Mac News Weekly (AppleTV HD)

Mac News Weekly - #89

Sun, 04 Oct 2009 15:26:25 -0700

Apple announced that the AppStore has seen over two billion downloads of applications since its open last year.

iPhone users in the UK will soon have the option to use either O2 or Orange as their carrier.

In July, Apple bought a mapping company called Placebase. It is possible that Apple will use these maps instead of Google/'s maps in the Maps application.

BlackBerry Manager for Mac is finally here. You can sync DRM free music and data.

Mac News Weekly - Tip of the Week - DiskInventory X.

Apple is about ready to introduce new generation of the Mighty Mouse and keyboard.

Snow Leopard is only about a month old and already 18% of Mac users upgraded which means 1% of all computer users are now running Snow Leopard.

Mac News Weekly - #88

Sun, 27 Sep 2009 17:47:50 -0700

Phone users on AT&T finally have MMS on their iPhones!

The Google Voice fiasco just got more intense. Google is saying that Apple actually did reject the GoogleVoice app from the AppStore, when Apple said a month ago that this wasn/'t the case.

AppleInsider is reporting that Apple may introduce new iMacs next week, possibly along with new MacBooks.

Life Time Fitness, a gym company in the United States, has banned the new iPod nano in locker rooms due to privacy concerns.

Mac News Weekly - Tip of the Week - DateLine

A YouTuber is claiming he sent nearly 700,000 text messages in one month using his iPhone and then getting a 13,000 page AT&T bill.

This month marks the 20th anniversary of the portable Macintosh. It is amazing to see how far everything has come.

Mac News Weekly - #87

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 18:05:43 -0700

Announcements from the Apple /"It/'s Only Rock and Roll/" event.

Besides new iPod Touches, Nanos, and update to iTunes, the biggest highlight of the event is that Steve Jobs presented it.

iPod Touch - No design updates. Apple dropped the price of the 8GB model to $199. The 32GB and new 64GB models have a new processor that is 50% than the old one.

iPod Nano - Same design. Same price. New features include a built in pedometer, FM tuner and a camera that only takes video.

iPod Classic and Shuffle - Some minor changes. Apple also added a new special edition iPod Shuffle.

iTunes 9 was announced. Big features are better organization for content, apps, as well as in the store. They also added a new feature called Home Sharing.

iPhone software 3.1 was announced. No major changes, but you can now buy ringtones on the phone and there is a genius feature for Apps.

Not part of the event, but Snow Leopard 10.6.1 is out.

You can view liveblogs of the event here, here, and here.

Mac News Weekly - #86

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 18:31:40 -0700

Interview with Cali Lewis from GeekBrief.TV. We talk about Snow Leopard and a little bit about the Apple event next week.

Mac News Weekly - #85

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 16:10:12 -0700

Snow Leopard, the next version of the Mac operating system, will be released this Friday - August 28th. Snow Leopard is built on speed - making the entire system run faster.

Apple has publicly responded to the FCC/'s inquiry into the Google Voice fiasco. They note that they have not denied the Google Voice app yet, but it is still under review. Michael Arrington from the popular TechCrunch has some interesting thoughts.

The U.K. based Sunday Times wrote a profile piece on Steve Jobs. The article notes that people call him a dictator. It also goes into an interview where he was asking inappropriate questions and then gobbling like a turkey. What makes the story even worse is that Apple P.R. tried to stop the publication of the piece.

The TomTom iPhone application was finally released. There are different versions of the maps in different countries for different countries. TomTom is currently developing a dock that will attach to your car window that will give your original iPhone and iPod Touch GPS capabilities.

If you are like me, you have issues waking up in the morning. The Philips Wake Up Light awakes you to a nice soft light. It also includes an iPod and iPhone dock to play your favorite music.

Mac News Weekly Tip of the Week - Drag and Drop to Google.

Mac News Weekly - #84

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 07:19:46 -0700

The USAA Bank announced that they will update their iPhone application to support check deposits from your iPhone. You take a picture of the check and then upload it.

The Boy Genius Report says that iTunes 9 (to be released in September) will have support for BluRay and social-media applications.

Jason Calacanis, the CEO of Mahalo, wrote an op-ed newsletter on how Apple is loosing its' charm. You can find the web-version of his news letter here.

Apple is now giving prospective 15 inch MacBookPro buyers an option of an anti-glare matte screen. It will set you back $50. This has been an option on the 17 inch MacBook Pro (and on every model a few years ago!). There is no matte option for the 13 inch MacBook Pro.

It seems like we get more hints about the Mac Tablet every week! Gizmodo says that it will come in two models, one for education and one for home. Another report by Silicon Scoop says that they will have an OLED screen.

Snow Leopard is reported to be Gold Master.

We are launching a new segment called the Mac News Weekly Tip of the Week. We will help you get the most out of your Mac. Today's tip is TinyGrab - screenshot sharing.

Microsoft will completely re-build Entourage to Outlook for the Mac and make it more user friendly.

Mac News Weekly - #83

Sat, 08 Aug 2009 06:24:11 -0700

Eric Schmidt, the CEO of Google, has resigned from his position a board-member for Apple.

The FCC has launched an inquiryinto Apple rejecting the Google Voice application from the App Store.

You would think Apple would want to launch an App Store for the Mac! For now, Bodega by IDFUSION Software will do the job.

Mac O.S. 10.5.8 is out. You can download it here.

Amazon is offering pre-orders for Snow Leopard.

Mac News Weekly - #82

Sat, 01 Aug 2009 09:28:07 -0700

Yep! This is Mac News Weekly 82.5 because I miscounted the last episode.

iPhone software 3.0.1 is out. It fixes the phone/'s venerability to hacks via SMSmessages. It is highly recommended that all users update their device.

There is a huge fiasco going on about how Apple rejected Google Voice apps. One of two things may have happened - Apple dismissed it because it duplicates what the iPhone already has or that AT&T asked for its/' removal due to the load it would put on the network.

**UPDATE - THE FCC HAS LAUNCHED AN INQUIRYINTO THIS MATTER**

Apple updated Time Capsuleand now it can support 2TB of storage. The new models also sport dual-band wireless.

The MobileMe iDisk application is available for free (iTunes link) on the App Store. Users can now easily manage their iDisk and view certain files from their Apple mobile.

Oh no! It appears Apple has discontinued Shake, their digital effects software.

Apple tablet to run iPhone OS and to be announced in September?

Mac News Weekly - #81

Sun, 26 Jul 2009 17:48:52 -0700

It/'s been a while (I was at a journalism program), and I miss-counted the episode in the script. This is actually Mac News Weekly - #81.

Apple had its most successful non-holiday quarter in history. 2.6 million Macs were sold along with 5.2 million iPhones. Profit was up 15% from last year with quarterly revenue at 1.23 billion dollars.

iTunes 8.2.1 was released last week and it killed the ability to sync a Palm Pre. This week, Palm issued an over-the-air update to the Pre, and it fixes the syncing issues. The competition is on!

AppleInsider is reporting that Apple is slated to launch a multi-touch tablet in the first quarter of 2010. It will be similar to an iPod Touch. A separate report indicates that it will be $800.

Apple updated its pro audio and video suites, FinalCut Studio and Logic Studio.

Want to make your iPhone battery life last for days? Check out these tips from TechRadar.com.

Mac News Weekly - #80

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 19:03:46 -0700

It has been reported and confirmed by CNBC that Steve Jobs has returned as CEO at Apple. He took a medical leave in the winter for an undisclosed reason. The CNBC report comes a few days after the Wall Street Journal reported he had a liver transplant in Tennessee two months ago.

