apple insider
Latest
Construction begins on Reno iCloud facility
Apple's iCloud service is expanding rapidly, and the company is investing billions of dollars in infrastructure to support it. Recent stories have pointed to the massive photovoltaic array powering the Maiden, NC, data center, and last October Apple broke ground for a data center near Prineville, Ore. Now AppleInsider is reporting that Apple has completed construction of a small "tactical" structure at a data center site near Reno, Nev. The headline of the AppleInsider post is somewhat misleading (not to mention grammatically questionable), crowing that "Apple's initial iCloud facility in Reno already ready to go online." The tactical structure houses cooling, security and support equipment, and doesn't house any massive banks of servers or other infrastructure needed to house iCloud data. Similar structures are onsite at the Maiden data center and one has also been built on the Prineville site. Support buildings such as the one completed at the Reno data center are usually pre-fabricated and quick to build, housing compressors for chiller equipment used to dissipate the heat generated by banks of servers and storage devices in the primary data centers. There's still a lot of work to be done at the Reno site before it is fully operational.
AT&T hints at best-ever iPhone sales in holiday 2012 quarter
Today AT&T announced that it sold 10 million smartphones during the fourth quarter of 2012, beating the 2011 record of 9.4 million units. Based on knowledge of what percentage of those sales numbers have been iPhones in previous quarters, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster is forecasting that AT&T sold 8.1 million iPhones during the last quarter. That's in line with AT&T's comments that it sold a record number of iPhones in the quarter. During the 2011 holiday quarter, the carrier sold 7.6 million iPhones. With that quantity of iPhones being sold by AT&T alone, Munster believes that Apple will announce sales of 45 million devices in the quarter during its earnings call on January 23. Munster is also forecasting that 50 million new iTunes accounts were added during the month of December 2012 alone. He's basing this on Apple's recent update on the App Store, in which the company disclosed that there are currently "over 500 million active iTunes accounts." That's up from the 435 million announced at the iPhone 5 launch last fall. [via AppleInsider]
Next-gen iPads squeezing air freight shipments from China
Rumors have been going around for the past two weeks noting that the next generation iPads are on their way to the U.S. from Chinese plants under strict security. Now Mac Rumors is reporting that shipping representatives for other firms are finding that they can't ship their products, as air freight companies are apparently overwhelmed with boxes of iPads. Shipping rates have increased by 20 percent in one week, with Apple apparently gobbling up as much air freight capacity as possible at premium rates. One supposed iPad 3 part number has allegedly made it to the U.S., while another Apple SKU -- MC744LL/A -- for an unknown product (new Apple TV?) is also making the rounds. Another Apple blog, AppleInsider, concurred with the information from Mac Rumors, noting that air cargo rates with DHL have also jumped due to capacity constraints that are presumably being caused by Apple. With shipments in high gear already, there's mounting evidence that the new iPad may be available very soon after the announcement on Wednesday. Apple fans had to wait two weeks after the announcement of the iPad 2 to receive the first devices; perhaps the wait won't be as long this time.
Apple's MacBook Air duo to receive Sandy Bridge and Thunderbolt upgrade in June or July?
We've already seen Intel's Sandy Bridge processors and Thunderbolt reinvigorating the MacBook Pro line, so it's only logical for the MacBook Airs to eventually follow suit -- presumably they'll pick up Sandy Bridge's 17W mobile processors to match the current 10W and 17W Core 2 Duos. So when can we expect this to happen? Well, according to DigiTimes' sources within the supply chain, Apple may receive shipment of the refreshed Airs in late May ahead of a June or July launch -- this echoes earlier reports from Apple Insider and CNET that cited the same time frame. Additionally, DigiTimes says Quanta will continue to assemble Apple's ultra-portable laptops, with Simplo Technology and Dynapack supplying the battery packs. As always, we shall remain open-minded about such rumors, but you'll know the real deal as soon as we do within the next couple of months or so.
Apple patent application reveals plans for external battery pack, spells further trouble for HyperMac
Way back in September of last year, Apple filed a patent-infringement suit against HyperMac, the folks behind these external batteries. At the time, it looked like Apple was protecting its patented MagSafe power connector, but a newly released USPTO application for a "Power Adapter with Internal Battery" might reveal a more accurate view of the company's litigious motivations. From the look of things, the outfit intends to make its mark on juicing solutions with what is basically a wall charger packing an internal battery. According to the patent filing, the contraption would include a processor for parceling energy to the host device as well as the adapter, and could also incorporate a supplemental energy source like a solar cell. Among other things, it would also communicate with the device being charged to allow users to monitor the juice stored in the extra battery. If the thing does end up making it to market, it looks like HyperMac could have a whole lot more trouble on its hands than a little patent-infringement suit.
