Tuesday 31st October......

AppleInsider:

"Apple releases Boot Camp 1.1.2 beta

By AppleInsider Staff

Published: 05:40 PM EST
Apple Computer on Monday posted to its website an update to Boot Camp, its software dual-boot solution designed to allow users of Intel-based Macs to install and run Microsoft's Windows operating system.


The Cupertino, Calif.-based company said the 143MB Boot Camp 1.1.2 beta "contains several updates and is intended for all new and previous users of the software."

However, the feature set listed on Apple's Boot Camp website is identical to that of previous versions, suggesting the only improvements are support for the latest Intel-based Macs -- mainly the Core 2 Duo MacBook Pro.

"If you previously installed Boot Camp beta, you can easily update to Boot Camp 1.1.2 beta," Apple wrote. "You don't need to partition your hard drive again (unless you want to change its size) or reinstall your Macintosh and Windows software or documents, but it's very important to update the Boot Camp Assistant software, create a new Macintosh Drivers for Windows CD and install the updated software it contains on Windows XP.

Complete instructions for updating to the latest version of Boot Camp provided in the Installation and Setup Guide included with the the download.

Boot Camp remains a beta piece of software ahead of its formal inclusion in the next-generation Leopard Mac OS X operating system, which is due out in the first half of 2007.

Since the software is pre-release, Apple at this time does not offer users any additional support beyond the documentation on its website and that included with the beta download."

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"iPod shuffle sales embargoed ahead of Nov. 3 launch

By Katie Marsal

Published: 07:00 PM EST
Apple Computer is looking to stir up a little extra excitement this Friday by orchestrating an official launch of its previously introduced but not-yet-available second-generation iPod shuffle digital music player, AppleInsider learned.


At just over one inch tall, the $79 clip-on device is not only one of the most affordable digital music players to hit the market, but according to Apple, it is also the smallest.

Although the first shipments of the new shuffle are already reported to be in transit to the U.S., people familiar with the iPod maker's plans say a hard launch date for the second-generation player has been set for Friday, Nov. 3.

Apple retail stores and big-box retailers such as Best Buy and Circuit City should begin taking receipt of new shuffles sometime this week but have been instructed not to display or sell players until Friday, those people say.

The Cupertino, Calif.-based Apple has historically launched new products towards the first half of each business week, but recently saw some success in a Friday launch of its PRODUCT (RED) iPod nano.

Each iPod shuffle contains 1 Gigabyte of storage, good enough to hold about 240 songs. Meanwhile, its built-in rechargeable lithium polymer battery offers up to 12-hours of playback when fully charged, Apple says."

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MacNN:

"MacBook Pro replacement battery ships,

Fastmac today began shipping its high capacity replacement battery featuring TruePower technology for Apple's MacBook Pro notebook. The new 62-watt/hour battery uses Lithium-Polymer cells with integrated charge indicator LEDs that utilize TruePower technology for increased safety during use, and lasts around 5 percent longer than Apple's default battery. TruePower technology incorporates sensors in the integrated circuit inside the battery that detect undesirable levels of swelling or a short circuit that will power off the battery in certain extreme conditions. TruePower batteries do not contain or use any Sony cells that are subject to the recent series of recalls issued by major computer manufacturers, according to FastMac. The TruePower battery for 15-inch MacBook Pro is available for $100 with a 30-day money back guarantee."

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"Plextor ships 10X external DVD burner,

Plextor today unveiled the PX-755UF, its first external DVD drive that breaks the 8X speed threshold for writing dual-layer discs. The PX-755UF records a full 8.5GB DVD+R disc at a 10X rate, making it suitable for backups of downloaded and purchased movies, according to Plextor. The drive is also capable of writing to dual-layer DVD-R discs at 6X and can record a single-layer DVD in either format within six minutes, according to the company's tests. The device features ports for both FireWire 400 and USB 2.0 connections, according to Electronista, and both are supported on Mac OS X and Windows systems. The PX-755UF is due to ship in mid-November for $160."

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WEDNESDAY 01ST NOV

AppleInsider

"Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Apple confirms Nov. 3 worldwide launch of new iPod shuffle

By AppleInsider Staff

Published: 09:00 AM EST
Apple Computer's new iPod shuffle, the world’s smallest digital music player, will be available in Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers this Friday, November 3, the company confirmed in a press release on Tuesday.


At nearly half the size of the original, the new iPod shuffle is just half a cubic inch in volume, weighs just half an ounce and features a minimal aluminum design with a built-in clip, making it the most wearable iPod yet.

The player contains one gigabyte of flash memory which holds up to 240 songs and is priced affordably at just $79.

“With its ultra-compact design and built-in clip, the new iPod shuffle is the most wearable iPod ever,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide iPod Product Marketing. “The new iPod shuffle completes our all-new lineup of iPods for this holiday season and beyond, and we hope it's going to be a huge hit.”

