, crappy headphones and a plug-in adaptor.
By the time the forth-generation came out, we lost the dock and the case...

This is what you get now.
I remember when Apple stopped including a case. Their excuse was that many iPod owners went out and bought their own case anyway. Feeble excuse.
Each extra bit you need roughly costs about £20. So for an adaptor, dock and case that's an extra £60 on top of what you've just spent on an iPod. OK, you could probably do without a Dock and always charge your iPod through your Mac but that's not the point. I just had to buy a USB adaptor because my wife needed to charge up her Shuffle. I've got an old Firewire adaptor kicking about that can charge up any other iPod but not a shuffle. Eh, back in the day...
I've only brought this up because I'm planning on upgrading to a touch next month and these days you don't even get one of those faux-suede slipcases. I can get a 16GB one from Amazon for £234 but I still need to get a case. I'd like an iPod sock for it but they don't quite fit. So if anyone out there can knit, please send me an email.
Steve Jobs once said that the iPod had created it's own little industry. No Steve, you did. You tight-fisted... so and so.

This One's For The Ladies...

Why say it with flowers when you can say it with gadgets? Apple have brought out a pink nano ahead of Valentine's Day. What next, a chocolate brown one for Easter? Actually, brown would be cool but Microsoft have already done that for Zune.

BBC iPlayer Coming to Apple TV?

This is something that MacUser has flagged up.
"The BBC's iPlayer service could soon be available through Apple TV, following Apple's adoption of a rental model for movies.
Ashley Highfield, the broadcaster's head of Future Media & Technology, believes that a move to rentals could enable the provision of iPlayer downloads for Macs.
Currently Mac users can only stream programming from the last seven days, whereas Windows can download and store videos for up to a month. Apple TV could change that, Highfield says.
"This, coupled with Apple's (long anticipated) move to a rental model, means that the we can look to getting BBC iPlayer onto this platform too, as we should be able to use the rental functionality to allow our programmes to be downloaded, free, but retained for a time window, and then erased, as our rightsholders currently insist," he writes on the BBC Internet Blog.
Highfield says that other methods for getting IP to the TV have failed the "can my mum do it?" test, as he noted in a previous blog post, including the original version of Apple TV."

Nice sexy photos from Wired

Click here to see Wired.com's Gallery: .

Macworld 2008 Keynote Online

Watch Steve's new envelope trick here.
and Randy Newman sings an exclusive new controversial song at the end.

The new MacBook Air TV ad.

The rest of the news:

Straight from the PR release:

20th Century Fox & Apple Introduce iTunes Digital Copy
DVDs Include Free Copy of Movie for iTunes. “Now movie fans can easily transfer a free copy of the movie they purchase on DVD into iTunes>”, said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “DVDs containing an iTunes Digital Copy allow movie fans to get a copy of their movie which can be viewed on a computer, iPod, iPhone or on Apple TV”.
Haven't they heard of MacTheRipper and Handbrake?




Apple Announces Major Software Upgrade for iPod touch
iPod touch customers already have the most advanced mobile web browser in the world with Safari, and now Apple is adding five more great mobile applications — Mail, Maps, Stocks, Weather and Notes. The iPod touch software upgrade also includes new features such as Web Clips and a customisable home screen. New iPod touch products shipping from the factory will include the software upgrade and existing iPod touch customers can get the software upgrade for £12.99 (inc VAT) by purchasing and downloading it from iTunes.
“These amazing new mobile applications make iPod touch not only the best iPod, but the best Wi-Fi mobile device in the world”, said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “With its revolutionary touch interface and software, plus its stunning 3.5 inch screen, iPod touch is evolving into the first mainstream Wi-Fi mobile platform of the 21st century”.
Mail on iPod touch is a rich HTML email client that fetches email in the background from most POP3 or IMAP mail services and displays photos and graphics along with the text of the email. Users can configure Mail for Google’s Gmail, Yahoo! Mail, .Mac Mail or most POP or IMAP based mail services with just a few clicks.
Maps on iPod touch features the ability to automatically find your current location using nearby Wi-Fi base stations*, and use it as a starting or ending point for directions or to find local points of interest. Users can get real-time traffic conditions, and view maps in map or satellite view, or a hybrid view which combines map and satellite views so you can see major street names overlaid on satellite imagery.
Stocks and Weather allow users to access live stock and weather reports at their fingertips, and Notes lets you jot down information on-the-go using the intelligent keyboard.
The iPod touch home screen can now be customised, allowing users to reorder and add new icons, with support for up to nine different home screens which they can easily flick between. With the new Web Clips feature, you can even create custom icons on your home screen for your favourite websites. Web Clips are a great way to easily track websites that you frequently check such as news, blogs, sports sites, movie listings and more.
With Apple’s new iTunes Movie Rentals, movie fans can rent movies on their computer, easily and quickly transfer them to their iPod touch, and watch them anywhere on iPod touch’s gorgeous 3.5-inch screen. Users can also now navigate forward or backward through their movies by chapters, select alternate language tracks and view subtitles, if available.




