Apple Revamps Desktops, Laptops, and Adds Multi-touch 'Magic Mouse'
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Caught on Video: Thieves Ransack Apple Store in 31 Seconds
In about the time it takes to send a tweet, five masked men cleaned out a Marlton, New Jersey Apple Store in the wee hours of yesterday morning. It took about 31 seconds for the men to shatter a plate-glass door, sprint inside the store, and collect 23 Macbook Pro laptops, 14 iPhones and 9 iPod touch handhelds, according to The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW). The only way they could've pulled off the heist any faster would be if they'd driven a race car through the store.
There was a security guard on duty during the robbery, but the thieves knew how to work him, too. They motioned at him as if they were holding guns, and, judging by the above video from WPVI-TV in Philadelphia, the guard just cowered in the corner. Who can blame him? Those devices aren't worth his life. Besides, shouldn't Apple install some metal gates in front of those doors? The store front might not look as sleek or hip, but it'd be a lot safer. [From: The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)]
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Weirdest Techie Heists and Scams
Burglars Break Into Restaurant, Steal HDTV, Leave Money / Food Behind
Around Halloween of last year, a truckload of thieves drove into -- that's right, into -- a Pennsylvania Mexican restaurant, where they -- apparently uninterested in the cash register -- stole a mid-grade 47-inch HDTV and fled the scene. We've all heard about how this generation is lacking in ambition, but this generation's thieves, too?
Around Halloween of last year, a truckload of thieves drove into -- that's right, into -- a Pennsylvania Mexican restaurant, where they -- apparently uninterested in the cash register -- stole a mid-grade 47-inch HDTV and fled the scene. We've all heard about how this generation is lacking in ambition, but this generation's thieves, too?
Death of Print
Elle Girl
In April 2006, Elle Girl's print edition was closed down, but the Web site lives on at ellegirl.com.
CosmoGirl
Though it will be folded into Seventeen magazine, the teen version of Cosmopolitan will publish its last print issue in December 2008. It will live on at CosmoGirl.com.
Christian Science Monitor
Founded in 1908 by Mary Baker Eddy, this venerable paper will move all its daily content to the Web starting in 2009, though it will still publish a weekly print version.
Radar Magazine
Was it too snarky for its own good? We'll never know, but this modern-day successor to '80s-era Spy magazine shut down in October. AMI, owner of the National Enquirer, bought RadarOnline.com, however, which will focus on celebrity gossip a la TMZ.com.
US News and World Report
Once a serious competitor to Time and Newsweek, US News and World Report is now best known for its College guides, which it will continue to publish. The weekly newsmagazine, however, will be turned into a monthly, and all daily operations are moving to the Web at usnews.com.
MobileMe Vigilante Uncovers More About Computer Thief's Identity
A few days ago, we reported the story of a man who used Apple's MobileMe program, which allows users to sync several computers, to spy on a person using his stolen Macbook. Having stumbled upon that trespasser's online job application, the amateur sleuth, identified only as 'Jim,' was able to glean an IP address and other information, all of which he then sent to police. End of story, right? Not exactly.
After gaining access to this initial information, Jim synced to the stolen laptop once again. According to The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW), he discovered a JPEG on the desktop that, when opened, revealed the smiling face of the person Jim suspects to be the thief. Jim took the photo, which was taken with the computer's built-in camera, and forwarded it along to police. Until police recover the stolen computers (which should be real soon considering all the information they have), Jim told TUAW that he'll be sneaking in and erasing files that contain personal information.
If you ask us, the police should give Jim a medal for making their job so much easier. While they're at it, a shout-out is in order for Apple, too. With features like MobileMe, it might be easier to get away with stealing fine art than it is an Apple computer. So, if your Mac is stolen, don't fret, folks. With a little ingenuity and Apple's handy features, even you can crack the case. [From: The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)]
This Just In: Don't Vomit on Your Laptop
Some of us treat laptops like tanks, but that hard, plastic casing can only stand up to so much punishment. And if you've ever had the misfortune of paying for a laptop repair, you know the fix doesn't come cheap. CNET News wrote about computer repair company MicroReplay's list of the most common ways people send their laptops to the grave. According to the list, liquid on the keyboard is the number one computer killer. (Here's how to salvage a spill.) Some of the others are a bit more... unique, such as punching a laptop (cost to repair: $1,000). It's also a bad idea to throw up on said device is also a bad idea (or at least to divulge those details), as the folks doing the repairs likely won't touch your bodily fluids. For those airline pilots out there, don't store your laptop under your seat. One pilot, attempting to readjust his seat, crushed his laptop to the tune of $800.