The new iPod shuffle features up to 12 hours of battery life according to Apple's tests and is based on the company's pioneering shuffle feature which lets music fans serve up a continuous mix of their favorite songs anywhere they go. Users can enjoy their songs in a random order or simply flip a switch to listen to their songs in order, such as when listening to a new album.

The new iPod shuffle can be connected to a Mac or PC with the included dock and iTunes’ AutoFill feature will automatically sync the correct number of songs from a users music library."

====================

MacNN

"Tuesday, October 31st
Apple releases Xcode Tools 2.4.1

Apple today released Xcode Tools 2.4.1 (site not updated), updating the software development toolkit with functionality improvements and fixing a security issue. With the previous version of Xcode, opening a maliciously-crafted DWARF binary with GDB could lead to arbitrary code execution, according to Apple. "GDB, the GNU Debugger, is susceptible to multiple vulnerabilities that may lead to arbitrary code execution when loading maliciously-crafted DWARF binaries," said Apple. "This update addresses the issues by performing additional validation while handling DWARF binaries." The Cupertino-based company offers credit to Will Drewry and Tavis Ormandy of the Google Security Team for reporting the issue."

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FRIDAY 03RD NOVEMBER

MACWORLD:

Hacker project puts spotlight back on Mac security

"The security of Apple’s wireless drivers is under scrutiny again, thanks to a new hacker project.

On Wednesday HD Moore posted code that exploits a flaw in the Proxim Wireless Orinoco wireless cards used by PowerBook and iMac computers built between 1999 and 2003, according to Moore.

Apple said the issue “affects a small percentage of previous generation AirPort enabled Macs and does not affect currently shipping or AirPort Extreme enabled Macs,” according to a statement issued Wednesday.

The code was posted on a new blog called the Month of Kernel Bugs. It is modelled on Moore’s own Month of Browser Bugs project, which disclosed one new browser vulnerability per day during the month of July.

The kernel bug project was launched with a reference to a controversy over Apple’s products, kicked off at the Black Hat USA conference three months ago.

“With all the hype and buzz about the now infamous Apple wireless device driver bugs… hopefully this will bring some light (better said, proof) about the existence of such flaws in the Airport device drivers,” wrote the blog’s author, a hacker going by the name of LMH.

In August security researchers David Maynor and Jon Ellch claimed to have discovered a flaw that affected Apple’s wireless device drivers. They played a video demonstrating how this flaw could be used to run unauthorized code on a Macbook at Black Hat, but their claims have been criticized because their demonstration used a third-party wireless card rather than the one that ships with the Macbook, and because the two hackers have not published the code used in their attack.

Apple later said that Maynor’s employer, SecureWorks had “not shared or demonstrated any code in relation to the Black Hat-demonstrated exploit that is relevant to the hardware and software that we ship.”

A month later, Apple patched a number of flaws in its wireless products and soon after announced that it was working with SecureWorks on security issues."

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OWC offers 200GB internal drive for MacBook, Pro

"Other World Computing (OWC) has announced a 200GB internal Serial ATA (SATA) hard disk drive upgrade compatible with MacBook and MacBook Pro systems from Apple. The 200GB 2.5-inch SATA drive costs $299.99.

Apple now offers a 200GB internal hard disk as a build-to-order option on newer MacBook Pro models, but users who have already purchased their systems are out of luck. OWC says this drive works on both original Core Duo and newer Core 2 Duo-equipped Mac laptops.

The 2.5-inch 200GB drive operates at 4200RPM, and is manufactured by Toshiba."
Link: http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/memory/MacBook/DDR2/Upgrade

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"Touch-screen" mention causes iPod speculation

"Early Thursday the Internet ran rife with speculation that Apple had let slip information about a forthcoming touch-screen-based iPod. In a blog entry (republished by Macworld), InfoWorld's Kevin Railsback reported that an Apple PDF about the iPod's Notes feature included a reference to "touch-screen models."

That document has since been updated to refer to "iPod models beginning with third-generation iPod (dock connector) models with touch wheel." Based on an analysis of the text's position in the context of the document, it appears more likely that the error was of a typographical nature, and not a slip by Apple revealing the existence of secret products.

Although this item has led to much speculation around the Mac web, at this time Macworld feels that it would be improper for us to continue reprinting the InfoWorld blog entry on Macworld.com. As a result, we have removed that story and replaced it with this explanation."

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ATI reveals Radeon X1900 card for Power Mac G5

"ATI Technology’s X1900 XT card is a build-to-order option for Apple’s Mac Pro tower systems, but up until now, users of Power Mac G5s haven’t been able to get their hands on this faster hardware. Now ATI has revealed plans to offer an X1900 G5 Mac Edition card for those older Macs.

The information on ATI’s Web site (now consolidated with new owner AMD) appears to be slightly premature — ATI hasn’t made any formal announcement of the card, or offered information about its availability or price. Yet the details are there.