Apple Enhances Revolutionary iPhone with Software Update
Apple today announced a free software update for its revolutionary iPhone that allows users to automatically find their location using the redesigned Maps application*; text message multiple people in one message; create Web Clips for their favourite websites; customise their home screen; and watch movies rented from the new iTunes Movie Rentals right on their iPhone. With its revolutionary multi-touch user interface and pioneering software, users can easily add significant new features to their iPhone through software updates whenever an update becomes available. New iPhone products shipping from the factory will include the software update and existing iPhone customers will automatically get the update for free when they sync their iPhone with iTunes.
“iPhone doesn’t stand still — we’re making it better and better all the time”, said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “We’ve delighted millions of users with this revolutionary and magical product and it’s great to share these improvements with them”.



Apple Announces Time Capsule: Wireless Backup for all Your Macs

Apple today introduced Time Capsule, a backup appliance that automatically and wirelessly backs up everything on one or more Macs running Leopard, the latest release of Apple’s Mac OS X operating system including the amazing Time Machine automatic backup software. Time Capsule combines an 802.11n base station with a server-grade hard disk in one small package. Simply plug it in, then easily set up automatic wireless backup for every Mac in your house to a single Time Capsule with just a few clicks. Time Capsule offers the benefits of a full-featured 802.11n Wi-Fi base station, and comes in two models: a 500 gigabyte model for just £199 (inc VAT) and a 1 terabyte model for just £329 (inc VAT).


“Bring Time Capsule home, plug it in, click a few buttons on your Macs and voila — all the Macs in your house are being backed up automatically, every hour of every day”, said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “With Time Capsule and Time Machine, all your irreplaceable photos, movies and documents are automatically protected and incredibly easy to retrieve if they are ever lost”.




Apple Introduces New Apple TV Software & Lowers Price to $229 (Movie Rentals are US Only)

pple® today unveiled all new software for Apple TV® that allows movie fans to rent movies on the iTunes® Store directly from their widescreen TV, and lowered the price of Apple TV to just $229. With iTunes Movie Rentals and Apple TV, users can just click a button on their remote to effortlessly rent movies from a catalog of over 1,000 titles by the end of February, including over 100 titles in stunning high definition video with 5.1 Dolby Digital surround sound, with no computer required. DVD-quality iTunes Movie Rentals are $2.99 for library titles and $3.99 for new releases, and high definition versions are just one dollar more with library titles at $3.99 and new releases at $4.99. Apple will provide the new Apple TV software free of charge to existing Apple TV owners when it releases the new Apple TV priced at $229 in about two weeks.
“With the new Apple TV and iTunes Movie Rentals, movie lovers can rent DVD-quality or stunning HD movies from their couch with just a click of a button,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “No more driving to the video store or waiting for DVDs to arrive in the mail.”
This should be coming to the UK soon.


Oh, and the MacBook Air is priced at £1,199 (inc VAT).