Apple Announces New iPhone 3GS, Revises MacBook Pros (and More!)
Faster and Cheaper Portables
- Upgraded 15-inch MacBook Pro: The new 15-incher uses the same uni-body construction and non-removable battery as the 17 inch MacBook Pro Apple announced in January. The Pro line gets an SD card slot (finally, a way to capture our images without lugging around camera wires), but at the expense of the ExpressCard slot (this means you will lose the ability to add devices, like an internal 3G data card, to your laptop). On the plus side, the Pro line is getting a $300 price cut -- the 15-inch MacBook Pro starts at $1,699.
- Aluminum MacBook is now the 13-inch MacBook Pro: The sleeker looking MacBook will become a member of the Pro line and get a boost in specs with more RAM and a faster processor (more multi-tasking, better video performance, overall faster computing). The 13-inch MacBook Pro also gains an SD card slot, and gets a price cut to $1,199, down $100 from it's October 2008 launch.
- MacBook Air: The Air is also getting a spec boost, but, more importantly, is seeing a drastic price cut to the tune of $700. The base model with a hard disk (as opposed to the fancy solid state drive) will now start at $1,499.
MacBook's Battery Goes Boom in London Office
The laptop apparently started smoking, then sparking, then a massive pillar of flame blew out of it that reached the ceiling. It took an entire fire extinguisher bottle to put out the flames, but even then it was still glowing red and dripping slag. It's believed that the laptop is three or four years old, and nobody is sure whether it had its battery replaced during those 2007 recalls. We're guessing it didn't.
If you have an older PowerBook and aren't sure if you need a new battery, head over to Apple's Battery Exchange site and check your serial numbers. Better to be safe than get burned! [From: The Inquirer]
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What Will Apple Announce Today?
- $900 MacBooks with an aluminum case. Odds: 4-1
MacBooks are in need of a stylistic update, and a move towards brushed aluminum, as on the MacBook Pro and Air, makes sense. A lower price would also help Apple continue to build market share, especially in these questionable economic times.
- Discrete NVIDIA graphics for MacBook Pro. Odds: 2-1
MacBook Pros are aimed squarely at mobile graphics professionals. The fact that they has continued to rely on Intel's under-powered built-in graphics is absurd. NVIDIA graphics will make the MacBook Pro a viable gaming PC and greatly speed up things like Photoshop and video-editing.
- Blu-ray comes to MacBooks. Odds: 12-1
Apple has to adopt the next generation of optical disc at some point, but it's never tried to market its laptops as entertainment platforms (they don't have built-in TV tuners, either). Apple is probably not rushing to cram an expensive drive for an HD format with limited movie and TV titles into its laptops just yet.
- LCD screen touch pads. Odds: 40-1
Ever since the iPhone hit the market rumor mongers have been talking about Apple replacing traditional touch pads with a multi-touch display. Maybe one day, but certainly not today.
- iTablet. Odds: 200-1
This rumor just wont die. It's been circulation for years that Apple is prepping a touch screen tablet style laptop. Don't count on it. Ever. Tablet style PCs haven't been very popular for Microsoft, so why would Apple make one?
- Apple branded Wi-Fi HDTVs. Odds: 4,000,000,000-1
Ha! Weblogs Inc. (our parent company) founder, Jason Calacanis, made headlines when he speculated that Apple would unveil a line of HDTVs that could stream content from your Mac over Wi-Fi. Sounds like a great replacement for the Apple TV in theory, but the price would simply be too high. Phasing out the $229 Apple TV in favor of a $2,000 all-in-one HD monitor just simply doesn't make sense.Don't forget to check back here later to see what Apple announces. And to keep abreast of live developments, check out our sister site Engadget's live blog of the event around 1pm EST. For additional rumor coverage, head on over to TUAW. [From: TUAW, Engadget, and Ars Technica]
Apple Announces 'Notebook' Event on October 14th!
The rumors were true folks. Apple is staging an invitation-only Town Hall event in Cupertino next Tuesday, October 14th at 10AM PST. It's absolutely safe to say they'll be showing off new laptops... and you know we'll be there live! Will this be an unveiling of a whole new form factor? Will this "Brick" mystery be put to bed? Will they come in rainbow colors? Tune in to find out.
New MacBooks Already Shipping, Hitting Stores September 23rd?
[Via Electronista]
Computers, iPod, Back to School
Apple Prepping for Launch of New MacBooks and iPods?
The memo suggests retailers order three weeks worth of stock for laptops and four weeks of iPods. This would place the product refresh around the end of August or early September, which is right around when Apple usually announces its iPod line refresh (usually either July or September).