The card is specifically designed for users of Power Mac G5 systems equipped with PCI Express (PCIe) expansion slots. First-generation Power Mac G5s featured AGP expansion slots instead, so they are not compatible with this card. The build-to-order card available from Apple does not work in G5 systems because of firmware differences between the Mac Pro and the G5.

The X1900 G5 Mac Edition promises to offer faster graphics performance than the stock cards available for this system not only for 3D games, but other applications that make use of OpenGL graphics technology, such as Apple’s Aperture, Motion and Final Cut Pro software; 3D rendering software like Maya and modo, and more.

The X1900 G5 Mac Edition is similar to the board offered by Apple as a build-to-order option for Mac Pros — it features twin dual-link Digital Visual Interface (DVI) connectors that can support up to 30-inch Apple Cinema Displays (or monitors from other companies). The retail X1900 G5 Mac Edition sports half as much video memory as the Mac Pro’s build-to-order card, however: 256MB, versus 512MB for the Mac Pro card.

Also included with the card is a 9-pin S-video and composite video output adapter, for connecting the card to a TV or home entertainment system; and a VGA adapter to hook up old analog displays.

System requirements call for Mac OS X v10.4.7 or later, a Power Mac G5 with PCIe expansion slots, and 512MB RAM.

More details about the card are expected early next week."

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=========

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TUESDAY 07TH NOVEMBER

AppleInsider

"Apple Computer on Friday quietly introduced an 8GB version of its iPod nano (PRODUCT) RED digital music player, which is now available through the company's online store.


Like other second-generation iPod nanos, the new model includes an aluminum enclosure (in red) and features 24 hours of battery life, Apple's easy-to-use Click-Wheel and a thin and light design.

The player arrives at the same $249 price point as the existing 8GB second-generation iPod nano, which had previously been available only in black.

(PRODUCT) RED products such as the new iPod nano help benefit the (RED) charity created by Bobby Shriver and U2 lead singer Bono, which engages big businesses in the fight against AIDS in Africa.

A portion of the profits from the sale of (RED) products goes directly to the Global Fund to fund programs for women and children affected by the deadly disease.

Apple will contribute $10 from the sale of each 8GB iPod nano (PRODUCT) RED to the Global Fund. The Cupertino, Calif.-based company had previously announced a 4GB version of the player at $199 -- which also generates a $10 donation -- as well as a $25 iTunes (PRODUCT) RED gift card.

"Customer response to the iPod nano (PRODUCT) RED Special Edition has been off the charts," said Greg Joswiak, Apple's vice president of Worldwide iPod Product Marketing. "We're thrilled to add a second model with 8GB of capacity, enough for 2,000 songs, so customers have yet another choice in supporting this important cause."

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MACNN

FastMac adds Bluetooth to Mac minis

"FastMac today began shipping its plug-and-play internal Bluetooth upgrade kit for PowerPC-based Mac Mini systems. The upgrade adds Bluetooth functionality to the Mac mini without the need to add an AirPort card, boasting an operating range of up to 32 feet with transfer rates of up to 721Kbps. The upgrade is user-installable with instructions included, connecting directly to the main logic board of the Mac to free up port space. FastMac's Bluetooth upgrade kit is available from $50 with a 1-year warranty, and works with all versions of Mac OS X -- including Mac OS X 10.5 "Leopard." The company is also offering a 24-hour installation service for an additional $50, picking up the Mac mini to install the upgrade kit and provide a thorough checkup as well as a light cleaning before shipping the unit back within 24 hours."

Link: http://fastmac.com/bluetoothmini.php

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Samsung replaces SigmaTel in 2G Shuffle

"Apple's second-generation iPod shuffle is likely the bearer of a Samsung processor, rather than the expected SigmaTel chip which has adorned Apple's Shuffle since its inception in January of 2005. Analyst Craig Berger reviewed a teardown of Apple's smallest iPod, according to AppleInsider, concluding that the device processor resembles a Samsung chip recently identified as the primary component in Apple's second-generation iPod nano. "The processor is an Apple logo-stamped ARM chip (#337S3300 844A), similarly named to the Apple logo-stamped ARM chip found in the new iPod nano (#337S3291) that is known to be a Samsung chip," Berger said. A Samsung executive in late May revealed details about a forthcoming iPod before Apple authorized such discussions, which was said to have cost the semiconductor company a contract with Apple to produce chips in its iPod portable media players. Conversely, SigmaTel announced in mid-February that it hoped to win bigger contracts from Apple in the second half of 2007, despite at least one analyst's doubt that the company could even hold its existing business."

