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Chicago Apple Store bricked Tuesday night
Police say an inebriated man threw a brick at the front window of Chicago's Magnificent Mile Apple Store on Tuesday night. The man also broke another window a short distance away. A Tribune photo shows a single broken panel of glass in front of one of Apple's "giant iPhone" displays. From the photo, it looks as if the brick did not go through the glass, and the display appears unharmed. Robert Grilly, 61, of Chicago was booked on two misdemeanor counts of criminal property damage, Chicago PD said. Thanks, Paul!
Date/time bugs throughout the years for Apple
As 30GB Zune owners deal with the sudden bricking of their systems after midnight this morning, hopefully they can take comfort in the fact they are not alone in this. Throughout the years, Apple products had their share of time & date problems.In February 2000, Newton owners began reporting that they were having issues with the Newton being rather confused about what century it was in. Some users discovered that when they entered two-digit numbers as part of birthdays and other common abbreviated dates, things got wonky. For example, if I entered my birth date as 2-28-80 on the Newton, it interpreted the number as being February 28, 2080 rather than 1980. Entries of full dates in the 1900s were also affected. Other users stated that when they tried finding 20th century dates in the Find applet of the Newton, the system actually performed the search using 21st-century dates.Fixes included resetting the system clock back to 1999 to enter those dates before resetting it again back to 2000 and applying software patches. Sadly, it's a bug that HAL-9000 forgot to mention. Apple even reported back in 1998 that the Newton was Y2K-compliant. Of course, this won't even begin to cover the problems that Newton owners still using the product will have in 2010. If you see our own Newton-sporting Steve Sande at Macworld, be sure to tease him about it.A Tiger bug discovered in 2005 revealed that Safari's RSS reader would list some items as being an hour ahead of when they were actually posted -- news from the future is not catastrophic, but certainly could be confusing.Our research this morning hasn't turned up any date-related iPod or iPhone hiccups, but if you know of any examples please let us know in the comments. As for the Zune bricks, there's been no word yet from Microsoft regarding the failures, but Engadget's readers have already come up with a number of theories including blaming it on Steve Jobs, the year 2008 being one-second longer, and other conspiracy theories that are sure to come throughout the day.
New MacBooks add metal cases, power to burn but no FireWire
You heard the rumors, now get the details. Apple has just released a major update to the MacBook line, leaving the original white plastic model in the mix but lowering the price to $999; the two new models are priced at $1299 and $1599. You can see a video overview of the new beasties at Apple's site. The new models feature the same unibody aluminum construction process as the MacBook Pro; video chores are handled by the NVIDIA GeForce 9400M display subsystem with 256 MB of shared video RAM, a dramatic performance boost from the older Intel integrated graphics -- Apple claims 2.5x-6x better 3D performance on gaming tests. Both new models support up to 2560x1600 pixels on an external display (via the new Mini DisplayPort connector) and sport a native 1280x800 13.3" glossy LED screen. The design of these laptops is so radical, Apple has two full pages of sweet geeky detail posted on apple.com. Both models include the new all-glass trackpad, built-in iSight, 8x Superdrive and 2 GB of RAM. They are under one inch high (2.41 cm), 12.78 inches (32.5 cm) wide, and they both weigh 4.5 lbs (2.04 kg). Neither MacBook model includes a FireWire port (unlike the big boys, which have a single FireWire 800 port) -- this is a definite drawback for anyone thinking of one as a mobile video workstation. Note that, contrary to some of the comments below, I see no evidence that the USB ports on the new MacBook will support target disk mode. Lower-end model: Price: $1299 Main Specs: 2.0 GHz Core 2 Duo, 3MB L2 cache, 2GB of RAM expandable to 4 GB, 160GB HD Display & Other: 13.3" screen, 8x Superdrive, 2 USB BTO: Add RAM (up to 4 GB), up to 320 GB HD or 128 GB SSD High-end model: Price: $1599 Main Specs: 2.4 GHz Core 2 Duo, 3MB L2 cache, 2GB of RAM expandable to 4 GB, 250GB HD Display & Other: 13.3" screen, 8x Superdrive, 2 USB BTO: Add RAM (up to 4 GB), up to 320 GB HD or 128 GB SSD More details on features, graphics, tech specs and environmental compliance are up at Apple's site.