What are the rumor mills predicting for this latest product update? Everything from a return to the narrow form factor for the Nano (which is good -- that squat thing the company released last year is quite hideous), to glass touchpads and custom chipsets for the MacBook and MacBook Pro. We're sure the Internet will kick in to full-on Apple rumor frenzy soon, and we'll bring you every bad Photoshop mockup and cockamamie theory out there. [Source: TUAW]
Major Design Changes Planned for Apple's Laptops
According to AppleInsider, Apple's current MacBook and MacBook Pro designs will significantly change when Apple next refreshes its pro- and consumer-level laptop lines. The Mac news and rumor site reports that the MacBooks will see the biggest changes with eco-friendly aluminum and stainless steel exteriors replacing the current plastic cases.
Apple's Pro laptop line is looking particularly dated. Despite faster Intel chips and hardware improvements over the years, the design of the MacBook Pro has remained largely unchanged since its introduction in 2006. The MacBook Pro was largely modeled after the Aluminum Powerbook G4, Apple's older "pro" laptop that debuted all the way back in 2003. Apple updated the MacBook Pro line earlier this year with improved multi-touch mousepad support and improved hardware features, but again, there were few aesthetic changes.
The MacBook Pro design will be influenced by Apple's current iMac and MacBook Air designs, and AppleInsider says that "the end result... will be a more uniform Mac product matrix in terms of design and material usage, and a MacBook offering that will far outclass its rivals."
Don't miss AppleInsider's handy chart (halfway down the page) visualizing the evolution of Apple's laptop models since the late '90s. While we're definitely excited for a design refresh of Apple's laptop lines, we've all but given up hope that the Mac Pro's five-year-old looks will ever be updated.
from AppleInsider
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MacBook Air Hacked In Under Two Minutes
If there's one thing Apple users love to taunt Windows users about, it's security. Mac owners giddily flaunt their lack of virus scanners and lack of worries in front of their PC comrades, whose machines look comparatively bloated with virus scanners, firewalls, and daily patch updates to fix the exploit du jour. Bad news for those Mac users, then, as a recent hacking competition showed that the new MacBook Air is able to be completely compromised in under two minutes.
The hacker in question, Charlie Miller, achieved this feat as part of a hacking competition called PWN 2 OWN. Miller hosted a malicious Web page privately, accessed it from the MacBook Air, and then, within two minutes, was able to take full control of the machine remotely and make it do his bidding.The culprit here is apparently an undiscovered flaw in the Mac Web browser Safari, which has shown to be somewhat lacking in the security department on both the iPhone and on Windows.
Charlie won $10,000 for his troubles, and he got to keep the laptop, but as part of the deal, he was also required to keep secret about the details of exploit, so hopefully there's little chance of it getting into the wild and taking over Macs around the world.
Still, we'd recommend steering clear of Safari -- and perhaps not being so smug.
From Engadget
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Apple Soars to 14% of Computer Sales In February
Notebook sales have been climbing in general, but Apple is growing at about three times the rate of the rest of the industry. And, most surprising, Apple's sales of desktop PCs has increased 55% since last February, a time during which the rest of the industry has seen desktop PC sales shrink by 5 percent.
Also surprising is Apple's continued revenue increases, even in the face of sagging iPod sales, which are actually down from the same time last year.
From AppleInsider
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Cell Phones, Computers, iPod, iPhone
University Lets Students Trade Windows Laptops for MacBooks
Most of these programs are for new students only, but OC will offer current students an opportunity to trade in their Windows laptops for brand new Apple machines. And if that isn't enough, students will also be offered an iPhone or iPod touch.
OC's Apple hocking programs and campus-wide Wi-Fi put the university at the cutting edge of technology and education, so we're big fans.
From TUAW
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Apple Updates MacBook and MacBook Pro Laptops
The new MacBook Pros have a larger, multi-touch mousepad similar to the one found in the MacBook Air and iPhone. While the exterior design looks much the same, the MacBook Pro line received several important hardware updates: New Penryn Intel mobile chips running as` fast as 2.6-GHz (perfect for video editing, gaming and other processor-intensive tasks), faster NVIDIA graphics cards (smoother video, gameplay and visual effects), LED backlighting (crisper, brighter colors), and increased memory and storage (great for storing movies, photos and music). It's good to see speed bumps and greater storage capacity on the entry-level the MacBooks, but we wish Apple had added multi-touch to the new models.
Available now, the MacBooks begin at $1099 and the MacBook Pros start at $1999.
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