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ATI Radeon X1900 G5 Mac edition ships

"AMD today began shipping the ATI Radeon X1900 G5 Mac edition of its next-generation graphics card designed to combine workstation-class creative productivity and cutting-edge 3D game performance. The card offers Power Mac G5 owners a high-performance PCI Express graphics upgrade option previously available only to Mac Pro buyers configuring new systems from Apple. The ATI Radeon X1900 G5 Mac Edition features 36 pixel shader processors with 256MB of video memory, delivering more than 37GB/sec of memory bandwidth. The card includes two DVI ports capable of supporting two 30-inch Apple Cinema Displays, and is priced at $350."

Link: http://ati.amd.com/products/radeonx1900/RadeonX1900G5/index.html

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MacMice ships Danger Dongle

"MacMice today unveiled its new miniature Danger Dongle USB Bluetooth adapter, a white color stick-style USB Bluetooth adapter that works with all Mac OS X or Windows XP systems. The device provides fast connection speeds with USB 2.0 connectivity and BT 2.0 EDDR connection protocols, according to MacMice. "Bluetooth dongles struggle with bandwidth, how much data can be piped through the connection at what speed. It only makes sense to have the fastest, highest bandwidth dongle available. That dongle is the Danger Dongle," MacMice wrote. The Danger Dongle is available for $30."

Link: http://www.macmice.com/dangerdongle.html

===============

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WEDS 08TH NOV...

AppleInsider...

Adobe's CS3 seen driving new Mac sales in 2007

"The release of Adobe's Creative Suite 3.0 professional software package next year will be a catalyst for new sales of Apple Computer's Intel-based Macintosh computers, according to one Wall Street analyst.


PiperJaffray senior research analyst Gene Munster recently spoke with 50 Adobe customers and found that 24 percent expect to buy a new Mac within two quarters of the release of Adobe's CS3. Due by April of 2007, CS3 will represent the first version of the creative software bundle that is fully optimized for Apple's Intel-based Macs.

"The bottom line is that there is significant pent-up demand for Intel-based Macs among the Adobe creative pro community," Munster wrote in a research note. "Adobe creative pro customers cannot run their Adobe apps at full effiency on an Intel-based Mac until CS3 is released, so many are waiting until that time to upgrade their machines."

Of the 50 Adobe users the analyst spoke with, 10 percent said they have already upgraded to an Intel Mac and another 24 percent indicated that they expect to upgrade within 2 quarters following the release of CS3.

According to Munster, Adobe maintains a creative pro customer base of approximately 3 million users. With 10 percent having upgraded to a new Mac within the last 2 quarters, he assumes for analytical purposes that approximately 300,000 (150,000/quarter) Adobe creative pros already own Intel-based Macs.

"If we assume that our forward estimates are also based on 150,000/quarter Macs that are sold to Adobe's creative pro customer base, we would come to a figure of 600k Macs sold to Adobe creative pros by the time CS3 ships in April of 2007," he wrote.

"This leaves us with 2.4 million Adobe creative pro customers that are yet to move to a new Mac. If 24 percent of these customers upgrades to a new Mac within the first 2 quarters following CS3 release (Jun-07 & Sep-07 quarters), we can expect 288,000 Macs sold to Adobe creative pros in each of those 2 quarters."

Munster noted that the aforementioned model would yield about 138,000 more Mac sales per quarter than he had been anticipating based on estimates of 150,000 Macs per quarter. Those additional unites would add 7 percent or 4 cents to his earnings-per-share estimate for both the June 2007 and September 2007 quarters, he said."

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Apple initiates Power Mac G5 power supply repair program

"Apple Computer on Monday issued a worldwide repair extension program for Power Mac G5 systems that may experience an issues where the systems fail to start up when a user presses the computer's power button.


The Cupertino, Calif.-based Mac maker said stems from a power-related issue as a result of a specific component failure within the computer's power supply.

"If your Power Mac G5 fails to start up after the power button has been pressed and your computer's serial number is within the noted ranges, your computer may be eligible for repair, free of charge," the company wrote in a posting to its support website.

Identifying affected Power Mac G5 systems

Apple said affected Power Mac G5 models were sold between October 2005 and August 2006 and feature Dual 2GHz, Dual 2.3GHz or Quad 2.5GHz PowerPC G5 processors.

If Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider is able to determine that a specific Power Mac G5 system is eligible as part of the program, the power supply repair will be covered by Apple for up to two years from the original date of purchase even if the computer is out of warranty.

According to the company's support site, affected systems will either exhibit no LED activity or will fail to start up after the power button is pressed. The systems will have serial numbers where the first 5 digits fall into the ranges noted below. Users can locate their Power Mac G5's serial number inside the case directly below the air deflector, along with other configuration information.

Serial number ranges

CK539xxxxxx - CK608xxxxxx
G8539xxxxxx - G8608xxxxxx
YM539xxxxxx - YM608xxxxxx
RM539xxxxxx - RM608xxxxxx

Filing for repairs

In order to participate in the repair extension program, users who believe they affected by the issue must bring their Power Mac G5 to a local Apple Retail Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider, or call their local Apple Support Contact Center.

