Silly TiPb, we should have known the very moment after Apple introduced the iPhone OS-based iPad, rumors would be revisited that an Mac OS X-based, 15.4″ version was also being developed. Sure enough, here comes TechCrunch saying just that.
The info is based on a second hand source with main point corroboration from a second source (no names!)
If there is any truth to that, we could learn something as soon as Apple’s WWDC event this year, which will likely take place in June (just as it does every year). Apple typically uses the event to show off its new iPhone hardware, but it is first and foremost an event for Mac platform developers, and the past two years have seen OS X as a major component. This included two years ago when Snow Leopard (OS X 10.6) made a surprise appearance and developers got a very early peek. There is already talk that WWDC 2010 could bring a similar peek at OS X 10.7. If there are some significant multi-touch components to OS X 10.7, you can expect the rumors to start flying about this new device that I’m talking about (or possibly touchscreen iMacs).
Yes, there have been rumors of touchscreen iMacs as well, which makes TiPb think maybe — just maybe — Apple is integrating multitouch screens into all their computers going forward, and the 15.4″ just represents the future of the MacBook Pro. iPad would then be a more literal bridge between iPhone and iMac — multitouch smartphone, appliance, and computer, one for consumers, one for pros.
No doubt Apple has — and has always had — any number of devices in their secret labs. When and if multitouch Macs see the light of day depends on when and if Apple and Steve Jobs think they can productize them.
Do you think Apple productize the multitouch Mac yet? Do you want them to?
According to Mission Repair, Apple’s iPad has a space for an iSight webcam/camera inside the device. Based on parts seemingly obtained through unofficial channels, the frame appears to have a very similar area to the MacBook’s existing iSight webcam enclosure.
If true, this is almost the exact same situation that occurred with the iPod touch G3, which was widely rumored to be getting a camera, ended up being introduced without one, and was torn-down after release to show the area where a camera was ready to go.
In that case, it was said Apple wasn’t pleased with the quality of the cameras they’d received, and so pulled them at the last minute. Could they have received a second bum batch for the iPad? Could they have tested out the awkward camera angle enforced by holding an iPad flat on the lap and decided no one needed to see the undersides of their chine? Seriously, people, we’re running out of ideas as to why there aren’t any cameras on these devices. Let us know what you think!
UPDATED: Did the demo iPad shown off by Steve Jobs have that missing iSight camera? Florian sent us a link to screen shots from the keynote that show… something. Check it out after the break…
[Mission Repair via MacRumors]
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Apple has released iTunes 9.0.3, and it is now available via Software Update (98.1MB).
iTunes 9.0.3 provides a number of important bug fixes, including:
- iTunes no longer ignores your “Remember password for purchases” setting.
- Addresses problems with syncing some Smart Playlists and Podcasts with iPod.
- Resolves a problem recognizing when iPod is connected.
- Addresses issues that affect stability and performance.
If you decide to install it right away, let us know how it works for you. If you’re waiting to see how it works, ask what questions you will in the comments!
[Thanks Andrew for the tip!]
9to5mac is reporting that not only did Apple go an add a new, official YouTube channel — currently stocked with iPad video and Keynote — but http://twitter.com/apple has suddenly been vacated…
Could @apple finally be “getting” social networking? Will we one day be able to “friend” Steve Jobs? Do we want to?
Official Apple YouTube iPad video after the break!
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Apple’s new iPad tablet is essentially a larger form-factor iPhone 3GS or iPod touch G3 which leverages both the bigger, 1024×768 screen and an updated iPhone 3.2 OS with enhanced versions of existing apps like Mail and Calendar, new offerings like the iBooks e-book reader and store, low-cost 3G data plans, and a 1GHz Apple A4 processor.
Critics have called the iPad “just a big iPhone” and fail to see how it changes anything. Supporters have called the iPad “a big iPhone” and feel it changes everything. Which is it? Until it ships in March (for the Wi-Fi version) or April (for the 3G version) and TiPb gets to do a full-on review, we can’t say for sure. But we can go through and preview what we’ve seen so far and try to figure out just which direction Apple’s leaning. And we’re going to, after the break!
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iPhone Dev-Team member, MuscleNerd has announced that redsn0w 0.9 is officially out of beta and is now available in both Mac and Windows flavors.
“redsn0w 0.9beta3 results were good, may as well take it out of beta: http://is.gd/7ppQO (new: ipt3G and IPCC tethering)”
This version of redsn0w supports all iPhone and iPod touches running the 3.0 and 3.1.2 firmware. If you need to perform a carrier unlock on your iPhone 2G, redsn0w can do that for you but for the 3G and 3GS you must use Cydia to install blacks0w for baseband 04.26 and ultrasn0w for baseband 05.11. And yes, for late model 3GS devices you are still limited to a tethered jailbreak.
For the full details and download links be sure to check out the official redsn0w 0.9 wikee.
Our caption: Steven Colbert is iPad at the Grammy Awards and so can’t you. What’s yours?
Engadget has the video up. Enjoy!
Both Mcmillan and Amazon have issued statements about the story linked to previously, wherein they stopped selling Macmillan e-books after the publisher wanted to raise the price for best-sellers to an agency model $12.99 to $14.99 — which Apple had already agreed to for iBooks on the iPad.
Mcmillan’s CEO, John Sargent’s comments ran as a paid advertisement in the Sunday edition of PublishersLunch and read in part:
Under the agency model, we will sell the digital editions of our books to consumers through our retailers. Our retailers will act as our agents and will take a 30% commission (the standard split today for many digital media businesses). The price will be set the price for each book individually. Our plan is to price the digital edition of most adult trade books in a price range from $14.99 to $5.99. At first release, concurrent with a hardcover, most titles will be priced between $14.99 and $12.99. E books will almost always appear day on date with the physical edition. Pricing will be dynamic over time.
The agency model would allow Amazon to make more money selling our books, not less. We would make less money in our dealings with Amazon under the new model. Our disagreement is not about short-term profitability but rather about the long-term viability and stability of the digital book market.
Amazon’s response can be found in full on Engadget, but contains:
We have expressed our strong disagreement and the seriousness of our disagreement by temporarily ceasing the sale of all Macmillan titles. We want you to know that ultimately, however, we will have to capitulate and accept Macmillan’s terms because Macmillan has a monopoly over their own titles, and we will want to offer them to you even at prices we believe are needlessly high for e-books. Amazon customers will at that point decide for themselves whether they believe it’s reasonable to pay $14.99 for a bestselling e-book. We don’t believe that all of the major publishers will take the same route as Macmillan. And we know for sure that many independent presses and self-published authors will see this as an opportunity to provide attractively priced e-books as an alternative.
So what do you think? Will the publishers be able to raise prices or will the market — or lack thereof for higher priced e-books — force them back down again?
[PublishersLunch via BoingBoing via Engadget]
UDPATE: Nothing. Behind-the-scenes maintenance or prep-work for some later update. Seriously. Can’t find a difference…
ORIGINAL: Yes, the Apple Store is down. We have no idea if this is for iPad pre-order setup, for some other product update/refresh, or for behind-the-scenes maintenance.
If you have any ideas, let us know in the comments and we’ll update as soon as it’s back!
[Thanks to Andy for the tip!]