The iPhone 3GS came out last week, and Apple reports that they have sold 1 million of the handsets on the launch weekend. They also report that six million iPhone and iPod touch owners have downloaded the 3.0 software.

Apple released a new Apple TV software update. Software version 2.4 allows for multi-touch gestures in the Remote app for the iPhone and iPod touch. These gesutres mimic actually using the remote.

The app store has released its first turn-by-turn GPS application. AT&T Navigator is available now in the app store for free, but using it cost $10 a month. It includes extra goodies like nearby gas stations, coffee shops, and WiFi hotspots.

WildCharge, a company that makes a mat so you can charge your gadget without wires, has unveiled their new products so you can charge your iPhone or iPod touch wirelessly. The iPod touch case is available now, and the iPhone case is coming out in July, and will be compatible with all iPhone models.

Everyone knows that the Wall Street Journal's tech journalist, Walt Mossberg, is a huge fan of Apple products. He reports that the new MacBook Pro's have the best battery life ever tested.

You all remember the guy from the original iPhone guided tour, right? Well, Bob, is leaving Apple and going to a venture capatalist firm.

Shownotes written by Sam Murphy. Follow him on twitter at twitter.com/sammurphy

iPhone 3GS Review by George Drage

Interview with Daniel Brusilovsky

Mac News Weekly - #79

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 14:57:44 -0700

iPhone 3.0 software came out earlier today. Plug your iPhone (or iPod Touch) into iTunes and press 'Check for Update' and it should install. Direct links for the downloads can be found here.If you are purchasing your new iPhone 3GS at BestBuy, you will have the option to be insured under GeekSquad's 'Black-tie' service. It covers a lot more than what AppleCare does (such as normal wear and tear), The iPhoneDev Team will release an unlock for all iPhones on Friday. Some people who ordered the iPhone 3GS are reporting that their shipment was delayed by Apple so it does not arrive to their home before the Friday release. Tweetdeck has released a powerful Twitter client for Apple mobile products.I will not be getting the iPhone 3GS, but if you would like review it here on MNW this weekend, shoot me an email! Max@macnewsweekly.com - and I will send you further details.

Mac News Weekly - #78

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 17:53:39 -0700

WWDC Keynote recap! (The video for the presentation can be found here)New laptopsSnow LeopardiPhone 3.0 iPhone 3GSSafari 4Mac News Weekly will be back sometime next week and should include perspective on all the announcements.

Mac News Weekly - #77

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 05:49:05 -0700

At the D7 Conference last week, Microsoft introduced their new Zune HD. It has an OLED touchscreen, HD radio and is capable of outputting HD video with a separate dock. Hulu released Hulu Desktop for the Mac and PC. It is like a home-media center application for the entire Hulu experience. The New York Post discovered that Apple's Fifth Avenue store (the 'cube') makes a whopping $440 million dollars a year in sales! It's 24/7 prime location helps. Apple has slightly changed its' One to One program to help with the rising popularity of the in-store help service. With WWDC just a few days away, rumors are heating up about the new iPhone. But there are so many rumors! TGRBLOG.com created a nice graphic with all the rumors while Adam Jackson has some photos of the Moscone Center. The TechCrunch tablet may be a step closer to coming to market. There is even an event scheduled in July for it!

Mac News Weekly - #76

Sat, 16 May 2009 16:22:47 -0700

Slingbox, the live TV-streamer, came out with their long awaited iPhone application. You can access live television on your iPhone, but only if you have access to a WiFi network. It is available now in the AppStore for $30.

Apple came out the 10.5.7 Mac OSX update. You can download it here .

Apple began selling the iPhone 3G online from their website, and it will be delivered to your door for free. It is speculated that this move was made to clear out inventory for a new iPhone this summer.

It is speculated that Apple has only made 20-45 million USD from the AppStore.

Apple announced that their WWDC keynote will take place on June 8th at 10:00AM and it will be hosted by Phil Schiller, who will show off Snow Leopard. It is rumored that apple will not introduce a new iPhone model at WWDC, but will introduce at an event in July, lead by Steve Jobs.

Apple has hired Ivan Krstic from OLPC, who will most likely lead Apple's security team.

Steve Jobs has finally been granted permission to knock down a 17,000 square foot house he bought in the 1980s. He has been trying to get permission to tear it down since 2004.

Show-notes Written by Sam Murphy. Follow him on twitter at twitter.com/sammurphy.

Mac News Weekly - #75

Sat, 25 Apr 2009 07:00:10 -0700

Tweetie for Mac came out. It is the BEST designed application that I have ever seen developed for the Mac. There is a free version with ads, but no ads will set you back $14.95 or $19.95 if you purchase after May 1st. 1st Quarter results came out for Apple this week, and it was better than expected. In addition AT&T activated 1.6 million iPhones this quarter. The iPhone Dev Team has been able to jailbreak a beta copy of 3.0. AppleInisder reports that 3.0 may allow for voice control.Hulu may be working on an application for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Before they go through, they need AT&T the strenghen their network. Apple users downloaded their 1 billionth iPhone application. My thoughts on the Baby-shaker application.

Mac News Weekly - #74

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 19:10:48 -0700

iTunes 8.1.1 is out. The biggest feature that this update provides is HD Movie Rentals in iTunes. You can download the new iTunes here. Also this week in iTunes, Apple enabled the three-tiered pricing structure that was promised back at MacWorld. Now, song can cost (US $) .69, .99 or 1.29. The most popular songs will most likely be $1.29. With this, all songs are now DRM free! However, reports are saying that some songs were removed from the catolouge. My guess is that the record company didn't want it DRM free. Apple updated it's family line of Xserves. Drobo, everyone's favorite storage robot, has a new big-brother for small-businesses. The DroboPro can hold upto 8 hardrives, all with redunant. Storage, you can also rack-mount it. Boxee , the best open-source media center for your Mac, has created API's for developers. Anyone can develop an 'app' for Boxee (on homescreen), and there are no limitations. The AppStore is about to hit one billion downloads! To celebrate, Apple is giving away a load of free stuff to one lucky person. Full details can be found here. The iPhone may get video-editing (along with a video camera)!

Mac News Weekly - #73

Sat, 04 Apr 2009 16:56:01 -0700

Skype is now availible for the iPhone. You can place free calls and chat to people with Skype, or a supported mobile phone for free. You can also call traditional landline phones for 2.1 cents a minute. WWDC has been slated for June 8th - 12th. Snow Leopard will be previewed, and we expect to see a new U.I. called 'marble'.The MacWorld 2010 expo dates have been moved .People have been modding their Apple laptops with another screen and a Snow White sticker.Digitimes says next iPhone will have a 3.2 megapixel camera.Barack Obama gave the queen an iPod

Mac News Weekly - #72

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 07:04:20 -0700

I'm a big fan of music. I see music as a beautiful way to release feelings and expressions. Bob Boilen is the host and producer of NPR's All Songs Considered (incase you somehow don't know; NPR is National Public Radio: it is the United State's largest public radio network). I caught up with Bob at South by Southwest last week to discuss his show, the future of radio and the music at SXSW. You can find Bob's show at www.npr.org/allsongsFor a broader view of SXSW: www.npr.org/sxsw Will be back next week with news.

Mac News Weekly - #71

Sat, 21 Mar 2009 08:13:33 -0700

From SXSW-2009, it is an un-scripted Mac News Weekly!

On Tuesday, March 17th, Apple held a press event at their Cupertino campus to show off iPhone software 3.0.

Details can be found at the following blogs:

Engadget

Gizmodo

Highlights Include

-1000 new API's for developers

-Push notifications

-Cut, copy and paste

-MMS/voice recording

It will be available in June (free for iPhone users, $9.99 for iPod touch), but developers can get their hands on a beta copy now.