Apple schedules laptop event for Oct. 14; leaked photos abound
Our sister site Engadget received an invitation for a town-hall event in San Francisco about new Apple notebooks, featuring an image of what could be hinting at possible new aluminum enclosures for 13-inch MacBooks. tw.apple.pro purports to have images of new aluminum cases for the MacBooks. Judging from the height of the ports (and if the photos are authentic) the new MacBooks could be significantly thinner than their predecessors. In related news, AppleInsider claims to have confirmed that a widely-circulated spy-shot is indeed one from Apple's next generation of MacBook Pro, but is not fabricated from a single "brick" of aluminum, as 9-to-5Mac said. The top case, however, appears now to include the ports, rather than having them integrated into the bottom case. (This could make case disassembly easier.) The port arrangement appears to include many more ports on the left side of the bottom case, much like the current MacBook. Combined with earlier images of the back of the LCD and bottom case, the design retains much of the same look that MacBook Pros (and PowerBook G4s before them) have had since January 2001. Apple's notebook event is scheduled for next Tuesday at 10 a.m. Pacific time (1 p.m. Eastern).
More pics of Apple's supposed new laptops surface
Oh Apple -- release some new laptops so this madness can end. The forums at MacRumors are abuzz over a Taiwanese site that's showing off pictures of what appears to be a very close cousin of that MacBook Pro-esque casing we saw earlier. This isn't the same model, surely, but it does bear a striking similarity in both design and materials -- and after lots of deliberation and comparisons, we're fairly sure this isn't the Air either (the hinge ends in a totally different spot in relation to the keys). That machined quality we noted in the earlier post is present, though as we said previously, the sides of these housings do look like separate pieces. Regardless, if any of this is even remotely true (and not another Photoshop from someone's mother's basement), Apple is indeed taking its laptops in an Air direction, which isn't surprising -- but signs of these being the end-result of new manufacturing process? The jury's still way out. One more pic after the break of that controversial side piece.[Via MacRumors]
'Brick' MacBook Pro leaked in up-close spy shot?
Since we heard those "Brick" rumors the other day, the mill has been all but silent... until now. It's hard to tell exactly what we're looking at here, but damned if this doesn't look like some fancy new MacBook Pro carved out of a single piece of metal (except for those sides, so, there goes that theory). We'll let you make your own decisions after giving this the once over, but if this is what Apple has in store for us, our curiosity is definitely piqued.Update: MacRumors reports that the photo originates from this Chinese site.Update 2: More pics appear to have surfaced, check them out here!
Apple introducing new manufacturing process, MacBook 'Brick'?
The Apple rumor mill has really cooked up a doozy this time. According to 9to5mac -- a site with a fairly good track record -- Apple's next big thing isn't just a laptop or an iPod... it's an entirely new manufacturing process. If you believe the site's sources, an as-yet-unannounced event on October 14th will herald in a new iteration of the MacBook dubbed the "Brick," but the big news won't actually be about the laptop. Apparently, Apple has created a brand-new process to sculpt casings for products out of aircraft-grade aluminum, using a system that carves the pieces out of a single block of metal using "3D lasers" and water-jet cutting. The new technique will supposedly allow for seamless components which require no bending or folding, won't use screws to join together, are ultra-light but also "super strong," and will enable the company to rapidly prototype and produce new designs. Of course, not a single word of this is confirmed or even acknowledged by Apple, though we have been hearing whispers of the "Brick" for a few weeks now. Ultimately, everyone should approach this news with extreme skepticism, but if these rumors get magically transmuted into reality, there's no telling what kind of new gear Apple might have up its sleeve.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Rumor: 9to5Mac says The Brick is 'a block of aluminum'
In the ongoing saga of The Brick, the site that first speculated on the blocky code name for a rumored new Apple product now says it knows the meaning of the phrase. Seth Weintraub at 9to5mac has posted that 'The Brick' refers to a new manufacturing process that will carve MacBooks out of solid blocks of aluminum, creating laptops that are structurally superior to current products. While a laser-and-waterjet manufacturing line may seem more suited to aircraft parts or sportscars, there are some advantages in a milling/CNC approach to making the laptops.Using a solid block for the shell could avoid seams and screws, and the elimination of human hands in the assembly process would reduce cost and defects. A light, rugged MacBook would certainly be appealing... and might be the perfect laptop to appear in the Iron Man sequel. Apple's industrial designers could pull it off, and certainly the legacy of the all-magnesium NeXT Cube (see Fortune's story about the Cube's manufacturing) hasn't been forgotten by Apple's management team. Equally interesting is the discussion of where these cored Apples would actually be made. In a Computerworld post also written by Weintraub, he speculates on a MacObserver suggestion that Apple should be investing in a domestic manufacturing plant to use this new process, which would be both a highly controversial move in an economic downturn, and an interesting use of some of the company's $20 billion cash hoard.If the next MacBook is an all-aluminum model, is that a selling point for you? Let us know in the comments.