An Apple technical support representative or an Apple Authorized Service Provider will then need to examine the power supply within the user's system to determine if the component failure identified for the Power Mac G5 Repair Extension Program for Power Supply Issues affects the computer and, if so, arrange for the repair, free of charge.

Apple also said it is aware that some customers may have paid for out of warranty repairs that qualify under this program and will provide details to those customers on how to receive reimbursement for those costs.

"There are no known safety issues caused by this component failure," the company said."

===============

MacWorld

OWC offers 200GB pocket FireWire 800 drive

"Other World Computing (OWC) on Tuesday introduced a 200GB version of its Mercury On-the-Go FireWire 800/400+USB2 pocket external hard disk drive. The drive costs $379.99 and is available now.

The bus-powered drive utilizes an Oxford 924 bridge chipset and supports FireWire 800 and USB 2.0 — FireWire 400 works with a 9-to-6 pin cable (included). The drive measures 3 x 5.5 x 1 inches and weighs less than 11 ounces, according to OWC. On its backplane you’ll find two FireWire 800 ports, a USB 2.0 port, power switch and optional DC power input. Inside is a 4200RPM Serial ATA (SATA) hard disk drive mechanism with 8MB data buffer.

Included with the drive is EMC Retrospect backup software and Intech HD Speedtools utility software, USB 2.0, FireWire 400 and FireWire 800 cables, AC adapter and carrying case."

Link: http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/firewire/on-the-go

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THURSDAY 09TH NOVEMBER...

AppleInsider

Apple updates MacBook line with Core 2 Duo processors


"At just one-inch thin, the new MacBooks are up to 25 percent faster than the previous generation and feature a built-in iSight video camera for on-the-go video conferencing, Apple's MagSafe Power Adapter that safely disconnects when under strain, and the iLife '06 award-winning suite of digital lifestyle applications.

"MacBook has helped drive Apple's notebook market share to over 10 percent in US retail, and the new MacBooks will be among this holiday season's most exciting new products," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "With Intel Core 2 Duo processors across the entire line, these new MacBooks are up to 25 percent faster than their predecessors."

With prices starting at just $1,099, the new MacBook lineup includes three models: sleek white 1.83 GHz and 2.0 GHz MacBook models, and a high-end black 2.0 GHz MacBook model.

Helped by Intel's latest Core 2 Duo processors, the new MacBooks are up to 25 percent faster than the previous models and up to six times faster than the iBook, making it even easier for consumers to manage and enjoy their digital content with iLife '06.

Consumers will also benefit from the added power in the new 2.0 GHz models, including double the memory and greater storage capacity than the previous generation, as well as a double-layer SuperDrive for burning professional-quality DVDs.

Each new MacBook features a 13-inch glossy widescreen display, ideal for viewing high-quality videos, DVDs and photos with Apple's Front Row media experience software. MacBooks also includes a built-in iSight video camera for video conferencing on-the-go with friends or family using iChat AV, recording a video podcast or iMovie using iLife '06, or taking fun snapshots with Photo Booth."

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Dell beats Apple in unveiling 8 core Xeon workstations

"Dell, Inc. said Wednesday it's the first PC maker to market with workstations that feature Intel Corp.'s new quad-core processors, beating longtime-rival Apple Computer whose Mac Pro professional desktops have yet to make the jump from dual-core chips.


The world's second-leading PC manufacturer said customers can now configure its two-socket Dell Precision 690 and Dell Precision 490 workstations with two new Quad-Core Intel Xeon chips, delivering a total of 8 processing cores and performance gains of up to 54 percent on multi-threaded applications.

"Dell prides itself not only on being first to market with technology, but first to deliver exceptional value to the customer while helping to reduce costly complexity in their environment," said Brad Anderson, senior vice president, Dell Product Group.

Bare bones dual-core Dell Precision 690 and 490 models start at just $2,399 and $2,149, respectively, but require a minimum investment of $4,392 and $5,348 when configured with two quad-core Xeons running at 1.86GHz -- the only variant of Intel's new quad-core Xeon that it offers.

The Round Rock, Texas-based PC manufacturer also announced the addition of Quad-Core Intel Xeon processors to its two-socket Dell PowerEdge 1900, 1950, 2950, 2900, SC1430 and 1955 blade models. Prices start at $1,599, $1,599, 1,699, $1,049 and $1,799 respectively.

Customers may begin to place orders for Precision and PowerEdge quad-core computers beginning today, but Dell says shipments of those systems may be delayed by more than two weeks.

Meanwhile, Apple Computer is also expected to soon introduce a version of its Mac Pro professional desktop systems that will also boast 8 cores via two Intel Quad-Core Xeon chips. People familiar with the Cupertino, Calif.-based Mac maker's plans have said to expect an announcement any time after the first half of November.

