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Today's Headlines - Thursday, July 24th, 2008

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Forrester: Vista is Like Ill-fated New Coke - 5:15 PM
A Forrester report released on Wednesday revealed that of 50,000 enterprise users, over 87 percent were still using WIndows XP. The author of the report compared Vista to the ill-fated "New Coke".
NYT: Apple's MobileMess - 3:35 PM
Even though Apple has apologized to subscribers for the glitches in the MobileMe launch, MobileMe's problems are nowhere near over, according to David Pogue at the New York Times on Thursday. 7 Comments.
Column: Apple and China are Incompatible - 2:10 PM
Apple's products and Western IP laws are currently incompatible with China's politics, according to Mike Elgan at Datamation on Wednesday. It's a messy reality. 7 Comments.
Steve Ballmer Addresses MS Employees About Apple - 1:25 PM
Editorial
Microsoft, by all accounts, has been on a rough road with the attempted Yahoo! acquisition and the Vista rollout. After a top level reorganization, splitting the single Platforms and Services Division into Windows and Online divisions, Steve Ballmer turned his attention to the competition with Apple in an e-mail to employees. 9 Comments.
Kerio MailServer 6.5.2 Adds iPhone Push Support - 1:05 PM
iPodObserver
Kerio MailServerKerio's MailServer system has supported Apple's iPhone for some time, but thanks to the company's 6.5.2 update it now supports push services for users running iPhone Software 2.0 on their combination iPod and smartphone. MailServer 6.5.2 can push email, contacts and calendar information to iPhone and iPhone 3G users instantly, and it does not require MobileMe subscriptions.
WSJ: MobileMe Flawed, Ragged - 12:30 PM
After a week of intense testing, Walt Mossberg with the Wall Street Journal reported that he cannot recommend MobileMe in its current state. It has too many flaws to keep its promises. 10 Comments.
MobileMe Email: Down for the Count? - 11:25 AM
iPodObserver
mobilemeMobileMe, Apple's replacement for its .Mac service, launched with stability issues, and now some subscribers have been without email for nearly a week thanks to server problems. According to Apple, a MobileMe email server began experiencing "serious issues" on July 18, and as July 24 the company is still trying to resolve the problem. 10 Comments.
Bloxorz - 10:40 AM
Cool Waste of Time
BloxorzThere is an art to wasting time, and Vern Seward is always on the lookout for ways to help you waste away the hours more efficiently. Bloxorz is a great time killer, and Vern has spent many hours wasting time testing this Web game.
iPhone Software 2.0 Stability - 10:15 AM
Hot Forum Topic
Today TMO readers are taking a look at iPhone Software 2.0 and talking about what is, and isn't, working.
Mobistar: iPhone 3G Demand Outpacing Supply - 9:30 AM
iPodObserver
Apple's iPhone 3G partner in Brussels, Mobistar, has already sold 400,000 units and has found that demand for the combination iPod and smartphone is outpacing the available supply. Despite limited inventory, the cell carrier expects to sell several thousand more units over the next few weeks. 1 Comment.
FontXChange 1.5 Adds Unicode 5.1 Support - 8:45 AM
Morrison SoftDesign announced the immediate availability of FontXChange 1.5 on Thursday. The update for the font format conversion application added the ability to upgrade encoding to Unicode 5.1, and to rebuild damaged fonts.
Apple Introduces 3 New iPhone 3G Ads - 8:15 AM
iPodObserver
iPhone 3G

Apple rolled out three new commercials for the iPhone 3G Wednesday evening. The ads show off the 3G wireless data networking features of the combination iPod and smartphone, and like earlier iPhone commercials, focus on the device interface. Everyone, Unslow, and Work Friendly are available at the Apple Web site in QuickTime format.

 

Top Headlines - Wednesday, July 23rd, 2008

My Backup Strategy - 11:00 AM
Dave The Nerd
Dave Hamilton, our self-professed Nerd and co-host of The Mac Geek Gab podcast, takes a few moments to explain his current backup strategy. He's found the balance between simple, automated, and redundant that works for him, and it's worth a read. 6 Comments.
 