Ladies and Gents: The MacBook Air

Here it is. The slimmest laptop in the world, the MacBook Air. So it doesn't resemble the iMac keyboard, but is somewhat similar in shape to the iPod nano. It's 1.94 cm thick at most, And the previously rumoured solid state Flash drive is optional (64GB for almost double the price), otherwise you get an 80GB drive which is what they use in the iPod. It may be thin to put in an internal mail envelope but it still doesn't match the footprint of the old 12" PowerBook. This is due to the 13.2 display and full-size keyboard. It is built for the new wireless world and can connect to a nearby Mac or PC to use its optical drive (an optional USB slot loading superdrive is another $99). Apple asked Intel to make their Core 2 Duo 60% smaller, which they did (who's the bitch now, eh?) The standard speed is 1.6 GHz with an option for 1.8. 2GB of onboard RAM. Only three ports (under a flap) audio out, USB 2 and Micro-DVI. No stereo speakers?! Just mono. iSight camera. 5-hours battery life. Airport Extreme on 802.11n, and Bluetooth. I think that's it. No, it doesn't float.

Breaking: Apple Insider Leaks Ultra-Portable Details to Wired.com

A anonymous insider at Apple has leaked some last-minute details to Wired.com's Gadget Lab.
'An Apple insider told Wired today that the company's new ultraportable, expected to be seen in public for the first time tomorrow, has an extremely thin profile and is shaped like a teardrop when closed — thicker at the top behind the screen, tapering at the bottom behind the keyboard.
"It's unbelievably thin," said the source.
The device is made of aluminum and glass, and uses the same design language as recent Apple consumer products: black on silver.'
I wouldn't be surprised if the laptop took some design cues from the recently redesigned iMac keyboards.
The pictures above were mocked up by Wired.

One more thing...MacBook Air?

That's what 9 to 5 Mac amongst other rumour site predict for tomorrow's keynote. Could 'Air' refer to it's weight or the fact that it uses WiMax and has no ports on it whatsoever? I guess it will have to connect to some sort of wireless hub that your printer, cameras, scanners, optical drive would be plugged into. This time tomorrow, we'll know for sure. I'll see you on the self-refreshing newsfeeds.

Wireless Device for MacWorld '08?

AppleInsider has posted some photos of the banners going up at San Fransisco's Moscone Centre and "there's something in the air".
Have they turned the AppleTV into a wireless media centre? Every other PC company has one.
Or could it be that drumming gorilla again?

Pre Macworld '08 releases means sexy new stuff next week

The geeks at gadget website Gizmodo are expecting some big Apple launches at next week's MacWorld Expo. News of updated servers and Mac Pros have been relegated to make way for more important new products that will revealed in Steve Jobs' Keynote. Everyone's expecting a new ultra-thin Macbook. There will also be a mention of Fox Entertainment's iTunes-friendly DVDs. Other stuff on the radar are iTunes movie rentals and the new 3G iPhone that is supposedly ready. If 2007 was the year of the iPhone, I wonder what this year will be remembered for? let's hope Apple hit the ground running.

Remember kids: Take out your earbuds when crossing the road

These ads are running in Australia.

Fox DVDs to include Mpeg Version for iTunes

Here's something to get excited about: Somebody called Tipster Stewart has been sent his Family Guy Blue Harvest DVD a week early and after he slid it into his Mac this dialogue box popped up...

Just think of all the Cocktail hours we'll save? Read the full story at TUAW.

Get free iTunes tracks with your Oyster Card

OK, so this is just for you 'London-types', but if you haven't already set up your Oyster card for Auto Top-up, then do it before the end of Feb to get five free tracks.

iTunes pricing upheaval on the cards

Steve Jobs wants us in the UK to pay European prices for our iTunes tracks - whether the UK music bosses like it or not. It's not really him saying it, the European Commission said it was wrong. Good for them!
Here's what the press release says:

Apple® today announced that within six months it will lower the prices it charges for music on its UK iTunes® Store to match the already standardised pricing on iTunes across Europe in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and Spain. Apple currently must pay some record labels more to distribute their music in the UK than it pays them to distribute the same music elsewhere in Europe. Apple will reconsider its continuing relationship in the UK with any record label that does not lower its wholesale prices in the UK to the pan-European level within six months.
“This is an important step towards a pan-European marketplace for music,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “We hope every major record label will take a pan-European view of pricing.”