Apple's Mac Pro is a relatively new system, having been introduced just this past August. It's currently available in a single $2,499 configuration that packs two 2.66 GHz Dual-Core Intel Xeon processors, 1GB of 667 MHz DDR2 fully-buffered ECC memory, a NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT with 256MB of GDDR2 SDRAM and a 250GB Serial ATA (3Gb/s) hard drive running at 7200 rpm.

The Mac Pro can also be configured with up to two 3.0GHz Dual-Core Intel Xeon processors through the company's online store."

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MacWorld

iTurbo, a “portable power source” for the iPod

"Voxred International on Wednesday announced the iTurbo, a “portable power source” for the iPod mini, iPod nano, fourth and fifth-generation iPods. It provides additional battery life when the iPod’s own battery is low, using a standard AA battery, and will sell for $29.99 - $34.99 starting Nov. 15, 2006.

The iTurbo is about the size of a tube of lip balm, and contains a standard AA alkaline battery. The blue light on top of the iTurbo lights up to indicate that juice is flowing. The amount of charge time the iTurbo offers depends on the iPod model — Voxred estimates that an iPod nano, for example, can get another nine hours of playtime from the iTurbo."

Link: http://www.iturbocharge.com/

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MONDAY 13TH NOVEMBER

AppleInsider

Apple strengthens Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard with new build


"Apple Computer this week delivered to developers Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard build 9A303, the latest in an extremely limited series of pre-release builds of its next-generation operating system.


People familiar with the new distribution of the software, labeled Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard build 9A303, say one of its primary objectives of the release is to knock out several "performance related bugs" that were present in build 9A283.

The latest build, those same people say, also reduces hangs in the Mac OS X Leopard Finder caused by a network connectivity issue and delivers several performance enhancements to the initial version of Time Machine.

Since seeding build 9A283 in mid-Oct., Apple has further implemented fixes that address issues with Safari's bug reporting feature as well as repair a glitch that has been impeding the use of Timbuktu and Eudora due to crashes on launch.

Those familiar with the build 9A303 say the Cupertino, Calif.-based Mac maker continues to list well over a dozen known issues with Leopard, including file and QuickTime errors in iChat, iDisk synching failures and printing issues with HP raster printers.

Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard build 9A303 also contains problems where items deleted in the trash may not disappear until a restart, Core 2 Duo MacBook Pros won't recognize their AirPort cards, and logins initially fail after enabling FileVault protection on an account.

Apple has maintained that it will be ready to release Leopard sometime during the first half of 2007."

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Apple settles suit over defective 17-inch Studio displays


Apple Computer has agreed to a settlement in a class action lawsuit brought about by customers who experienced quality issues with the company's 17-inch LCD Studio Displays manufactured beginning in May of 2001.


The suit alleged that the inverter board of the display was faulty, causing gradient dimming of the top or bottom half of the screen and a power light to constantly blink on and off in a short-short-long pattern.

Although Apple has denied any wrongdoing or violation of law, it has reached an amicable settlement with class representatives in order to avoid the cost of a trial.

U.S. customers who purchased one of the displays beginning in May 2001 are automatically a member of the Settlement Class and are automatically included in the settlement unless they submit a request for exclusion postmarked on or before January 19, 2007.

Under the terms of the agreement, Apple will provide a cash refund to those customers who paid for a repair related to the inverter board and who send in a valid claim form. The amount of the cash refund will vary depending on who performed the repair, how much the customer paid for the repair, and how old the display was when the repair was performed.

Customers who had their 17-inch Studio Display repaired by Apple during the second year of ownership will be entitled to a $400 refund, while those who had their unit repaired in the third year will receive $350. If the repair was completed by a party other than Apple, customers will receive the actual amount they paid up to $150 during the second year and $75 thereafter."

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MacWorld

"Fastmac on Friday announced the release of a new extended life battery designed to act as a replacement for the battery included with Apple’s “Pismo”-era PowerBook G3 model. The 84 watt-hour battery offers up to 68 percent more capacity than the original factory battery, according to Fastmac. It costs $139.95.

The new TruePower battery uses Lithium-Ion cells with integrated charge indicator LEDs. Sensors within the battery are designed to prevent “undesirable levels of swelling or a short circuit,” as well.

What’s more, Fastmac is bundling the battery with a G4/550MHz processor upgrade designed for the PowerBook G3, for $349.95."

Link: http://store.fastmac.com/product_info.php?products_id=290

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WEDNESDAY 15TH NOVEMBER

AppleInsider


Intel Corp. on Tuesday officially introduced its Quad-Core Xeon 5300 and Core 2 Extreme microprocessors, each of which deliver four computing 'brains' inside a single chip.


"Quad-Core Xeon 5300

The world's largest chipmaker said the new server-oriented Quad-Core Xeon 5300 offers up to 50 percent faster performance within the same thermal envelope as the previous generation Dual-Core Intel Xeon processor 5100 series, which launched less than 5 months ago at identical price points.