Mac News Weekly - #70

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 16:30:55 -0700

After a short hiatus, I'm back!

Apple unexpectedly announced the next-generation iPod Shuffle. It's half the size, 4GB and $79. The biggest new feature is VoiceOver, which is a very good substitute for it has no screen.

WolframAlpha is going to change the internet as we know it. Basically, it is a search engine that will give you a definitive answer. Check out their blog at blog.wolfram.com to see what it's all about.

Snow Leopard should be coming out this spring, and we are seeing some end-user features like Quicktime and time-support being added to the beta copies.

The Dow Jones newswire is reporting from sources that Apple will release a 10-inch multi-touch tablet in the second half of the year. This report from Reuters confirms the sale of 10-inch displays by Apple.

I got my Kindle 2 . Love it!

Oh, Apple will also hold a special event next Tuesday. iPhone Software 3.0!

SXSW next week! Stay tuned!

Mac News Weekly - #69

Sun, 15 Feb 2009 16:35:03 -0800

Google launched a free push service for the iPhone this week called Google Sync. It essentially has all the same components of Apple's MobileMe push, but is built upon Microsoft Exchange. What a surprise! Amazon announced Kindle 2.0. Among many new features, the biggest new thing is text-to-speech for any book. After an eight month delay, Apple launched file-sharing for MobileMe at Me.com.MacRumors got their hands on images that is reported to be of the next generation iPhone 3G casing. If all goes well, we should see a new iPhone in June.iMovie 09' review.

Mac News Weekly - #68

Sat, 07 Feb 2009 10:45:16 -0800

It's not surprise that Adobe has been tirelessly working on porting over Flash to the iPhone. In an interview with Bloomberg, Adobe says that Apple is now working on the project. Would you like to see Flash come to the iPhone?If the sources are right, we should see the next-generation Kindle on Monday!Snow Leopard has a hidden feature under its cover -- MultiTouch support built into the operating system ! I think that Snow Leopard will ship this spring, and a MultiTouch Mac we be revealed in August. Brief look at iPhoto 09'.

Mac News Weekly - #67

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 18:40:05 -0800

It's late! Shownotes coming soon...

Mac News Weekly - #66

Sun, 25 Jan 2009 11:20:01 -0800

I am feeling a little under-the-weather this weekend, so here is the last MacWorld episode; this time with Axiotron.

They have two products, the ModBook and the ModBook Pro which Nathan will be showing me today.

Mac News Weekly - #65

Mon, 19 Jan 2009 13:23:43 -0800

Due to health concerns, Apple's CEO Steve Jobs has taken an immediate leave of absence until June. Tim Cook, Apple's COO will replace Steve for this interim time. Boxee (awesome open-source media-center for Mac and AppleTV), is now in public beta. You can download a copy here. To hack your Apple TV, follow this. In addition, Boxee was featured in the New York Times this past week. Nice Work!They're calling it "Miracle on the Hudson". United flight 1549 made an emergency landing in the Hudson river on one of the coldest days of the year. @jkrums on Twitter was on one of ferries that surrounded the plane and rescued passengers. He snapped this photo that ended up on numerous publications. Nice work, Janis (sorry, I pronounced your name wrong)!. Although you may not want to fly for a while, next time you do, you should purchase the iFlyz. It connects to the tray-table in-front of you for a better viewing experience. Thanks to Dave Peterson from GadgetyTech.com for pointing this out to me!Apple has said there are 15,000 apps on the AppStore, and 500 million have been downloaded thus far.

Mac News Weekly - #64 (MacWorld)

Sun, 18 Jan 2009 10:00:00 -0800

At MacWorld 2009 week in San Francisco. Today, I interview Rick Kalman, Sr. Product Manager, from FileMaker to discuss FileMaker 10: the company's new iteration of their database software. To find out more information, go to www.FileMaker.com, and click here to get the 30-day free-trial.

Mac News Weekly - #63 (MacWorld 2009)

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 18:49:11 -0800

Apple announces iLife 09'Apple announces iWork 09'Apple announces 17 inch unibody MacBookPro Apple announces changes to iTunes.

Mac News Weekly - #62

Sun, 21 Dec 2008 06:53:50 -0800

The MacWorld Expo is coming up soon, it's time for the rumor show!But first, Apple announced that this is their last year at MacWorld, at that Steve Jobs (Phil Schiller instead) will NOT be doing the keynote this year. What do you think is happening? Jason Calacanis says that Apple will make a TV with an AppleTV built in. If they do come out with one, I can't wait to see how nice it will look!There have been reports this week of Apple introducing an iPhone Nano.The MacMini seems to be constanly neglected, an update possible at MacWorld?Phil may show 10.6 (Snow Leopard) at the keynote.What do you think Apple will announce? Comment in the show notes, person who is closes wins recognition!

Mac News Weekly - #61

Sun, 14 Dec 2008 06:25:48 -0800

Back this week with real news (even if it involves a lot of iPhones)!CNBC's Jim Goldman says that we (iPhone users) are downloading 2 million apps a day from the AppStore. How much do you download?AT&T brought back the ability to purchase an iPhone online. You can only purchase for yourself, or a family member. Otherwise, you are going to need an iPhone Gift Card.Walmart may sell a 4GB, $99 iPhone. I doubt it, but I have been wrong before. Pastebud is the new way to copy and paste on the iPhone. It is not an application, but instead, a Java-based WebApp.Apple patent filings suggest that we may have a 3D workspace!Be back next week with a MacWorld rumors roundup show!

Mac News Weekly - #60

Sun, 07 Dec 2008 15:52:05 -0800

Best iPod Gift - iHomeBest iPhone Gift - Mophie Juice PackBest Music Gift - Beats by Dr. Dre (in-ear version available here )Best AppleTV Gift - BoxeeBest Notebook Gift - Griffin Notebook ElevatorBest Desktop Gift - Optimus Maximus Mini ThreeBest Gift- Drobo

Mac News Weekly - #59

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 06:26:20 -0800

2008 Apple Holiday Gift Guide!Best Under $100 - iPod ShuffleBest Under $200 - iPod NanoBest Under $500 - iPhoneBest Under $1500 - MacBookBest Under $2000 - MacBookProBest Overall Gift - iMacJoin us next week for our 2008 Third Party Gift Guide!

Mac News Weekly - #58

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 06:26:05 -0800

Google announces support for video and audio chats right in the Gmail window! The quality is pretty good, and I think that this has convinced me to switch over to mainly Gmail.The iPhone has passed the Motorola Razr in sales. Apple is expected to buy into the Black Friday madness. Expect somewhere around $100 a new Mac, or (if you live in France), 50 Euros off the iPhone. BoinxTV has been released. It's $499. $199 for a BoinxTV sponsored version. Do you know how to get me into the Steve Job's Keynote at MacWorld? Email me. Also, thanks to iYule for the video at the beginning! It's great for the holidays!

Mac News Weekly - #57

Sun, 09 Nov 2008 06:44:08 -0800

Marware started shipping the GameGrip. It is for the iPhone 3G and new iPod Touch. It is out of stock, but you can pre-order here.Last week, we reported that iPhone software 2.2 may support podcast downloads. This week, we have screen shots of it in action. Video podcast may be supported as well.Tethering may be supported in 2.2 as well.An original Apple trade-show sign and a toolkit of Woz's were sold at auction this past week. Software update coming for new MacBookPro users. AT&T turned on Wifi hotspots to iPhone users, again.