Sounds like fighting talk to me.

CD ripping to be legalised in UK

Soon it will be legal to rip your CDs for personal use on a PC or mp3 player, Macworld reports. This means that presently millions of people break the law every day. But that doesn't stop the dusty old music industry from having a moan. Some warn it could ""open the floodgates" to further file sharing. Seeing as no one has ever been arrested for breaking this law, I don't see how changing it would make any difference whatsoever. Silly buggers.

Download 'Damages' for free.

Could this be the BBC testing out a new way of delivering programmes? Or is it just a cool way of advertising the show? Get it on iTunes here.
I saw this on TV last night, it's well worth the disk space.

New 8-Core Xserve

Apple® today introduced the new Xserve®, a 1U rack-optimised server that is up to twice as fast as its predecessor* and includes an unlimited client license for Mac OS® X Server Leopard™. Starting at just £1,999 (inc VAT), the new Xserve has up to two Quad-Core 3.0 GHz Intel Xeon processors for 8-core performance, a new server architecture, faster front side buses, faster memory, up to 3TB of internal storage and two PCI Express 2.0 expansion slots for greater performance and flexibility.


“With the latest Intel processors and no client access licenses, Xserve offers unbeatable server performance and value for under £2,000,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “Xserve’s power, storage and Leopard Server make it ideal for supporting Mac clients and mixed platform workgroups.”

The Xserve standard configuration, with a suggested retail price of £1,999 (inc VAT), includes:
• a single 64-bit 2.8 GHz Quad-Core Xeon processor with 12MB of L2 cache and a 1600 Mhz front side bus;
• 2GB of 800 MHz DDR2 ECC FB-DIMM RAM, expandable up to 32GB;
• a single 80GB SATA Apple Drive Module;
• dual Gigabit Ethernet on-board;
• internal graphics;
• two FireWire® 800 and three USB 2.0 ports; and
• an unlimited client license for Mac OS X Server version 10.5 Leopard.

New 8-Core Mac Pro

"Apple® today introduced the new Mac Pro with eight processor cores and a new system architecture that delivers up to twice the performance of its predecessor*. The new Mac Pro combines two of Intel’s new 45 nanometer Quad-Core Xeon processors running up to 3.2 GHz, powerful new graphics and up to 4TB of internal storage to offer the ideal system for creative professionals, 3D digital content creators and scientists. The standard 8-core configuration starts at just £1,749 (inc VAT)."

“The new Mac Pro is the fastest Mac we’ve ever made,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “With 3.2 GHz 8-core Xeon processing, a 1600 MHz front side bus and 800 MHz memory, the new Mac Pro uses the fastest Intel Xeon architecture on the market.”

The standard 8-core Mac Pro, with a suggested retail price of £1,749 (inc VAT), includes:
• two 2.8 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon processors with dual-independent 1600 MHz front side buses;
• 2GB of 800 MHz DDR2 ECC fully-buffered DIMM memory, expandable up to 32GB;
• ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT with 256MB of GDDR3 memory;
• 320GB Serial ATA 3Gb/s hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
• 16x SuperDrive™ with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW);
• two PCI Express 2.0 slots and two PCI Express slots;
• Bluetooth 2.0+EDR; and
• ships with Apple Keyboard and Mighty Mouse.

Apple Stores are being updated!

...and you know what that means, don't you?

Ultra-thin MacBook concept images for added excitement.

Here is a round-up of concept designs from MacRumors. I must say I do like the second one but it could be much smaller.

Breaking: Apple Docking Patent Works Perfectly with Ultra-Slim MacBook

This just in from Gizmodo:
Could the new Macbook slim dock with a display? These patents show how it could.

New Year - New Running Resolution

After too long out of the running loop, I've decided to get my £100+ worth of Nike + gear and get off my sorry ass. As you can see from the stats below in the right-hand column, those few glasses of champagne and half a box of After Eight mints the night before didn't help.