The new Xeon 5300 series is available at clock speeds ranging from 1.60GHz to 2.66GHz, with front side bus (FSB) speeds ranging from 1066MHz to 1333MHz, and thermal design power (TDP) of either 80 watts or a performance-optimized 120 watt option.

In the first quarter next year, Intel said it will launch two more quad-core Xeon processors -- a low-voltage version for ultra-dense deployments with a TDP of only 50 watts and one designed for single-socket workstations and servers.

Core 2 Extreme

Meanwhile, the Santa Clara, Calif.-based chipmaker said its new quad-core Core 2 Extreme QX6700 desktop chip is up to 80 percent faster than its previous Intel Core 2 Extreme Processor X6800. It's available at 2.66GHz with a 1066MHz FSB and runs on Intel's existing 975X Express chipset family.

The company plans to offer a mainstream quad-core processor starting in the first quarter next year under the Intel Core 2 Quad processor brand name.

A new era of performance

"Today's announcement ushers in another new era in computing," said Intel chief executive and company president Paul Otellini. "The capabilities of quad-core microprocessors will bring new possibilities for science, entertainment and business. I'm incredibly proud of what Intel's employees have achieved with these new products."

Intel, which began the transition to multi-core technology 4 years ago, followed with the introduction of the industry's first dual-core PC processors in April last year. It recently refreshed its entire product line by introducing over 40 new processors, including those based on its new Core microarchitecture, a more powerful and energy-efficient design.

Record breaking performance

The company said systems running its latest Xeon chips achieved several new world records for performance, including a SPECjbb2005 score of 210,065, a SPECint_rate_base2000 mark of 200, and a TPC-C benchmark score of 240,737 tpmC at $1.85/tpmC.

Of the two new processors introduced on Tuesday, Apple Computer in the near feature is expected to adopt the Quad-Core Xeon 5300 series to power its most brawny professional workstation thus far: a dual quad-core Mac Pro system, featuring a combined 8 cores of processing power."

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Additional file recovery tools appear in Apple's Leopard


"Developers testing the latest pre-release builds of Apple Computer's forthcoming Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard operating system have discovered some new file recovery tools and other interface tweaks not apparent from previous reports.


File Recovery

In particular, a forum post points to a "File Recovery" panel that turned up in a new version of Apple's Disk Utility expected to ship with the new system software. It includes presets for iTunes, iMovie and iPhoto file types, and also offers a "Custom" option to aid in recovery of files from additional applications.

"File recovery works best on disks whose files are not heavily fragmented and have not been overwritten by new files," reads a message in the new panel. "File Recovery will not be able to recover files that have been Secure Erased."

The Disk Utility function is likely a tie-in to Apple's Time Machine application, which will offer Leopard users automatic backups of their data files and application histories.

Spotlight enhancements

Meanwhile, some additional Spotlight features have surfaced, though they are not necessarily new to latest builds of Leopard. They include the ability to perform math algorithms from the Spotlight search pane (without having to launch Apple's Calculator application). Additionally, Spotlight now searches for word definitions by interfacing with the Mac OS X Dictionary application.

Firewall changes and new UI elements

Over in the System Preferences panel, Apple is reported to have relocated the Mac OS X Firewall preferences to the "Security" preference pane from "Sharing" pane.

The redesigned Firewall pane is reminiscent of the third party application Little Snitch and similarly alerts users via a pop-up dialog when an external machine attempts to access a service.

Also in the latest builds of Leopard, Apple has begun to allow developers access to a variety of new user interface controls. Some of those controls, which first appeared in applications that shipped with Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger, include capsule shaped buttons and segmented button controls.

All of the new controls are said to support resolution independence, another feature expected in Leopard."


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FRIDAY 17TH NOVEMBER

APPLEINSIDER

Apple's iPhone to arrive in early 2007 with 2MP camera

"Apple Computer's much anticipated iPod cell phone will include a 2.0-megapixel digital camera when it arrives late first quarter or early second quarter of next year, according to a new report out of Taiwan.


The China Times said Thursday the device, which will merge traditional cellular capabilities with Apple's legendary iPod digital music player technology, has been finalized and released to manufacturing.

According to the report, Foxconn will begin delivering the phones to Apple out of its Fushikang manufacturing facility at run rate of 500,000 to 600,000 per month beginning in February.

The Cupertino, Calif.-based iPod maker is said to have enlisted the help of several component suppliers to provide various aspects of the phone, including Foxconn subsidiary AlusTech, which will fabricate the digital camera module; Largan, which will supply the actual camera lens; and Micron, which will provide the CMOS image sensor.

Intel, Sharp, Tripod Technology, Broadcom and Sunrex are also said to be part of the mix, supplying the memory, LCM display, circuit board, baseband chip and keypad, respectively.

