Category: Apple Inc.

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Safari on Windows

Finally our Windows user friends can have yet another full (W3C) Standards compliant browser to choose from: among the likes of Firefox and Opera.

With Microsoft admitting their mistakes in Internet Explorer over the years and finally began their own compliance to the W3C Standards with the release of IE 7. May be the lazy web developers (specifically ones in the Financial and Real Estate industries), who still code their web sites only for Windows version of Internet Explorer will finally start to recode their web sites with W3C Standards compliance.

One can only hope that this is an indication of a bright new beginning.

read more | digg story

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Apple’s New MacBook

Apple

Apple finally released the highly anticipated iBook replacement, the MacBook.

With this new (comparatively) lower end series of the MacBook line Apple has completed its Intel transition for the entire Macintosh portable line up. The only series left is the PowerMac G5 towers and the XServers.

The introduction of this new models has also see the elimination of the MacBook Pro 1.83GHz model. Apple also lowered the prices of the remaining MacBook Pro after the introduction of the MacBook Pro 17″, plus made the 2.16GHz version of the MacBook Pro a standard model, that used to be a Made-to-Order-Model.

This new MacBook also comes in a Black version that we are now accustom to with the introduction of the iPod nanos and 5G iPods last year.

There was one more rumor that we have yet to see a conclusion for, and that is the rumor of a “red MacBook” and “red iPod”. This red dual is suppose to be in support of U2’s Bono’s Product Red charity, benefiting African AIDS victims. There is one more press event this coming Thursday (Eastern Standard Time) when Apple introduces its new flag ship store in the GM Tower, 767 Fifth Avenue at 59th Street, New York City. So I guess we will have to see.

Posted on

Apple’s New MacBook

Apple

Apple finally released the highly anticipated iBook replacement, the MacBook.

With this new (comparatively) lower end series of the MacBook line Apple has completed its Intel transition for the entire Macintosh portable line up. The only series left is the PowerMac G5 towers and the XServers.

The introduction of this new models has also see the elimination of the MacBook Pro 1.83GHz model. Apple also lowered the prices of the remaining MacBook Pro after the introduction of the MacBook Pro 17″, plus made the 2.16GHz version of the MacBook Pro a standard model, that used to be a Made-to-Order-Model.

This new MacBook also comes in a Black version that we are now accustom to with the introduction of the iPod nanos and 5G iPods last year.

There was one more rumor that we have yet to see a conclusion for, and that is the rumor of a “red MacBook” and “red iPod”. This red dual is suppose to be in support of U2’s Bono’s Product Red charity, benefiting African AIDS victims. There is one more press event this coming Thursday (Eastern Standard Time) when Apple introduces its new flag ship store in the GM Tower, 767 Fifth Avenue at 59th Street, New York City. So I guess we will have to see.

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Brand New Apple MacBook Pro 17″

Apple

Apple today released the brand new MacBook Pro 17″.

This new version of the Intel® based Macintosh notebook has again surprised the analysts who did not think Apple would be able to release a new MacBook Pro that is the same thickness as the current MacBook Pro 15″, while bringing back the old 8x SuperDrive with DVD-DL write capability.

Also another surprise to the analysts is Apple’s decision to bring back the long depended on professional FireWire 800 port to the new MacBook 17″.

To make it even more attractive, Apple have released this new Mac at the same price as the current MacBook Pro 15″ 2.16GHz, so with the extra screen size, FireWire 800 and DVD-DL writable SuperDrive, other than buyer who really do not want the extra screen space will definitely purchase the MacBook Pro 17″.

I personally hope that this aggressive pricing of Apple is a sign that Apple will lower the price of the MacBook Pro 15″ and/or bring back the 8x SuperDrive writable DVD-DL to the MacBook Pro 15″.

read more | digg story

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Apple Boot Camp Public Beta Available

Finally the official method of allowing a Macintel to run Microsoft’s Windows XP has been made public by Apple Computer. The software is called “Boot Camp” for the time being.