Mac News Weekly - #56

Sat, 01 Nov 2008 18:59:59 -0700

In This Episode:NOTE: FOR THE FIRST SEGMENT, I ACCIDENTALLY REFER TO IPHONE SOFTWARE 2.1 AS 1.1 -- MY ERROR. The current iPhone software is great, but it is missing some features. For the next version (2.2), we are expected to see changes in the Maps program, as well as the ability to download podcasts. Google has launched GoogleEarth for the iPhone. It is an awesome app! iPhone users in Japan will be able to get live TV on their iPhones. I wish they would bring this stateside. Netflix Online for Mac.

Mac News Weekly - #55

Sun, 26 Oct 2008 12:31:23 -0700

Apple posted their 4th Quarter results for 2008, and among other things: their profits rose 26% and 2.6 million Macs were sold. Also, Apple has passed their 10 Million iPhone goal, 200 million apps have been downloaded from the AppStore, and Apple has passed RIM's sales! Will Apple buy RIM?BoinxTV is the quintessential application for live-streaming on your Mac. Is is like a TV Studio on your computer! It's in private alpha, but I do have some invitations. Leave your a comment in the show notes for one. You may be able to have 8GB of RAM in your new MacBookPro!

Mac News Weekly - #54

Sat, 18 Oct 2008 17:06:51 -0700

Apple's notebook event occurred last Tuesday, and the results were well... what we expected. First, Steve and Jonny Ive talked about the new "Brick" process. The rumors were right, and it is a way of how they make a computer. With the process in mind, it makes the notebooks even sturdier and more environmentally friendly. You can watch a video on the process here.Apple unveiled its new MacBookPro's. The design update was only for the 15 inch, and that got a GLASS trackpad, new graphics cards and a really cool way of accessing the battery and hard drive area. The 17-inch MacBookPro's just saw an SSD (128GB) option. With the MacBook, Apple lowered the price of the white model to $999, and they essentially created a MacBookPro Mini! Finally, a new Cinema Display was introduced.

Mac News Weekly - #53 - (Apple Shares Tumble) REPOST

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 17:17:55 -0700

Live from Vermont... it's Mac News Weekly! For the past few weeks, we've have been getting several rumors about an Apple "Brick". 9to5 Mac reports that it is an Apple-based manufacturing process where a laptop is constructed out of a solid, aluminum block. It is confirmed! On Tuesday, October 14, Apple will hold a media event titled "The Spotlight Turns to Notebooks". It is widely expected that Apple will update their notebook line, and possibly debut an $800 notebook. The iPhone should be proud this week. A report indicates that Apple's signature phone is now the second most popular selling phone in the United States. A seperate report by MacObserver forum members reveals that Apple has supassed its goal of selling 10 million iPhones. Top Story - Apple shares drop below 100 points for the first time in more than a year. Mac News Weekly Question: Will the economy affect what you purchase tech-wise this holiday season? Apple has launched a new service for education called "Field Trip". Students and their teachers visit any Apple store and create projects with the help of Mac specialist.

Mac News Weekly - #53 - (Apple Shares Tumble)

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 15:44:03 -0700

Mac News Weekly - #53 - (Apple Shares Tumble)

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 15:07:29 -0700

Live from Vermont... it's Mac News Weekly!

For the past few weeks, we've have been getting several rumors about an Apple "Brick". 9to5 Mac reports  that it is an Apple-based manufacturing process where a laptop is constructed out of a solid, aluminum block.

It is confirmed!  On Tuesday, October 14, Apple will hold a media event titled "The Spotlight Turns to Notebooks". It is widely expected that Apple will update their notebook line, and possibly debut an $800 notebook.

The iPhone should be proud this week. A report  indicates that Apple's signature phone is now the second most popular selling phone in the United States. A seperate report  by MacObserver forum members reveals that Apple has supassed its goal of selling 10 million iPhones.

Top Story - Apple shares drop below 100 points for the first time in more than a year. Mac News Weekly Question: Will the economy affect what you purchase tech-wise this holiday season?

Apple has launched  a new service for education called "Field Trip". Students and their teachers visit any Apple store and create projects with the help of Mac specialist.

Mac News Weekly - #52

Sat, 27 Sep 2008 20:59:00 -0700

Please note that we are experimenting with a new format. Feel free to leave any comments. Google and T-Mobile announced the first Android Phone, G1. Its open source and may mix up the iPhone market. A list of features can be found here. Cali Lewis pointed out a new dock from Griffin Technology that is worth buying (for once)! It is a iPod/iPhone dock, USB Hub, AND a card reader! Adobe has released Creative Suite 4. All the available packages can be found here.Apple has streamlined the process of purchasing an iPhone. You can now sign up and select your plan prior to visiting a store.

Mac News Weekly - #51

Sun, 21 Sep 2008 08:21:13 -0700

Apple has recalled the Ultracompact USB power adapter (its the one that was sent with the iPhone 3G). 10.5.5 is out. Like most operating system updates, it mainly addresses bug-fixes. You can find the complete list of fixes and download it here. At last weeks "Lets Rock" event, Apple didn't mention something: 4GB iPod Nano ! Okay, it appears to be a production flaw, or even worse, fears about the Microsoft Zune gaining traction. Its showing up all over Europe and Canada. Also last week, we got an announcement that NBC is back on iTunes. In the first week, it is reported that they saw 1 Million downloads. Microsoft's new ads are taking a direct hit at Apple's "Get a Mac" advertisements. I finally bought SPORE ! Its the best game I have played in a while. You can purchase it here. iPod Touch 2.0 review.

Mac News Weekly - #50

Sat, 13 Sep 2008 18:58:37 -0700

News from Apple's "Let's Rock" event. iTunesApple announced iTunes 8, a major update to the jukebox software. iTunes 8 features a new album viewing feature, Genius playlist creation (see demo in episode), and a new visualizer. On the storefront, NBC is back on iTunes! HD TV-Shows also made their debut. iPodsApple dropped 160GB iPod Classic, and upgraded the 80GB version to 120GB. It costs $249. The Nano saw the biggest update, a taller, slimmer, thinner model. It comes in 9 colors at starts at $149. The iPod Touch got thinner, has volume controls on the side, and features 2.1 software (also available for the iPhone).

Mac News Weekly - #49

Sat, 06 Sep 2008 16:38:19 -0700

The biggest news on the interwebs this week probably has to be about Google. Google announced that they are launching their first web-browser called Chrome. Chrome is built for the way that the internet has changed from text-based sites to sites with video, audio and interactive features.Finally! Apple has sent out invitations for a September 9th event called "Let's Rock". As the name says, it is most likely not going to cover new notebooks. That, my friends, will most likely be in October. Some rumors for the event include a thinner, narrower Nano, and an iPod Touch with volume controls and a thicker back (like the iPhone). Also, we are not expected to see an Unlimited iTunes service. Mac News Weekly's coverage of the event will be next Saturday, as always. AT&T was having some major iPhone problems this week regarding their 3G and EDGE Network: it went down for about 10 hours in the Northeast! AT&T identified the problem as a way that the data is sent to the device. SPORE comes out tomorrow (in the United States). Let me know your take on it.

Mac News Weekly - #48

Sat, 30 Aug 2008 06:18:42 -0700

Last week we reported that OpenClip would be a simple solution for copy & paste on the iPhone. We found out this week, that the idea almost ruined, not the developers fault, but Apple's. I love looking for awesome apps for the iPhone. PearPad by PearWorks is just one of those applications. It turns your iPhone or iPod touch into a trackpad. It costs $3.99 and is available on the AppStore. The free computer software for it can be found here. The iPhone 3G Dock Station is the most beautiful looking dock that I have ever seen. It can be hooked up to your computer to sync, or a TV and home stereo to listen to music and play video.Bloomberg accidentally published a 17-page obituary for Steve Jobs. Gawker has gotten their hands of it.