Apple TV update 2.2 brings out the "Brick"
So, that was like a really bad, mean, and cruel joke. But it does seem that the recent Apple TV update is bricking some Apple TVs. According to the Apple Discussion board, some users cannot get past the boot video. If the update bricks your Apple TV, it's not the end of the world (well, it is if you cannot do the following steps). One discussion board reader reports that doing a restore of your Apple TV will help resolve the situation. To restore your Apple TV, try the following steps: Hold down the Menu and Menu down/scroll (-) buttons on the remote for approximately 3 to 5 seconds, until the LED on Apple TV flashes yellow. After Apple TV restarts, a screen appears asking you to pick a language. Select the language you wish to use. After the Apple TV Recovery screen appears, select "Factory Restore" Please note that restoring the factory settings will completely remove any and all data on the Apple TV. In most cases, your Apple TV software will be reset to version 1.0 (if you bought your ATV prior to the 2.0 update). For more information on the diagnostic tools, read Apple's support note.Thanks to everyone who sent this in!
Not quite 'The Brick,' but fun anyway
It's many bricks, technically: Lego Bricks. Students at the San Francisco Art Institute used 2,588 bricks to build an enormous Mac Pro case. The design wasn't without its problems -- partway through the movie, three "Lego engineering catastrophes" forced the addition of a support beam under the middle of the case, presumably to support the weight of the hardware inside. The exterior design isn't the only thing impressive about it: On the inside, it's a Mac Mini that's FireWire-linked to a PC Hackintosh. Nice. The case was submitted for the 2008 MacMod Challenge.
New product announcement cancelled? (updated)
According to one of our tipsters, the "kickoff webcast" that Christina mentioned over the weekend has been either delayed or cancelled. A link distributed to webcast participants is, according to the tipster, no longer working. The webcast was scheduled for 10 a.m. Pacific time. What does this mean for the rumored "Brick"? It's difficult to say. Apple does tend to make product announcements on Tuesdays, but I suppose there's no reason why Apple couldn't deliver the webcast anytime between today and the product's scheduled launch date. Also, it could be that our tipster is just suffering network problems. If you know more about the webcast, please tip us! Your anonymity is our guarantee. Thanks, Matt! Update: Another anonymous tipster wrote in to tell us that the webcast did proceed as scheduled, but did not discuss new products (only things like metrics for the next quarter, and marketing strategies for Black Friday in the United States). The tipster said the password for the webcast was changed a day or two ago, which was probably why Tipster Matt couldn't connect. Thanks, Apple Reseller!
Rumor: Is the Apple TV being replaced?
We just got an e-mail from an anonymous Apple reseller, stating that they received an e-mail from Apple with instructions to remove all Apple TV displays and literature and to destroy them (which I assume means throw away the literature, send back the Apple TVs) by September 30, 2008 at 5 PM. Additionally, the e-mail says that there will be a webcast "kick off" on September 30.Incidentally, September 30 IS a Tuesday (and the last day of the September quarter), making all of this information, very, very interesting.So, what does this mean? Could this potentially be the introduction of the Mini/Apple TV hybrid we've all been begging for? Is this related to the rumors of "The Brick?"I guess we'll have to wait until Tuesday to find out for sure. Hey, it's Saturday, so speculate away in the comments!Addendum: In the comments and in some subsequent e-mails, we're receiving the impression that the licensing for the shows/images displayed in the literature has run out, and that the actual physical units may not be disappearing. Of course, that still leaves the issue of the webcast event on Tuesday...
Rumor: Is 'The Brick' a wireless hybrid handheld-slash-Mac?
There's a substantial amount of whispering about an anticipated "October Surprise" around the corner, but it's not the usual sort -- multiple sources have suggested that there is an Apple product introduction due on or about October 14. This hinting, combined with the refresh clock ticking away on the laptop line, leads us to suspect that new MacBooks and MacBook Pros are coming up soon -- but what of The Brick?If another Apple product announcement is coming on the heels of a mid-October laptop refresh, and if it's the "product transition" mentioned in the earnings call last quarter, where Apple's margins will be squeezed enough to merit a warning to analysts, it's going to have to be something different. A TUAW source has passed along the following (unconfirmed) details on a possible new product -- and several of our commenters may be on the right track.
What is The Brick?
The friendly folks over at Macenstein have a theory about The Brick -- a widely-rumored Apple product that may be debuting mid-October. So far, all we really know is the code name: "The Brick" (originally suggested by 9-to-5 Mac). Many speculate that it refers to the form factor of the product -- whatever it may be -- but Macenstein has a different take: it's the Windows breaker. Get it? Like a real brick with a real window. Apple may have a plan to pull significant market-share away from Microsoft using this product (or series of products). If true, it could be the missing piece of the puzzle that executives hinted about in Apple's Q3 conference call in July. The question, of course, remains: what the heck is it already? A new, low-cost MacBook? An iTablet? Software? Let us know your predictions by leaving us a comment below.