New Wi-Fi Diagnostics tool a part of Mac OS X 10.7 Lion
When Mac OS X 10.7 Lion leaps onto our Macs later this year, Apple's support specialists will have a new tool to use to troubleshoot those pesky Wi-Fi problems. AppleInsider reports that a new Wi-Fi Diagnostics tool can be found in Lion's /System/Library/CoreServices folder, along with a number of other utilities and apps that are part of Mac OS X. To launch the tool in the developer beta of Lion, users Option-Click on the Wi-Fi icon in the Menu Bar, then select the Open Wi-Fi Diagnostics item from the menu. The tool provides four major functions: Monitor Performance, Record Events, Capture Raw Frames or Turn on Debug Logs. Monitor Performance captures detailed signal and noise data over time, and the captured info can be sent to Apple for troubleshooting. Other diagnostics options will log specific events, or can capture raw data to a temporary .pcap (packet capture) file, which can also be uploaded for the benefit of Apple support professionals. Another change discovered by AppleInsider is the addition of network configuration profiles that can be produced and delivered by network administrators. This is another iOS feature that is migrating to Mac OS X, since Apple had previously created config profiles so that admins could roll out settings and updates to iOS users. Lion Server uses the same infrastructure to deliver network config files for automating Mac management.
Rumor: Apple's iPhone 4.0 to support multitasking, Expose-like interface
Rumors are flying hot and heavy about a new update coming to the iPhone this summer. AppleInsider has another big rumored feature: Multitasking. According to their sources, Apple will finally introduce third-party multitasking on the new iPhone. Of course, they're doing it the way that they want to and utilizing an Expose-like interface. Two presses on the Home button will supposedly bring up a list of icons, or names of the apps currently running, and then the user will be able to choose from those. Notifications won't go away; AI says that Apple is still concerned about battery life and network performance, so whenever it's possible to keep an app alive simply with notifications, they'll advocate that solution rather than running it in the background all of the time. However, it's also noted that jailbreaking is currently the only way for a third-party to multitask on an iPhone, and the company hopes to end a lot of piracy and jailbreak concerns by providing an official solution. This isn't the first time we've heard rumors about a multitasking system like this, and it probably won't be the last. Once the iPad is out of the way, it's very likely that we'll next see the iPhone updated, and it would be a smart move to finally allow users to run more than one app at a time.
Rumored tablet could include dynamic tactile surface
As a guy who still kind of winces at the iPhone's touch surface sometimes (especially when playing games -- you don't realize how nice buttons are until you see a character die because your thumb's in the way), this is extremely interesting news: Apple's rumored tablet, which we've been hearing a lot about lately, may include a dynamic, tactile surface. This one's on a little shakier ground than the other rumors that we've heard before, but it makes sense. After that anonymous exec told the NYT that the interface on the new tablet would be "surprising," AppleInsider notes this recent pulled out an old patent from a few years ago that talks about a surface that changes its shape and feel based on how it's being used. For viewing pictures with the multitouch, it stays smooth, but the second a keyboard or button pops up, it can push out dots or shapes and become slightly tactile. [Neil from AI sent a note to update us: "Just wanted to clarify that we didn't "dig up" an old patent -- it was filed for in August of this year, and was made public just today. It is, however, very similar to an application first revealed in 2007."] Sounds like it'd be tough to get right (you'd have to figure out when users expect a tactile surface and when they don't, among other interesting UI questions), but of course if anyone can pull it off, it'll probably be Apple. Note that this isn't the only futuristic idea Apple has had for larger multitouch surfaces, and there are lots of different options for interfaces that we'd find "surprising." But the fact remains that though touchscreen devices are extremely popular, users want a little more feel and a little less look. It'd be great to see Apple pull this off, if they are planning on showing off a larger touchscreen next month.
Apple seeds new Snow Leopard 10.6.2 beta to developers
The betas of the next Snow Leopard update continue at a fast and furious pace. Apple has reportedly begun seeding a new build of Mac OS X 10.6.2 to developers, just one week after the previous beta. The new potential release focuses on graphics issues, specifically relating to drivers, QuartzCore, and ColorSync, as well as hitting issues with the Dock. Apple has identified no outstanding issues with the build, though the company is asking developers to pay special attention to graphics drivers, TrackPad preferences, and virtual machines. The company says 148 components have been addressed in 10.6.2 betas so far, including issues in Dictionary, Expose, File Sync, Front Row, iPhoto, MobileMe, Parental Controls, QuickTime, Screen Sharing, Spotlight, Time Machine, and USB. [via MacNN, Apple Insider]
Apple tablet rumored for launch early next year, for serious this time: seriously
After what AppleInsider claims has been four years of development "riddled with setbacks," Apple is purportedly finalizing its long-rumored tablet for an early 2010 launch. AppleInsider claims to have been tracking the device get bounced back to the drawing board repeatedly over the past few years, but says that Steve Jobs is finally happy with the product and there's an internal go-ahead to get this thing ready for next year, barring any other setbacks. Purported specs include a 10-inch screen, 3G data and a custom ARM processor courtesy of its P.A. Semi purchase -- after previously considering Intel's Atom, as the story goes. Rumors elsewhere point to Verizon data instead of AT&T, but that might just be wishful thinking. While AppleInsider still claims the device is positioned somewhere between an iPhone and a laptop, its inside sources apparently didn't give the thumbs up to early artist renditions of the handheld, and so AI's new and "improved" render is above -- striking fear in the heart of aesthetes everywhere. Sure, we've heard so many iterations of Apple tablet rumors over the years, with varying degrees of confidence behind them, that it's really hard to latch onto yet another promise of this supposedly inevitable device. Still, this is what it is: a decent rumor with some reasonable excuses for "delays" and a glorious promise of tablet nirvana right around the corner. What more could an Apple rumorphile want?
