Apple helps Pixar out with WALL•E

Apple helps Pixar out with WALL•E
I’m a big fan of almost everything Pixar does (Cars wasn’t their best effort, though it was enjoyable), so it is a happy day when a story that links Pixar to my favorite computer company comes along.

It would seem that the good folks at Pixar really wanted to play up the differences between the titular hero of Wall*E and a new robot that appears (Eve, pictured to the right). They wanted it to look very cool, and very high tech. Luckily for Pixar, they know a guy pretty high up in Apple who was able to get Jonathan Ive, Apple’s famed product designer, to help out with Eve’s look.

I wonder if Eve’s battery is user replaceable.

(Via (TUAW).)

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When should you buy an iPhone?

When should you buy an iPhone?

As iPhone channels continue to run dry, more and more readers have asked whether now would be a good time to buy an iPhone or not — assuming you could even find one. Our Mike Rose suggested that dry channels might indicate that Apple is trying to avoid that whole “if a new model appears within 15 days of purchase” nightmare. If he’s right, expect to see a flood of refurb units hit Apple and AT&T just after the new 3G unit is introduced.

The first generation iPhone is an absolutely fabulous device and there’s nothing to indicate that it won’t be 100% compatible with new firmware for a long time to come. Price cuts on previous generation units make them an especially good match to hacking and unlocking. You can be enjoying your new iPhone while waiting out the inevitable 3G price drop or the move to newer generation technology.

With Apple, there’s a distinct consumer advantage to buying about 6-months behind the trend. As a delayed adopter, you buy all the beauty of the new technology while getting that (plus all the software updates and fixes) at a slightly lower price.

(Via (TUAW).)

Rumor Smashed: AT&T’s iPhone Black Reference Just Placeholder Text

Rumor Smashed: AT&T’s iPhone Black Reference Just Placeholder Text [Rumor Smashed]

<An AT&T spokesperson just told us that the iPhone Black dropdown reference on the AT&T Wireless website is just a temporary placeholder. The spokesperson says that it was used over the weekend for a “scheduled catalog update,” distinguishing the various iPhone models (4GB, 8GB and 16GB). Sorry dudes, the 3G iPhone is probably not called the iPhone Black. Unless of course the spokesperson was just covering AT&T’s butt, which could always be possible.

(Via Gizmodo.)

Apple updates MacBook Pros

Apple updates MacBook Pro Range

Mention Apple these days and most people will think of the 3G iPhone. Hopefully this (welcome) distraction won’t make people miss the fact that the MacBook Pro range has just received a quiet update, with the inclusion of multi-touch trackpads and higher end models getting a processing speed bump. You can choose from a 15″ Core 2 Duo 2.4GHz processor up to a 17″ Core 2 Duo 2.6GHz processor, depending on your taste, along with a 300GB ATA 4200 rpm hard drive if your budget permits. Drooling for an upgrade already?

(Via Ubergizmo.)

YouTube video software for Macs from Google

Google offers YouTube video software for Macs
Google has released basic software called Vidnik that lets Mac OS X users record video with a Webcam or built-in camera, trim its length, add tags and a title, then upload it to YouTube.

The software also can be used to upload other videos to the company’s video-sharing site, and other editing software can be used on the videos taken by Vidnik, David Phillip Oster of Google’s Mac team said in a blog posting.

The software is among a host of Mac applications the company has produced. (Another interesting one is Visigami, which lets people search for images on Flickr, Picasa, and Google Images and use the results as an animated screensaver.)

Google has an increasing stable of software that runs on people’s computers–Google Desktop is one good example–and is working on mobile phone applications, too, through its Android project. But don’t be confused by all this attention to what’s known as client software: the company’s higher priority is to make the Internet the application foundation of choice.”

(Via CNET News.com.)

HBO shows on iTunes?

HBO shows coming to iTunes Store?
Apple is on the verge of selling movies and TV shows from HBO, according to Portfolio. The publication cites HBO employees “involved in executing the agreement,” who say that sales will be announced and launched at the same time, probably within one to two weeks. HBO is famous for a number of high-profile TV series, such as Deadwood, Flight of the Conchords and The Sopranos, as well as a number of first-run original films.
The sources on the deal claim that HBO’s parent company, Time Warner, has managed to arrange for better terms than other networks, which have typically had their episodes sold for $1.99 apiece on the US iTunes Store. It is suggested that HBO programming may cost more, or that the network will take home a larger percentage of the profit on the current rate.