Mac News Weekly - #47

Sat, 23 Aug 2008 16:30:00 -0700

People say that August is a slow news month for Apple, and the business world in General. Today's show is completely iPhone and iPod centric. Apple sent out another update for the iPhone and iPod Touch. 2.0.2 provides bug fixes for the 3G Network (on the iPhone). Users have been complaining about bad reception, and supposedly, this fixes it. In addition to bug fixes, the transition from list view to CoverFlow in the 'iPod' section has slightly changed. Cali and Neal at GeekBrief.TV broke an iPhone story that is truly amazing. Zac White, a developer created an open-source framework called OpenClip. With open clip, we can finally do copy and paste for the iPhone! Take a look at this video. Its important to realize that you DO NOT need a jailbroken iPhone! Now we must wait for developers to actually implement it in their apps! (Cali had a pre-release version). Rumors, rumors rumors. We can never know if they are right. Apple always holds an iPod event sometime in September, and we quicky go over some rumors. They include iTunes Unlimited, A Zune-like Nano and a $199 iPod touch. We take a look back into episodes #35 and #27 to see two rumors that turned out true! A select few first-generation iPod nano owners experienced over-heating (which caused fires) with their iPods. Apple has vowed to replace any over-heating iPod at no charge.After a rocky month, MobileMe subscribers get an additional 60-days added at no cost.

Mac News Weekly - #46

Sat, 16 Aug 2008 14:01:06 -0700

I am safety back home from the 3,000 mile roadtrip where the wonderful people at GeekBrief somehow inspired me to change up the format of the show (don't worry, only slightly!). On Wednesday, Best Buy announced that it would begin selling the iPhone 3G at 970 of their stores in September. The move comes just a week after Best Buy completed transitioning all of their stores to be equipped with a new mobile center. I always knew that the AppStore would be a great success. Steve Jobs confirmed my suspicions in Monday's Wall Street Journal. In the first 30 days, nearly 60 million apps have been downloaded, garnering in almost $30 million dollars for developers. One of the most popular applications, Super-Monkey-Ball saw 300,000 downloads in only the first 20 days. I go to a Mac laptop school, and one thing that I hate is when students disturb the class by getting up and plugging their laptop in. The Oncore 6 Bay MacBook and iBook charger may be a perfect solution. It can hold up to 6 batteries at a time, but only charge 3 simultaneously. Sorry folks, no MacBookPro support at this time. It costs $395. Australia and New Zealand now have more content to enjoy on the iTunes Store. Movies are now available to rent and purchase on the iTunes Store.

Mac News Weekly - #45

Sat, 09 Aug 2008 14:46:29 -0700

Apple releases the first update to its new 2.0 software for the iPhone and iPod Touch. 2.0.1 address issues like a long backup process, slow keyboards and crashing apps. NetShare was an application on the AppStore that took the iPhone's internet connection and turned it into a WiFi signal for use on a computer. The iPhone 3G will be available in about 20 more countries on August 22. New Cinema displays for MacWorld?

Mac News Weekly - #44

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 11:45:34 -0700

his week with a new Mac News Weekly. I am going on a road-trip all over the southern United States for two weeks. I will be blogging my experience at blog.macnewsweekly.com.Last week we reported that Steve Jobs may be having health problems. This week, Steve actually conactedJoe Nocera over at the New York Times to let him know what's up with is well-being. The websites 9to5 Mac and Computerworld are reporting that they have a source inside Apple working on the new Macbooks. Among other things, it will be much thinner.Rapper and producer Dr. Dre has released new headphones made by Monster. They look amazing! Adobe releases a 64-bit version of Lightroom for Mac.

Mac News Weekly - #43

Sat, 26 Jul 2008 12:59:12 -0700

After about a month of iPhone and MobileMe goodness, we are finally back with news! I start off with discussing Apple's 3rd quarter results. Nearly 2.5 million Macs 717,000 iPhones, and 11 million iPods were shipped in this quarter alone. 900 apps are available for download in the App Store, and nearly 25 million have been downloaded so far. Also, 1 million 3G iPhone were in the first weekend of sales. Sometime during the results, CFO Peter Oppenhimer stated that Apple will come out with a new-product shortly with "technologies and features that others can't match". The iPhone may be getting copy and paste soon.Steve Job's is loosing weight, is he sick again?

Mac News Weekly - #42

Sat, 19 Jul 2008 14:52:39 -0700

This is an episode that didn't turn out exactly the way that I expected. The lighting was bad in some parts, and voice-overs don't always fit, but it is an overall good episode. MobileMe was launched last week, but not after a rocky start. They were supposed to launch on the early morning of July, 9th, but for some most users, it didn't even work for at least 24 hours after that! If you try to explain MobileMe to someone, you would probably end up saying something along the lines of "Exchange for the rest of us". But what does that really mean? It means that your digital life is kept up to sync so you don't have to sync. In today's episode, I explain how I use MobileMe to make my life easier. Feel free to elaborate in the comments.

Mac News Weekly - #41

Sun, 13 Jul 2008 19:56:50 -0700

Mac News Weekly is an equal opportunity reviewer. All opinions in this review are not meant to offend anyone, just reflect on my personal experiences. The iPhone 3G. We have quite literally been waiting for this product for years. This week, we devote an entire episode to it. All of the good, bad, and the ugly are included. The Purchase and ActivationI was at film school/camp and got my iPhone 3G on Saturday, one day after its inital release. I got to the mall at around 1:00PM. There was a line of 60+ people. I had to wait in line for nearly 3 hours to get it (last year, it was different. I waited for 9 hours!) The slowness of the line is blamed largely in part because you have to activate your phone in store. Due to the heavily subsidized price of the iPhone, neither Apple nor AT&T want to loose a cent; some people may just bring it home and unlock it to work on any GSM carrier. I liked it a lot better last year, you walked in, purchased, then brought it home to activate. In addition, the Apple store employees were the nastiest I have ever seen (I bet it was because they were tired, though). Here is an actual conversation that I heard (all from memory, but you get the gist of it): Man: I have an iPhone, do I pay $199 for the 8GB or $599? Employee: You are part of the subsidized price. Man: So I pay $599? Employee: Do you want to pay $599? I can accommodate that. Why do you keep saying $599 anyways? You get it for $199. This is just un-tolerable and I almost left the line when I heard this. It is his job to answer questions. I almost blew a gasket. The PhoneOkay, now with that mean bashing out of the way, lets get to the good stuff! The iPhone 3G's beauty makes up for all my troubles in line. It has beautiful curves, and fits very nicely in your hand. Although it is thicker, it is a much better physical experience with it. 3G is fast, very fast. Although there is no 3G signal inside my house, I got to use it for a while today. It is definitely 2x as fast as EDGE, but not as fast as WiFi.The AppStore is amazing! It is amazing how many rich applications can be develped for the iPhone. Currently, my favorite apps are Twitterific, SuperMonkey Ball, and Remote. I also like Cro-Mag Ralley.GPS is great as well. It takes a while to find your location, and it is not pinpoint accurate. It also sucks a lot of battery out of your iPhone. But a great companion for a car indeed.Audio quality is great like Steve said, and MobileMe is an excellent companion. We will discuss MobileMe next week on Mac News Weekly.Unboxing pictures: flickr.com/macnewsweekly

Mac News Weekly - #40

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 16:59:37 -0700

Today on the 40th episode of Mac News Weekly, we are taking an audio approach to it. I am at film camp and the day just has no time for video (I arise at 7:30AM and everything is planned up to 10:30PM). This is a big week for Mac News, so I couldn't justify not doing an episode.The iPhone will be coming to a store near you at 8AM on Friday, July 11, 2008. It will be sold in both Apple and AT&T stores ONLY (According to the woman that I spoke with, and numerous sources, no iTunes activation). The new iPhone 3G will be sold at the discounted price of $199 (8GB) or $299 (16GB) only if you fit the matching criteria: Purchased an iPhone before July 11 (that is me!) Activating a new line on AT&TCurrent AT&T costumer who is eligible for an upgradeThe new iPhone 3G Plans a pricier, starting at $70USD for unlimited data and no text-messages. Other countries have also gotten word on how much they will shell out each month: (USD)Australia: $18 Switzerland: $25Finland: $50Hong Kong: $24Sweden: $50 Norway: $80Canada: $6010.5.4 was just released, if you plan on using MobileMe, its a must. The Solid State Drive (SSD) MacBookAir was quietly lowered $500. I will be back with video next week on the new iPhone! Thanks to Geoff Smith from Ringtone feeder for the new opening music, should go great with Neal Campbell's!