Recent Apple patent filing speaks of stealth biometric security on iPhone, other insane insanity
Recent patent fillings by Apple that AppleInsider has dug up point to the company adding several new methods of insuring the security of its devices for users. The new filings cite biometric authentication methods that would excite Ethan Hunt -- including installation of a hidden sensor behind the screen that would recognize the user's fingerprint when touched, and / or a front-facing camera for retinal recognition. The filing also suggests further possibilities, such as the device being capable of recognizing the user's voice, or collecting DNA samples for recognition via genetic code. We've heard plenty of semi-speculative tech tales in the past, so we always take this stuff with a grain of salt, but Apple seems to be moving forward at least into the research phase of such endeavors. To the future we go! There's one more fantastic scribble after the break, hit the read link for more details.
Apple to mini fans: "Be patient."
A distraught Mac mini fan (it wasn't me, though I would be distraught to hear that the mini was really, truly dead -- which it isn't yet) apparently called Apple to get the story on the little computer that could, and apparently was told to "be patient." If you believe AppleInsider's interview of an unnamed guy who claims to have spoken to an unspecified Apple representative who may have overheard some unclear plans for an unspoken time in the future, then the Mac mini may be getting a revamp soon.Still, a little something (whatever it means) is better than nothing -- the mini hasn't seen an update or even been mentioned by Apple since last year. Part of me just kind of wants to leave it all alone -- maybe if Apple forgets they're even still selling the mini, they won't ever kill it. But I guess if an upgrade is coming, that's good news, too.
NYC Dept. of Education suspends Mac orders pending wireless issue fix
Apple Insider is reporting that the New York City Department of Education has put all shipments of Macs to schools on complete hold while they're apparently waiting for Apple to fix a Wifi connectivity issue with OS X (which should be fixed with the 10.5.3 update). And Apple is apparently scrambling to get it worked out -- they've sent an apologetic email to faculty and have asked schools to try and separate any orders of computers that won't need wireless (that will use a regular ethernet hookup) to ship now.Unfortunately, there's no hint of exactly how many Macs we're talking about here, but if this is a substantial number of computers, and word gets out causing other organizations to delay shipments as well, Apple will feel more and more pressure to get the problem fixed ASAP. Bad news for the kids who want Macs in New York City (that's the DoE's seal on the right, in case you didn't recognize it), but good news for anyone else having this problem -- Apple's working hard on a fix.Thanks, Rich!
"Podmaps" concept patent sought by Apple
AppleInsider has uncovered news of an Apple patent application for a software concept called a "podmap," which is more or less what it sounds like -- a series of maps or driving directions accompanied by an audio version of the same, downloadable into a portable media device. The way I understand it, think of it not just as downloadable directions, but also a kind of real-world tour. There is even mention of episodic content delivered via RSS.Like many Apple patents, there's no indication (or even suggestion) that anything like this would ever see the light of day, but it does tell us that Apple is looking at doing more with marrying their hardware with maps software, just like the great improvements we saw in the iPhone's 1.1.3 update. Hardly a surprise, too, that a company so strongly turning towards portable computing is thinking about the needs of portable users. But a cool idea nevertheless, and it also confirms that Apple sees the iTS's podcast model as a strong and easy way of quickly distributing content of all kinds.