Top Headlines - Tuesday, July 22nd, 2008

Analyst: Apple Guidance Low Balls Expectations - 11:15 AM
Apple's high third quarter earnings were balanced by conservative guidance for fiscal 2009, catching analysts off guard. The company said it is expecting next year's gross margin to come in at 30 percent instead of the 33 to 34 percent analysts where expecting, according to American Technology Research's Shaw Wu.
iPhone Due in 20 More Countries on August 22 - 9:55 AM
iPodObserver
Apple's third quarter earnings report on Monday revealed more than record breaking revenue with the announcement that the iPhone 3G will launch in an additional 20 countries on August 22. The second generation version of the iconic iPod and smart phone combo first hit the streets on July 11 in about 20 countries around the world. 2 Comments.
Analyst: Strong Mac Growth Driving Apple - 8:45 AM
Apple operating income for its third quarter of 2008 proved to be the second highest in the company's history, and Technology Business Research analyst Ezra Gottheil thinks the Macintosh computer lineup deserves a substantial portion of the credit. Year-over-year revenue growth for Mac desktops and laptops topped 40 percent, and both have cleared the 40 percent growth mark for several consecutive quarters.
Blue Snowflake USB Microphone - 6:00 AM
iPO Review
The Blue Snowflake USB microphoneThe Blue Snowflake USB microphone is a great sounding, inexpensive microphone that's great for podcasting, audio or video chatting, or recording. As a bonus, it also happens to be quite small, ultra-portable, and intelligently designed. 7 Comments.
 

Top Headlines - Monday, July 21st, 2008

Mac Geek Gab #160: Digging into MobileMe, UPSs, Audio Outputs and Listener Tips - 10:40 PM
Podcast
Mac Geek GabUsing multiple audio jacks, understanding the nuances of multiple users using MobileMe, backing up without Time Machine, the benefits of Apple Service Professionals, and a DHL warning are all part of this week's Mac Geek Gab. Subscribe today -- it's free!
Apple CFO Hints at "Future Product," Mum on Details - 6:55 PM
Apple Inc. obviously is perpetually soon to release a new product or upgrade to existing product lines, but Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer told analysts Monday that such an upgrade (or "transition") would take place during the September quarter. That represents a very rare look into Apple's own crystal ball, as the company is famous for not announcing new products until Apple CEO Steve Jobs is ready to do so in full. 11 Comments.
Apple: Competitors Can't Match Us - 6:55 PM
Apple reported its best June quarter ever on Monday, and the company credited that success to products that it claims the competition just can't match. Those products led to more than 50 percent year over year growth in several markets including China, Russia, Latin America, France, and Germany.
AAPL Down 11% in After Hours Trading - 6:25 PM
Shares in AAPL plummeted more than 10% in after hours trading, following the release of Apple's third quarter financial results. As of this writing, shares traded at US$147.56 per share, down $18.73 (-11.26%), with investors seemingly worried about Apple's September quarter guidance. The stock had posted a small gain in the last hour of the regular trading session. 2 Comments.
App Store Downloads Top 25 Million - 6:20 PM
iPodObserver
App StoreApple's App Store opened on July 11 along with the iPhone 3G launch, and third party application downloads have already topped 25 million. According to the company, the iTunes-based store already has over 900 applications available, and more than 20 percent of those are free. 1 Comment.
Apple Retail Shows Strong Third Quarter - 5:35 PM
Apple's retail stores played an important role in the company's record-breaking third quarter with revenue growing nearly 60 percent year over year. The Cupertino-based company reported US$1.44 billion in revenue for the quarter, and helped increase Mac market share by selling more than half of its computers to first-time Mac owners.
Apple Q3 Results: Record June Quarter with $7.46 Billion in Revenue [UPDATE] - 4:35 PM
Apple announced Monday that it had a record June quarter in 2008, with US$7.46 billion in revenue, and a profit of $1.07 billion, or $1.19 per share. That beats last year's $5.41 billion in revenue with profits of $818 million, or $.92 per share. [The story has been updated with additional details.]. 4 Comments.
AAPL Reverses Loss Ahead of Earnings, Closes $1.14 Higher - 4:30 PM
Shares in Apple Inc. closed higher Monday just before the company was set to release its fiscal third quarter financial results, reverses losses earlier in the day. AAPL closed at US$166.29 per share, a gain of $1.14 (+.69%) on the day.
PocketMac's RingtoneStudio: Best iPhone Ringtone Creating Tool Ever - 1:55 PM
User Friendly Blog by Ted Landau
If you want to create custom ringtones for your iPhone, you have several choices. I know. I've tried them all. I've even written about them in a previous article here at TMO. That's old news. What's new is that there is a new kid in town: RingtoneStudio for iPhone, a Mac app. I've already dumped all of the old alternatives in favor of this new utility.
iPhone 3G Almost Completely Unavailable in the US - 8:10 AM
iPodObserver
Demand for Apple's iPhone 3G is outstripping supply in the United States, leaving the combination iPod and smartphone unavailable in all but three of the company's retail locations. As of Monday morning iPhone hopefuls can still pick up a handheld at the Apple Stores in Salem and Ann Arbor, but only if they want the 16GB white model, and the Pasadena store still has the black 16GB model in stock.
iTunes: Deleting iPhone Apps - 7:30 AM
iPO Quick Tip
The App Store is loaded with extra applications for the iPhone and iPod touch, and Apple did a great job of making it easy to download and install all of those programs. The problem is that not every app you download is something you want to keep, and deleting something from your handheld doesn't necessarily mean it will go away when you sync. 3 Comments.