Mac News Weekly - #39

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 13:30:33 -0700

A few weeks ago Psystar modified a PC to run Leopard, and they sold it. They are back again now selling the OpenServe series of servers. The OpenServe 1100 and 2400 have the option of running Mac OSX Leopard Server or just Leopard.The Boy Genius Report is saying that AT&T store managers have received notices stating that the iPhone 3G will go on sale at 8:00AM, local times. I am not going to be able to make it to the 3G iPhone launch! I will be getting it the day after, though.Apple has sent a memo to store managers with ways to respond to questions that customers may ask prior to the 3G-iPhone launch.There are now TV Shows in the Australian iTunes store!Many, many, many thanks to Neal Campbell for making the new opening graphic!

Mac News Weekly - #38

Sat, 21 Jun 2008 06:32:50 -0700

At Mac News Weekly we are always trying new things with the show. Today, we changed location to the Mac News Weekly "newsroom" and we are also using entirely automatic controls (exposure/frame-rate). The way that I did the keynote coverage was a bit sloppy, and read over some things (I was filming as the updates came in). 10.6 Snow Leopard will be Apple's next generation operating system. It adds on a ton small features that Leopard lacked. I'm not a gamer, I hate video games. But I think that EA changed that. SPORE is a game currently under development. In SPORE, you make a creature and then control its evolution over time. SPORE uses all of Apple's graphic protocols and ends up with a rich 3D gameplay. SPORE is going to be released on September 7th (Pre-order), but you can download a free trial of SPORE Creature Creator where you build the creature for SPORE. Qik is a live streaming service that offers users the ability to do a live stream from their phone, this week theyannounced support for the iPhone. The date has not been confirmed. Cali Lewis and Neal Campbell are the co-producers of GeekBrief.TV. Cali and Neal are pursuing on of their goals in life: traveling the entire United States in an RV, while producing GeekBrief.TV. They are calling it theBig Trip. You can support the Big Trip by buying one of the T-shirts that I was wearing, or taking out an advertising space at Paid by Pixels. Apple has sold 5 Billion songs on iTunes to date. The iTunes catalog consists of 8 million songs, 20,000 T.V. episodes and 2,000 movies (350 are HD). In addition, they are selling more than 50,00.Many thanks to Riley Kaminer for helping out with this episode.

Mac News Weekly - #37

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 14:48:39 -0700

John Appleseed. John is probably to coolest guy on the internet now. By day, he does product demos for Apple (MobileMe, MacBookAir), but by night, he does stand up at comedy at various clubs in the Bay Area. His specialty: Steve Jobs impressions.

On this special edition of Mac News Weekly, we take a look at all of the features the 3G iPhone has to offer... John Appleseed style.

Mac News Weekly - #36

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 06:57:24 -0700

First, sorry for the sloppiness of the show. I was updating as I was getting information from the live-blogs. I am not sure if this was the BEST way to cover it, but it got the episode out much faster than if I did a fully scripted show.

This was the WWDC Keynote, and we have been waiting nearly 6 months for it. First, Steve showed off the iPhone Version 2.0 (software) and the SDK. Nearly 200,000 people downloaded the SDK, and 35% of Fortune 500 companies are using it.

Scott Forestall then introduced developers from companies like Ebay to show what they have been doing with the SDK, some of it really blew me away.

Steve came back on stage and demoed some new features that will be valuable to users. These include: iWork integration for email, bulk delete email, save images from an email attachment, Chinese character support, parental controls, scientific calculator, and a slew of language support.

iPhone software version 2.0 will be available in early July, free for iPhone users, $9.99 for iPod touchers.

And the rumors were right, Apple introduced Mobile Me. Mobile me is a new service that keeps your mail, calendars and address books all in sync. It also features push contacts, email, and calendar to your iPhone, over the air. Mobile me will replace .Mac in a few weeks, and will cost $99.

And now the moment we have all been waiting for.. iPhone 3G! Yes, it is finally here. It is a big rounder than the current model. Everything is the same except it has blazing fast 3G, better audio, real GPS, and a black plastic backing.

It will be available in 22 countries on July, 11. It costs $199 for the 8GB and $299 for the 16GB. The 16GB version also comes in white.

I will be back in the studio this weekend with a more in depth look at the iPhone 3G. If you have any comments, leave a comment at www.macnewsweekly.com, or send me an email (max@macnewsweekly.com).

Mac News Weekly - #35

Sat, 31 May 2008 16:37:54 -0700

Woo! Finals are over. I made a big mistake in the last video episode, I am not away this week, but will be next week. The first story is the quickest one I have ever done, 10.5.3 is out!This has been a big photo week. First, was that this photo was posted on a Dutch website, it is similar to one that was posted on an Asian website last week. Griffin has started making cases for the next generation iPhone. Microsoft showed off its next generation operating system, Windows 7. It looks the same as Visa (which looks like Mac OS 10), and supports multi-touch. Apple may rebrand its .Mac service during WWDC.Apple Store in NYC closes, possibly filming a commercial for the 3G iPhone.

Mac News Weekly - #33

Sat, 17 May 2008 13:33:44 -0700

This has been a very busy news week, and a lot of iPhone news. The first order of business is that Apple has completely run dry of iPhone on their online web-store. RIM has released the BlackBerry Bold, it is expected to be iPhone's main rival. HBO shows are now on iTunes. They do have a different pricing structure. In a new segment called fast news, I report that Apple has sold all WWDC spots and that Apple has a new store in Boston. MacBookAir review!

Mac News Weekly - #32

Sat, 10 May 2008 17:23:29 -0700

It may just be that every single piece of news coming out this week is about the all-glamorous iPhone.First, I start off with a report that AT&T turned on, then quickly turned off, 17,000 WiFi hotspots across the country for iPhone users. NBC has just created a iPhone-formatted website. It plays clips and even full episodes. In the next generation of iPhone software, handwriting recognition will be available; but only for Chinese. AT&T Memo points at a new iPhone. Why do I look so orange? Is it my lighting?

Mac News Weekly - #31

Sat, 03 May 2008 14:04:34 -0700

Apple refreshes the iMac. The product refresh includes some small L2 cache updates across the board, however, the 24' iMac did see improvements (up to 3.06Ghz, and a new, high-end graphics card).On Thursday, Apple announced that it would begin selling movies on iTunes the day that they are released on DVD. Apple has signed a contract with most major and some minor movie studios. Movies costs $14.99 for a new release. There is definitely an iPhone shortage. Carphone Wearhouse says that their complete stock of iPhones (both models) has run out. 9 to 5 Mac has posted pictures of what may be the next generation iPhone. I doubt it. Geoff Smith, the man behind some of the most widely recognized podcast themes has launched a new service this week. Ringtone Feeder delivers a new and original Ringtone to your phone every week.