In any case the deal is expected to be mutually beneficial, as Apple wants to increase the adoption of its Apple TV set-top, and HBO wants to increase the revenue generated from its archives, even though it already sells box sets on DVD.

If Apple does agree to varied pricing, it may mark the formation of a trend at the company. Last week the UK iTunes Store began selling NBC/Universal programming at varied rates, something Apple has traditionally resisted, despite intense pressure from NBC that ultimately resulted in the network’s shows being pulled from iTunes US.

(Via MacNN.)

AT&T showing “iPhone Black” – What up?

AT&T now showing “iPhone Black” model in device listing
AT&T Wireless, Apple’s exclusive iPhone provider in the United States, is now listing a second model of the iPhone in its device database called “iPhone Black,” AppleInsider has been informed.

The finding, discovered by a reader on Sunday and confirmed by AppleInsider on Monday, is interesting if nothing else in that it may add a bit of support to ongoing rumors that Apple’s second-generation 3G iPhone would sport a black plastic shell as opposed to an aluminum one.

The option to select an “iPhone Black” model is visible alongside the traditional “iPhone” for existing AT&T Wireless customers who are logged into their account on the carrier’s website, and who choose to select or update their handset model.

(Via AppleInsider.)

Turn it up! iTunesVolume

iTunesVolume
There are a ton of Mac volume controllers out there. CoverSutra is one of the best that we have seen, however, if simplistic and free is what you like, then why not try iTunesVolume. Just as the name implies, you are able to control the volume of the iTunes application with this small app.

Two reasons to get iWork instead of Office

Two quick reasons to get iWork over MS Office

iWork and MS Office are both great apps depending on your needs and wants.  MS Office is great for people who need to have compatibility with Windows users and iWork is a great addition to the rest of the Mac apps.  So the question is, which one should you get?  Each has its upsides and downsides, but how do you know which one will be right for you? Well, right off the bat there is a few things you can look at to help you make your decision.

1) Price. iWork comes in at a nice $79.00 whereas MS Office is anywhere between $149.95 and $499.95.  They both offer the same apps (text editor, presentation maker, and spreadsheet creator), but iWork is a lot cheaper.  However, they both offer free trials to see which one you like, but I imagine the price is enough to turn some away from MS Office.

2) Viruses. Cult of Mac has written a post stating that of 6 viruses in the wild for Mac OS X, 5 of them are exploited through MS Office.  As far as I’m concerned, this is enough of a reason to not go with the Microsoft product.  I don’t want my machine being more susceptible to attacks from simply editing a text file.

So when the day comes for you to decide between these two apps, which one is it going to be?  Have you already made up your mind?

Full Story » | Written by Josh Holat for Appletell. |

(Via Appletell.)

Steve Jobs to deliver keynote June 9 – Mark your Calendar!

3G iPhone: Steve Jobs to deliver keynote June 9

Although no official announcement has been made, Apple public relations confirmed to Fortune that Steve Jobs will deliver a keynote address on June 9, the first day of the 2008 World Wide Developers conference.

It is widely expected that Jobs will use that speech to unveil the next generation of iPhones, including a so-called 3G model.

“The launch of the new model is imminent,” wrote Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster in a report to clients Monday.

Munster notes that beginning Saturday, May 10, first generation iPhones were unavailable through Apple’s online store in the United States, the most recent sign that the company is clearing inventory in advance of a new release. (Two days earlier, O2 ran out of iPhones in the United Kingdom.) On Sunday Munster called 11 Apple retail stores to check on their supply; five were completely out of stock and one of the remaining six had fewer that five phones on hand.

Munster also alerted his clients to the discovery, first reported over the weekend by MacRumors, of a switch in the latest release of the iPhone 2.0 firmware that will allow users to toggle 3G data ON for faster download speeds or OFF to conserve battery life.

Despite dwindling supplies, Munster still estimates that Apple will ship 1.7 million iPhones in the quarter that ends June 30. That’s because he expects Apple to start shipping the new model in large numbers before the end of the month.

Other signs — including the release of the new Software Developers Kit scheduled for late June and an AT&T Mobile (T) memo canceling staff vacations between June 15 and July 12 (see here) — point to Friday, June 27, as the day the new model will go on sale. That would give Apple four days of 3G iPhone sales before the quarter closes.

“Net-net,” writes Munster, “the initial surge of iPhone sales in June would likely offset the lost sales due to limited availability in May.”

The drumroll has already started on Apple’s (AAPL) website, where users can download a Dashboard widget counting down the hours before the June 9 WWDC by the days, hours, minutes and seconds.

(Via FORTUNE: Apple 2.0.)

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