Apple Insider previews iChat 4.0
Apple Insider continues their series looking ahead to Leopard (boy, it's nice to know next Friday for sure, isn't it?) by previewing the new iChat, version 4.0.As with the Dock review they did last week, they first take a look at the history of iChat, but iChat actually got started fairly late in the world of instant messaging. Apple started it out by working with other protocols (one reason it's worked so well since then, I'd bet). iChat AV was the most significant update so far, adding videoconferencing that, thanks to the built-in iSights on most Macs nowadays, made the feature widespread.To me, iChat 4.0's most exciting new feature is the document and screen sharing. Via VNC, both Mac and PC users have been able to share screens for a while, but the process has always been complicated (in most cases, so complicated that the problem you're actually trying to fix by screen sharing is less complicated than sharing screens itself). But iChat 4.0 is meant to make the process easy. There are also lots of fun video implementations-- including an "Obi-wan" setting I can't wait to try-- to go along with videoconferencing.Day to day, I generally use Adium as an IM client (the look and configurability sells it for me), but the new features in iChat 4.0 will definitely tempt me to check them out, if not switch completely. Just 9 days left!
Sitting on the Dock every day
AppleInsider has a nice long preview of the new Leopard Dock, along with a short history going all the way back to a company called Acorn Computers, and the NeXT Dock (there's even some good, healthy Windows TaskBar bashing thrown in the mix).There isn't really anything new here, but it is a nice wrap up of everything we've seen about the Dock so far, including the new perspective that folks are so worked up about, and the idea of "stacks," special icons that will expand into a number of different icons. AppleInsider even runs down the default stacks provided with Leopard-- Applications, Documents and Downloads. I'm not sure how long those will last on my Leopard install, however-- I'm much more eager to make my own stacks and reorganize everything myself.Very exciting. Unfortunately there's no mention of an update to how the vertical Dock looks, but Leopard is right around the corner, so we'll find out for sure very soon if Apple's new Dock lives up to expectations.
Some truth behind persistent iPhone "nano" rumors?
These rumors just keep popping up from all over the interwebs, and with Apple, persistent rumors often lead to real product. As we've mentioned time and time and time again, all signs point to a new iPhone revision later this year, either in the US, Europe, or both. To add fuel to the fire, AppleInsider has posted that an extremely reputable source reports that the Apple roadmap for 2007 does indeed show two distinct handsets. Touted as a scaled back version of the iPod, the "nano" would focus on music and offer basic cellular features -- so you can likely kiss web surfing and mail goodbye. All this makes sense if you look back on the iPod's original launch: the 5 and 10 GB models were out within 4 months of each other, with a hardware refresh 4 months after that. If they stick to a comparable timeline, perhaps the 3G -- if there will be a 3G -- will land in early '08. We're hoping that the nano name doesn't stick, though; how about the Apple iBashful?
EA, id back gaming on the Mac
Well how about that. Not a few days after I announce that I'm going to be posting news about gaming on the Mac, we get the biggest announcement about exactly that since Bungie released Marathon: EA and id both showed up at the WWDC Keynote yesterday to promote 3D gaming on Apple's computers.id went so far as to announce and show a new game engine called "id tech 5" (usually engines are named after games, but apparently we're in uncharted territory here), and EA came on stage to say it was going to start selling its most popular franchises, including Need for Speed Carbon, which has never been seen on the Mac before. Apple Insider points out that this isn't necessarily what we were hoping for (that is, games running natively and uber fast in OS X)-- instead, the EA games will be wrapped in Transgaming's Cider engine, which means the games will have to run on Intel-only Macs.Tuncer Deniz, who's been covering Mac gaming for a long time at Inside Mac Games, says this is both good... and bad (figures, right?). It's good because EA using Cider means we'll see Mac versions come out faster. But it's bad because whatever EA expects to sell of these games, it's probably not as much as they want to. Still, id's engine looks pretty-- if gaming is going to make a comeback on the machine we love, this is as good a chance as it'll ever have.
Mac rumors are boring
I don't mean Apple rumors are conceptually boring -- I enjoy the Mac and iPod rumor mill as much as the next Apple geek -- they're just boring to read. Daring Fireball's John Gruber hit the nail on the head last month when he wrote about his dislike for Mac rumor site Think Secret. At the time he was talking about a rumor suggesting that Aperture was about to bite the dust. Of course, we all know it didn't, as we covered later on, but the inherent poor aim of rumor sites isn't the topic of this post.What the Mac web really needs, ok, wants, is a rumor site that merges the style of Crazy Apple Rumors with that of Think Secret and AppleInsider. Like Gruber says, the "objective" style of TS and AI apes that of the Associated Press (read: dull) when it should be taking a page out of the much loved, but now-defunct, Mac the Knife column. That fundamental element of gossip, the "we know that you know that this isn't important, but we also know that you know that this is fun" tone is completely missing from sites like Think Secret, AppleInsider and even rumor aggregation site Mac Rumors. We can understand why these sites pretend to be objective. It certainly *sounds* more legitimate if you write like the NYTimes (coincidentally this style makes it easier for us to pick apart the rumors, as you saw last week). However, this isn't the NYTimes. It's just a bit of gossip about our favorite computer company. Nothing more, nothing less.[Image credit]