Mac News Weekly - #30

Sat, 26 Apr 2008 12:42:44 -0700

It is the big 3-0! They say April showers bring May flowers. Well, that is not the case for everyone. For me, it is April Showers bring allergies and congestion.The first story is not usual for Mac News Weekly. Computer Choppers, a Macintosh customization company, has just finished customizing a MacBookAir. It is surrounded in 24 karat gold and sapphires. Oh, by the way, it costs around $8000 dollars.Even though it has not been announced yet, 3G iPhone rumors have been all over the news. The latest story is that Belgium and Italy (and of course, The United States) are going to be the first counties to receive the yet announced phone.Apple has published its 2nd quarter profits; they exceed everyone's expectations. Most astonishing, a large chunk of Apple's sales come from their retal stores across the world.This week,Apple has bough P.A. Semi, not for their products, but most likely for their engineers.It is expected that Apple will give the iMac line a speed and hardrive capacity boost this Tuesday.I may be getting a Teleprompter!

Mac News Weekly - #29

Sun, 20 Apr 2008 04:40:30 -0700

I just got back from Washington, D.C., where there was unfortunately no internet access. After a few hours of reading the blogs, I am now caught up with all the news.

First, Psystar (I do not announce it right, sorry) is now selling a "Hackintosh". A Windows PC with Mac OS 10.5 Leopard as the operating system. The CEO, Robert, knows that it is against Apple's license, but will continue to sell the product.

Then, we have a follow up from last week. Apple has officially put in an order for new Aluminum MacBook cases, also we have a leaked image of the new MacBook.

NBC wants to come back to iTunes, but only if Apple ups its anti-piracy software and lets NBC decide the price of their shows.

We end with news that the New York City D.O.E has suspended orders of Apple computers due to problems with their wireless infrastructure.

Mac News Weekly - #28

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 17:02:28 -0700

There was a lot of iPhone and statics news last week, so it is really nice to take a break from that. Blockbuster is supposedly making a product that would compete with the Apple TV. It is expected that they would parter with MovieLink to deliver content.This week, Apple released Final Cut Server, a program that integrates tightly to Final Cut Studio. Final Cut Server offers a solution for storing, tagging and cataloging video. Final Cut Server starts at $999 for a 10-user pack, and $1999 for an unlimited-client pack.The MacBook hasn't had a face-lift yet (after nearly two years of release), it is expected next quarter that a new MacBook will have an aluminum casing, much like the MacBookPro. Our good 'ol friend Mr. Walt Mossberg says that there will be a 3G iPhone in the next "60 days".

Mac News Weekly - #27

Sat, 05 Apr 2008 12:52:21 -0700

This week's news involves a lot of numbers and hard facts. There is an iPhone shortage and Gene Munster is saying that this is a sign that an update is coming soon. There is an 80% chance that it is coming earlier than anticipated and a 20% chance that there are production problems. Dow Jones is saying that Apple has put in an order for 10 million 3G iPhones to Hon Hai. iPod Observer is saying that the next iPhone will have a glossy black back.

iTunes is now the number one music retailer in the United States, this week passing WalMart.

Apple has filed a numerous amounts of patents for an expected Mac tablet.

50% of iPhone users have jail-broken their iPhones, and 10% have completly unlocked it.

Mac News Weekly - #26

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 19:22:48 -0700

Let me tell you; it is certainly nice to be back and doing what I do best, mac news. Today, I start off with the new Airport Express wireless base station. It supports 802.11n wireless draft. It also includes wireless printing and even AirTunes for streaming music from your computer to a speaker somewhere else in your house. We just got an Airport Express yesterday, and it definitely is a major upgrade from the previous version.

Last week, Apple updated its Safari web-browser for both Mac and PC. It is the fastest browser on the internet, and it can run java-script up to six times faster than any other browser.

Kevin Rose, the founder of the website Digg, claims that the next generation iPhone will have 3G and support video conferencing.

Finally, we end with Photoshop news. Adobe has launched Photoshop Express as a free beta (https://www.photoshop.com/express/) it provides the most basic editing tools and 2GB of storage. I see this as more of a photo sharing site than anything else. (NOTE: I REFER TO THIS AS PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS, SORRY).

Mac News Weekly - #25

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 14:11:24 -0700

This is another unusual episode of Mac News Weekly. Today, we are live in Telluride, Colorado with an interview with Richard Baker, who is a new Mac-User. We talk about how hard the switch was from a PC to a Mac, then we also talk about the iPhone and how it is not quite suited for business use. Richard was on CNBC last week, and here is a link to the video:

http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?video=684220857&play=1

Mac News Weekly - #24

Sun, 09 Mar 2008 15:39:14 -0700

In This Episode: On Thursday of this week, Apple held a special event called "iPhone Software Roadmap" from their campus in Cupertino. First, they announce support for Microsoft Exchange (push email, push contacts, push calendar and many security features. The biggest announcement was about the SDK for the iPhone and iPod Touch. It is a free download. Scott Forestall demoed a really cool game and then invited developers who used the SDK to talk about what they have made. One of those was Epocrates, a new software that helps doctors. Besides its functionality, it looks absolutely stunning. Steve Jobs said at MacWorld that there would be 1,000 movies for rental by the end of the month (January), right now in March there are only 384, and some of the HD movies aren't even HD at all! Finally, we end with a neat trick built right into Leopard. I am travelling next week but will be back on March, 19 with a really awesome episode from a really awesome place.

Mac News Weekly - #23

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 06:31:20 -0800

In This Epsisode:

Apple updates the MacBook and MacBookPro lines. Both models contain Intel’s new Penryn chips (up to 2.4Ghz on the MacBook and 2.6Ghz on the MacBookPro). Most models come with 2GB of RAM Standard, upgradeable to 4GB on all models. The MacBookPro features a multi-touch track-pad and has the option of a high-end graphics card with 512MB of video memory. Apple is planning a press event on March 6^th, which is more than expected to announce and possibly demo the iPhone SDK (Software Development Kit). I had a long interview with Daniel from the Apple Universe Podcast. And then I end with holiday sales figures. Did you know that 40% of all iPods sold during the 2007 holiday season were to first time buyers?

Mac News Weekly - #22

Sat, 23 Feb 2008 15:47:22 -0800

I am back from my warm vacation on the beach where I was greeted back home by nearly a foot of snow. I am going away in the end of March to Colorado (where it is very snowy), so this was a test of sorts to see if we can actually produce outside. I first start off with the news that iPhone users are using Google Search 50 times more than any other handset on the mobile market. It is rumored that all the searches crippled Google’s servers. Apple cut the price of the 1GB iPod Shuffle from $79 to only $49 and they also introduced a 2GB iPod Shuffle that will sell for $69 later this month. We go inside for the Apple TV Review! There is nothing to hate about it, except one thing: typing is terrible! You have to move around buttons on the remote, and if you are going to be using the AppleTV as you main “computer” for purchasing music and videos, you are going to want Bluetooth support for a keyboard!

Mac News Weekly - #21

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 15:19:00 -0800

Mac News Weekly is back in the middle of the week this week (I am going away for the weekend). First, I discuss the iPhone and iPod Touch storage updates. The iPhone is now available in 16GB, and the iPod Touch is available in 32 GB. They both sell for $499, still cheaper than the price of the orginal 8GB iPhone! Apple may be gearing-up for an event later this month. It is rumored that they might introduce a new MacBookPro and demo the iPhone SDK. Good news Leopard users, 10.5.2 is out! The full list of updated features can be found here:

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=307109

Apple TV "Take Two" is out, and we will have a review for it next week. I will be back with a brand-new episode next weekend.