On March 13 I wrote in my My Weblog about “Running Windows XP on an Intel Macintosh (aka. “Macintel”)“. Where that method by two individuals from an open contest was a hack, today’s announcement, from Apple, demonstrates Apple’s elegance method of doing the same thing. It also explains why Apple never commented on the hack solution when it was made public back in March.

Please be aware that this is a “beta” class software from Apple, introducing functionalities that will be part of Apple’s Mac OS 10.5 software update to be available later this year.

With any beta class software, users must keep in mind the standard warning of backing up all data before trying, and because of its “beta” class it is not recommended for use on mission critical systems.

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Apple Store Japan (Mobile)

Image courtesy of IT Media

Apple launched a new Apple Store Japan for mobile phones users in Japan from their AU and NTT handsets. To be able to use this new Apple Store, you will need to be within service coverage of the NTT and AU handsets, since Apple had programatically blocked access to this new store from users other then the ones with the correct browser.

According to reports (IT Media), Apple had made the full line of iPod devices and the Mac Mini available for purchase on this new site. Whether there is a discount or special offer compares to the regular Apple Store Japan I do not know. May be some of the Japanese readers can comment on this article and share this with my readers.

So, if you are one of the lucky users of the following handsets you can go check it out:

  • AU:
    • Wｼﾘｰｽﾞ(W01K除く)
    • INFOBARｼﾘｰｽﾞ
    • A5000ｼﾘｰｽﾞ
    • C5000ｼﾘｰｽﾞ
    • A3000ｼﾘｰｽﾞ
    • C3000ｼﾘｰｽﾞ
    • A1400ｼﾘｰｽﾞ
    • A1300ｼﾘｰｽﾞ
    • A1100ｼﾘｰｽﾞ
  • NTT:
    • 210i以降
    • 503is以降
    • FOMA


I realized that Japan has one of the largest, if not “the largest”, mobile content consumers in the world, but the rest of Asia also have a very big intake of mobile technology. For example:

  • Hong Kong citizens changes their mobile phone the most frequent in the world.
  • South Korean citizens is the most wired [to the Internet] in the world.
  • Philipine citizens sends the most SMS in the world.
  • China citizens now make up the largest population within a country of installed cellular phone.
  • India citizens has the highest density (based on spending power) of potential cellular phone user base.


Are we (the rest of Asia, Hong Kong in particular) always going to be playing “second fiddle” to the Japanese consumers? Are we really that phobic towards mobile content? I am sure Apple’s Marketing and Product Development teams had done their homework before launching the site in Japan, but please don’t leave the rest of Asia out.

SImilarly, the news of iTunes Music Store for Japan had been in the air for over a year now; ever since the rumors of a EU specific Store 2 years ago. Recent news place the launch date of the iTunes Music Store – Japan for end of 2005.

Throughout these rumors and announcements, no one seem to want to comment about the rest of Asia. Yes, during the recent rumors there is also news of a iTunes Music Store for Australia by end of April 2005, but what about the other large non-English speaking music consumers: Cantonese/Mandarin (Chinese), Hindu (Indian), Korean, Barhasa and Thai.

Apple’s iTunes Music Store for US already have some foreign languages music listed, but speaking to local [Hong Kong] record companies (Avex, EMI, etc.) individuals, it seems that over the past 2.5 years they have grown to accept the inevitable of music download and online distribution for Hong Kong and rest of Asia. Of course like many other things that Apple does they do not comment on unannounced products or service offerings, but I hope they are already well on its way discussing with these regional record companies (Apple, if you’re reading, please send me a personal note and I will forward some of these “record companies individuals” to you… :P).

WE WANT OUR iTUNES MUSIC STORE – HONG KONG!!!

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Apple Computers Futhers the Cause of WiFi Again

Back in 1999 Apple introduced the first affordable and easy to use WiFi (802.11b) solution to the average consumers with its Airport Base Station. Then it brought WiFi (802.11g) connection with its Airport Extreme Base Station.

Now Apple again doing its part in bringing WiFi or WLAN to as many individuals as possible with the introduction of Airport Express. See my short review in My Mac Forum.