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Editorial - Steve Ballmer Addresses MS Employees About Apple
by John Martellaro
Microsoft, by all accounts, has been on a rough road with the attempted Yahoo! acquisition and the Vista rollout. After a top level reorganization, splitting the single Platforms and Services Division into Windows and Online divisions, Steve Ballmer turned his attention to the competition with Apple in an e-mail to employees. 9 Comments.

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Dave The Nerd - My Backup Strategy
by Dave Hamilton
Dave Hamilton, our self-professed Nerd and co-host of The Mac Geek Gab podcast, takes a few moments to explain his current backup strategy. He's found the balance between simple, automated, and redundant that works for him, and it's worth a read. 6 Comments.

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Analyst: Apple Guidance Low Balls Expectations
by Jeff Gamet
Apple's high third quarter earnings were balanced by conservative guidance for fiscal 2009, catching analysts off guard. The company said it is expecting next year's gross margin to come in at 30 percent instead of the 33 to 34 percent analysts where expecting, according to American Technology Research's Shaw Wu.

Since April of 1995, Apple has been proclaimed to be dead or dying 52 times. Pay your respects at the Apple Death Knell Counter.

iPodObserver - iPhone Due in 20 More Countries on August 22
by Jeff Gamet
Apple's third quarter earnings report on Monday revealed more than record breaking revenue with the announcement that the iPhone 3G will launch in an additional 20 countries on August 22. The second generation version of the iconic iPod and smart phone combo first hit the streets on July 11 in about 20 countries around the world.
Analyst: Strong Mac Growth Driving Apple
by Jeff Gamet
Apple operating income for its third quarter of 2008 proved to be the second highest in the company's history, and Technology Business Research analyst Ezra Gottheil thinks the Macintosh computer lineup deserves a substantial portion of the credit. Year-over-year revenue growth for Mac desktops and laptops topped 40 percent, and both have cleared the 40 percent growth mark for several consecutive quarters.
iPO Review - Blue Snowflake USB Microphone
by Bob LeVitus
The Blue Snowflake USB microphoneThe Blue Snowflake USB microphone is a great sounding, inexpensive microphone that's great for podcasting, audio or video chatting, or recording. As a bonus, it also happens to be quite small, ultra-portable, and intelligently designed.
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