Mac News Weekly - #20

Sat, 09 Feb 2008 14:13:24 -0800

So it's the 20th show, and we have a special guest! I had the privilege to sit down and talk over Skype for a few minutes with Cali Lewis. Cali is the host and co-producer of GeekBrief.tv, a very popular video-podcast (also on the PodShow Podcast Network). Somewhere near the end, Cali mentions that there are pages of information on how to start a podcast, the link is here. Mac News Weekly will be back in the middle of next week with a new episode.

Mac News Weekly - #19

Sat, 02 Feb 2008 13:32:52 -0800

In this episode, Max Murphy begins his first day of hosting! I start with the Apple TV “take two” update. Apple officially says that it will be out in a week or two. MacBookAir begins shipping to homes and some Apple Stores, but if you ordered the Solid State Hardrive configuration, you will have to wait a few more days. Apple launched a new website aimed at helping people switch from a PC to a Mac. Finally, we would like to announce that Chris Farley has left Mac News Weekly. He wishes to pursue other interests, and we wish him well.

Mac News Weekly - #18

Sun, 27 Jan 2008 07:13:53 -0800

First, we start off with Apple’s stock. Despite a record quarter, the stock price dropped nearly 70 points! I think that it is a good time to buy some Apple stock because sometime in the very near future, there will be another product like iPhone. Kensington has come out with a really cool new product for notebooks. You connect a computer to this docking station and in the docking station there is USB ports, and a display out port. Microsoft Office for Mac 2008 came out at MacWorld, according to some of the first users of it, it has a new user-interface, which is easier to use. Adobe has come out with Photoshop Elements 6 for Mac. There are some new features that make it really easy to edit photos. Elgato announced EyeTV 3, it is a companion to the hardware product which captures TV on to your Mac. Earlier this week, Apple came out with a pink iPod Nano. Congratulations to Riley who won our MacWorld contest.

Mac News Weekly - #17

Sat, 19 Jan 2008 17:01:58 -0800

Macworld was this week, but we’re most interested in the Steve Jobs keynote. For anyone that wants to come to Macworld next year, it will be January 5-9 2009. Steve started off with some good news for investors. 5 million copies of Leopard were sold. In fact, 19% of Mac users upgraded, which is unprecedented. The first product Steve announced was Time Capsule. It combines Apple’s Airport Extreme with either a 500 GB or 1 TB hard drive. Time Capsule also supports Time Machine backups. The 500 GB version costs $299 and the 1 TB version costs $499. Time Capsule will come out in February, but is available for pre-order now. In the 200 days since iPhone went on sale, Apple has sold 4 million iPhones. In just six months, Apple has picked up 19.5% of all U.S. Smart Phone sales, putting it in second place. The iPhone SDK is still slated for a late February release, but until then iPhone and iPod Touch users can make do with update 1.1.3, which adds a bunch of great functionality. For $20, iPod Touch users can buy Mail, Maps, Stocks, and Notes – five apps that were once iPhone exclusive. iTunes movie rentals were, as expected, introduced. Apple has the participation of every major studio. Library titles will rent for $2.99 and new releases will rent for $3.99. Apple TV also gets a new software update that improves the user interface and adds photo streaming from sites such as Flickr. For $4.99, Apple TV users will be able to get their movies in HD. Finally, MacBook Air. This impossibly thin notebook lacks an optical drive, but it’s 0.16 inches at its thinnest point, 0.76 at its thickest. Apple has managed to pack a 13.3-inch screen, 802.11n networking, and Bluetooth into a 3-pound notebook. For $1799, you’ll get a MacBook Air with a 1.6 GHz hard drive and an 80 GB hard drive. For $3,098, you can get 1.8 GHz with a 64 GB SSD, which is very expensive, but also very fast. We had so much to report on

Mac News Weekly - MacWorld Important Announcement

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 11:05:36 -0800

I apologize for the mis-understanding, but Mac News Weekly is a weekly podcast. We did not plan on doing any episodes from MacWorld. We will be back this weekend, but stay tuned to the site for important information, macnewsweekly.com

Mac News Weekly - #16

Sat, 12 Jan 2008 16:59:12 -0800

in New York so we decided to do an episode outdoors to take advantage of the weather. We decided to focus on third party developers this week (though we do give Apple a mention) because third party developers really make Macworld what it is.

Skullcandy is adding to their line of Bluetooth enabled ski helmets and ski goggles, as well as other tech-enabled wintergear. This will be very helpful for people who want to stay connected on the slopes.

HP will be making an appearance to introduce a new printer. Details are scarce, but the company is calling it “breakthrough.” It will be geared towards the high-end consumer, but it will use HP’s Vivera professional ink line.

SMART Technologies is launching the SMART Learning Marketplace. The Learning Marketplace compiles hundreds of encyclopedia and web resources from Britannica to Webster’s in one place. The service, geared towards schools, will be available for a subscription fee.

The iPhone software developer kit (SDK) announced back in October is scheduled to come out sometime in February. We’re expecting some sort of demo at Mac World, but we’re excited to see what developers will cook up. Theoretically, they’ll be able to make anything from internet browsers to games.

Max Murphy, the show’s producer, will be at Macworld. Watch the site for updates from the expo floor. He will not be doing a liveblog from the Steve Jobs keynote, but Neal Campbell and Cali Lewis have graciously allowed us to use their coverage. Steve Jobs takes the stage at 9 AM Pacific, 12 PM Eastern, so go to macnewsweekly.com/macworld to watch GeekBrief’s keynote coverage. You can also check GeekBrief out at geekbrief.tv.

We are still running our Macworld related contest, but submissions are due by 12 AM Eastern on Tuesday, January 15, 2008. To participate, just send an e-mail to info@macnewsweekly.com with your best, most detailed predictions about what Apple will introduce on Tuesday. The most accurate predictor will get a $20 iTunes gift certificate.

Remember to watch macnewsweekly.com for updates and macnewsweekly.com/macworld for coverage of the keynote.

Mac News Weekly - Special Audio Announcement - MacWorld

Sun, 06 Jan 2008 16:44:25 -0800

Mac News Weekly - #15

Sat, 05 Jan 2008 09:32:02 -0800

We’re back after a two week break with a show full of rumors. We can’t wait to get back to doing real news. We had some green screen difficulties, so we decided to scrap the background and do, quite literally, a green screen. All Mac News Weekly staff member now have iPhones, but we’re now excited for iPhone version 1.1.3. The software update is supposed to be the biggest yet with all sorts of goodies like ability to move icons around on the homescreen, text multiple people, and more. No word on when it will be released. Fox and Disney have reportedly signed on to video rentals through iTunes with variable pricing and a 24 hour limit. Other studios are in talks or flat out declined to work with Apple on this.Looks like Apple may sway the high-def format war. They’re supposed to intro Blu-ray drives for their computers at MacWorld, according to American Research Technology. Mac marketshare is up, according to a report that judges based on web users. Mac OS X is gaining, while Microsoft is going down. iPhone’s browser was also included, but Window’s Mobile’s browser didn’t score high enough to register. We’ll be back next week with one last episode before MacWorld. Max will be liveblogging from the event, so go to macnewsweekly.com/macworld to watch how things are going in the Moscone Center.

Mac News Weekly - Episode 14

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 16:51:06 -0800

Mac News Weekly - Episode 13

Sat, 15 Dec 2007 14:25:54 -0800

Mac News Weekly - Episode 12

Sat, 08 Dec 2007 16:33:02 -0800

Mac News Weekly - Episode 11 - Apple Holiday Gift Guide

Sun, 02 Dec 2007 15:53:07 -0800

We will help you choose the best Apple Gift by price range.