E308: WiiSpeak brings yet another power brick to the table?
When the WiiSpeak peripheral was unveiled for Animal Crossing: City Folk, we were happy to finally get voice chat on our Wii. But, a curious slide at the conclusion of Nintendo's E3 keynote showed the device has a very peculiar brick-like adapter that the USB end's cable plugs into. Now, we're assuming this is just a power brick, but you know what your school teachers told you about assuming!At least one thing is certain: the thing has enough cable to wrap around Nintendo HQ many times over.
Bricked by firmware 2.40? SCEA will fix your PS3 for free
Some unfortunate readers had their systems bricked by firmware 2.40. A PR representative from SCEA has informed us that they will fix your PS3 system for free if you were one of the few unlucky enough to have a bricked system. How's that for customer service?"Our Consumer Services department is working directly with any impacted PS3 users, and, if it's determined that they were affected solely by the 2.40 issue, then their units will be repaired or exchanged at no cost. SCEA stands behind its products and always works to ensure the best possible consumer experience."To contact SCEA support, visit this web page. If you go through SCEA support, let us know how your experience is.[Image Source]
Future R4 firmware to sabotage clones, brick DSes?
It's a funny twist that the R4DS, a product used mostly for pirating games, has found itself now battling it out with counterfeits carts that have infiltrated the market, but we assume that's just how Chinese flashcart companies roll.Seeking to eliminate its knock-off competition, Team R4 has announced that as of September 15, it will release firmware that will only work on genuine R4 flashcarts, according to a statement translated by GBAtemp. As an added deterrent, users attempting to load the firmware on illegitimate carts could potentially damage their DS permanently, leaving their system unusable. What if you've unknowingly bought a fake R4 (for running homebrew software, of course) and brick your DS after trying to install the updated firmware? Team R4 has stated that it will not accept responsibility, advising that you contact your "unscrupulous" shop to complain. Thanks, Team R4!We understand that it's annoying to have all these companies drinking their milkshake, but is this really necessary? Won't this drive away potential R4 customers, not to mention people curious about experimenting with DS homebrew? Make sure to look through our (semi) ultimate homebrew guide if you're interested in finding flashcart alternatives that won't leave your system bricked.See also: Homebrew Glossary[Via GBAtemp]
Software-only unlock for the current iPhone firmware announced
As many have you have emailed to tell us (thanks everyone), hacker teen wonder George Hotz a.k.a. GeoHot, of the hardware iPhone unlock heard 'round the world, has apparently made something unexpected: a software-only unlocking procedure for the iPhone's 1.1.2 and 1.1.3 firmware versions. With George's tools in hand (freely downloadable from his website), iPhone owners in non-supported countries should now be able to work their way up to the current release, wiggly icons and all. It's worth noting, as Endgadget has already mentioned, that you unlock your phone entirely at your own risk; never mind the fact that a future update may brick you (although we hope not!). If the procedure seems daunting -- it involves downgrading to the 1.02 firmware to start -- blogger Pinky's Brain is working on a walkthrough that should simplify things (link via Apple 2.0). The ModMyiPhone boards also indicate that a version of the unlock, runnable on a 1.1.1 jailbroken phone, is packaged and in the repository there. Is it worth diving into a new unlock tug-of-war with the official SDK (and, presumably, more exploits closed off with updates) in the near future? Guess that depends on how much you like having your iPhone working in the remote corners of the globe.
iPhone firmware 1.1.3 breaks unlocks
This continuing cat and mouse game reminds me of radar detectors. I recall when radar detectors first came out, and something akin to an arms race broke out between authorities and lead-footed civilians to stay one step ahead of each other. I'm fairly certain that's a race that won't end until modern transportation takes some strange turn. So it is with the iPhone unlock strategies, and according to iPhone Dev Team vet Nate True the 1.1.3 firmware update will once again break unlocks and third-party applications. The full post offers some fairly convincing reasons to believe that they've got the real scoop. I'm buying it.Want to put a happy spin on this? Just be thankful that Apple doesn't allow the iPhone-hacking geniuses much idle time, lest some of them find other ways of showing their talent.[via Slashdot]
Brick is back with the Mini MOB retro mobile
Is the mobile phone really mature enough for brick phones to make a retro comeback? According to the makers of the ironically named Mini MOB, the answer to that is yes. The Mini MOB is definitely designed in the retro brick phone style, but at only 3.5 cm wide, it could probably be considered a scale model. It includes some pretty standard specs -- camera, MP3 player, 128 MB card for the SD slot -- but also happens to have an amazing battery life of 30 days standby, and a full 72 hours of continuous talk time! That's almost enough to get us interested in picking one up, but at £160 ($320+) it ain't an easy decision.[Via TechDigest]