Apple will reportedly tap long-time iPod casing manufacturer Catcher Technology to mold and manufacturer the phone's exterior housing. In recent years, Catcher has supplied casings for Apple's aluminum iPod mini and, most recently, its second-generation clip-on iPod shuffle player.

Contrary to some earlier analyst claims, the report published Thursday indicates that the Apple-branded cell phone will initially be available in only a single model. Pricing information was not disclosed."

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MACWORLD

iPodage widget shows iPod song capacity

"Ever wonder how many songs your iPod can actually store? Now you can find out using Christian Chladek’s iPodage widget for Tiger’s Dashboard software.

iPodage helps you estimate how many songs your iPod can hold by choosing the average song length and determining the capacity of your iPod. iPodage then lists a table of song totals by bit rate — everything from 96 Kbps to Apple Lossless format. You can also specify a custom bitrate.

System requirements call for Mac OS X v10.4 or later. It’s a Universal binary."
Link: http://www.chch.cc/widgets/ipodage.htm

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MACNN

iPod-compatible video glasses debut

"22Moo today debuted the SeepuStar DV230, its portable video glasses designed to connect to virtually any mobile or home video source, including Apple's video iPod. The glasses include two enhanced definition displays to offer a theater experience with a virtual 35-inch screen, and include three sizes of nose pads for added comfort. The display is adjustable with the ability to tilt up or down to provide an optimal viewing angle, and the flexible arms are designed to fit most head sizes. The glasses cater to users with prescription glasses and are scheduled to ship on November 22nd for $250."




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TUESDAY 21ST NOVEMBER

AppleInsider

Apple working on second, iChat-based cell phone


"Apple Computer, which recently released its first mobile handset to manufacturing, is working on a second model that will incorporate messaging capabilities, according to one Wall Street analyst.


"From our understanding, it will leverage off existing iChat software that runs on Macs," American Technology Research analyst Shaw Wu told clients on Monday. "We believe it will focus initially on mobile IM as opposed to e-mail."

Wu said it's unclear when Apple hopes to deliver the second device to market, as it appears to remain in the development phase. He said this newly uncovered handset is likely the company's 'smart phone' and could be branded as "iChat mobile."

"We remain uncertain on the exact timing for iPhone, Apple's first in-house iTunes cell phone with a nano-like candy bar form factor we first mentioned in early September," he said. "We believe its 'go-to-market' strategy continues to be the gating factor (MVNO vs. traditional carrier or both)."

On the other hand, Wu said it's his belief that Apple is fast approaching a resolution to its market strategy and the he remains high that the company's first cell phone will be released in 2007.

Meanwhile, the analyst said his sources are also indicating that Apple's new (PRODUCT) RED iPod nanos are selling well.

"These iPods are sold through Apple direct channels, have a unique red color, and are for a charitable cause where Apple donates $10 for each sold to AIDS research," he told clients.

Wu is currently modeling Apple to sell 14 million iPods for the December quarter, but given recent momentum in RED iPods, believes his forecast is likely to turn out conservative.

The analyst maintains a 'Buy' rating on shares of Apple with a price target of $92."

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MacNN

New SATA-II EC adapter for MacBook Pro

"FireWire Depot has introduced its eSATA-EC, a new Express Card adapter for the MacBook Pro that adds 3.0Gbps SATA-II technology to achieve a superior level of high disk performance for mobile professionals. The eSATA-EC controller has two external, 3Gb/s, SATA-II ports, and plugs directly into a MacBook Pro (15-inch or 17-inch). It allows users to connect up to 10 drives (using port multiplier based 5 drive enclosures) for high-performance applications, such as Apple's Final Cut Pro. With the company's qBox-P or sBOX-P attached in a RAID 0 array, the eSATA-EC can achieve sustained disk write and read speeds of 130MB/sec and 140 MB/sec, respectively -- about five times as fast as USB 2.0 or three times as fast as FireWire connections (using the same drive setup). With the eSATA-EC PC Express Card installed, users can connect a Mac laptop to SATA peripherals such as the SATA HUB, an External RAID, and eSATA storage Devices (CDROM, CD/RW, MO, HDD, ZIP etc.). It requires Mac OS X 10.4 or later."

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TurboCAD Mac v2 goes Universal

"IMSI/Design has released TurboCAD Mac v2 as a Universal application for Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger, which enables it to run natively on both PowerPC- and Intel-based Macs. Created for the home designer, TurboCAD Mac Version 2 builds on the comprehensive 2D drafting, intuitive user interface, and outstanding drawing performance introduced in Version 1 a year ago. TurboCAD MAC Version 2 contains over two dozen powerful new features and enhancements, including a new double line tool, improved AutoCAD DXF and DFG file support, updated fractional unit and dimensional display, improved drawing snaps, and a new ability to define Multiple User preferences and settings. TurboCAD Mac offers over 275 intuitive 2D design tools, more than 7000 symbols, extensive file compatibility, and intuitive command tools. It is available for $100 (or as a downloadable demo)."


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