Email accounts of foreign journalists in China hacked

The email accounts of eight foreign journalists working in China and Taiwan were hacked recently, leading Yahoo to suspend several of the accounts last week, the Foreign Correspondent's Club of China (FCCC) said Wednesday.

"We have confirmed eight cases in which journalists in China and Taiwan have had their email accounts hacked in recent weeks, with several accounts disabled by Yahoo on March 25," the FCCC said in an email sent to members.


Among the hacked email accounts, the settings of one account were also modified to forward all emails to another email address, it said.

"Yahoo has not answered the FCCC's questions about the attacks, nor has it told individual mail users how the accounts were accessed. Password security and malware are ongoing concerns, but it's unclear whether they are related to this case," the group said.

The FCCC warned members to change their email passwords and advised them to use other means of communication for arranging interviews or other "sensitive business."

Yahoo was not immediately available to comment.

FCCC warning highlights growing concerns

While there is no evidence linking the hacked email accounts and the Chinese government, the FCCC warning highlights growing concern over the email surveillance of individuals generally viewed with suspicion by the Chinese government, including human rights activists and foreign journalists working in China.

Earlier this month, foreign journalists in China were the target of a sophisticated email malware attack. Emails in that attack appeared to originate from the Shanghai World Expo press office and contained a malicious PDF attachment. The attack seemed to target foreign journalists registered to cover the Expo, which opens on May 1.

In addition, a sophisticated attack from China that targeted the Gmail accounts of Chinese human rights activists in December led Google to close down a censored version of its search engine in China, redirecting users to an uncensored site in Hong Kong instead.

Circumstantial evidence also implicated China in a computer spying network, dubbed GhostNet, that touched users in 103 countries and was used to transfer data to servers in China. The network was discovered in 2009 after researchers were asked to examine computers in offices of the Dalai Lama in India, the U.S. and the U.K. The computers that comprised GhostNet are believed to have been infected by malware in email attachments sent to specific individuals.

The Dalai Lama is viewed with deep suspicion by the Chinese government, which accuses him of working for Tibetan independence.



New malware overwrites PC software updatersApple announce 10 billionth download winner

Many Tricks releases Leech 2.0 download assistant

Most browsers these days can download files just fine, but what if you need a little extra oomph for getting the download job done? Leech is a “download assistant” from Many Tricks, makers of Butler and yFlicks. Newly released Leech 2.0 brings some big new features that make it a more useful assistant than ever.

Leech is basically a download aggregator: it integrates with most popular browsers, including Safari, Firefox, OmniWeb, and Camino.When you click a download link, Leech springs into action instead of your browser’s download window opening.It can also work with other browsers via a simple drag and drop.


Leech 2.0 lets users move, pause, queue, or remove multiple downloads via contextual menus. Users can also specify certain file types and domains that Leech should let the browser handle: for example, you can let Safari handle Dashboard widget downloads, since it can automatically unpack .zip files and install the widget for you. Leech 2.0 also gains the ability to automatically download a series of related files from a URL (such as a series of files named in a scheme like “IMG1.jpg,” “IMG2.jpg,” and so on). Also present are Sparkle support for automatic in-app updates and full 64-bit support for Safari under Mac OS X 10.6.

All of this is on top of Leech’s existing features, like automatically routing files based on their type or what site you download them from, shutting down your Mac once all downloads are finished, marking URLs for download at a later date, and keeping a permanent searchable list of all your downloads from every browser. Leech even uses its Dock icon as a download progress indicator, making it easy to quickly tell how much time your downloads have left.

Leech 2.0 costs $14 (10) for new users, and upgrades for those who bought 1.x before March 17, 2010 are just $5 (3). Users who purchased after that date get a free license upgrade. Leech requires Mac OS X 10.5 or later and is compatible with both Intel- and PowerPC-based Macs.

(Disclaimer: Macworld US Senior Contributor Rob Griffiths is a partner at Many Tricks.)



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Apple vets launch 'Insanely funny' spoof site

Move over, Onion. There's a fake news site for Apple fans too. Two key veterans of Apple's ad agency TBWA/Chiat/Day have created spoof Apple news site Scoopertino.com to disseminate "insanely funny" fake news stories.

Michael Rylander and Ken Segall were deeply involved in the award-winning - some would say ‘company-saving' - Think different campaign that marked Steve Jobs' return to the company.


Segall dreamed up the name ‘iMac', which of course led to all the other ‘i' products: iPod, iBook, iPhone, iLife, iWork, and so on.

Rylander was involved in the eye-catching iMac ads, and other Apple commercials such as the infamous smoking Intel bunnies TV ad - as well as television and print campaigns for the iBook, PowerBook, Airport and Power Mac.

Tongue-in-cheek Scoopertino claims that is "an independent news organization devoted to ferreting out the most relevant stories in and around the world of Apple, whether or not they actually occurred".

Apple vets launch Insanely funny spoof site

Its motto, as displayed in its masthead, is "Unreal Apple News."

"Nobody loves Apple more than we do," says Segall.

"We're addicted to the technology, and we admire the Apple spirit. But the headlines coming from Apple are so consistently amazing, we can't resist giving them that extra twist, just for the fun of it."

A story in the launch edition tells of Steve Jobs' demand that his annual salary be adjusted for inflation, from its current one dollar to a whopping $1.05. Another reveals a new technology that goes beyond Apple's Multi-Touch, allowing users to control devices via brainwaves - but only if Apple approves their thinking first.

"We're doing what the late-night talk shows do," says Rylander.

"We're looking at the news and playing with the absurdity of it. And we're trying to do it with a degree of wit and design worthy of Apple. We hope those inside the company will laugh more than anyone."

Springing from the brains of long-term Apple ad creatives Scoopertino.com has a real Apple feel to it, especially in terms of its design.

Apple vets launch Insanely funny spoof site

In a story describing how Apple has licensed Steve Jobs' "Reality Distortion Field" to the Pentagon for use in Afghanistan an Apple Store Genius Bar is integrated into a rock wall at a remote military meeting.

Scoopertino is updated as fake news stories break, at least twice per week, and will continue to publish "until Apple stops supplying such good fodder".

Actual, non-spoof Apple news here

Blog: The man who named iMac



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BBC World Cup, news iPhone apps delayed after protests

Under pressure, the BBC Trust has put new BBC applications for the iPhone on hold over fears they could undermine commercial rivals.

The BBC News and BBC Sport applications were due to hit Apple's App Store over the next couple of months, and the licence-fee-funded broadcaster was also working on an iPhone version of its iPlayer app.


When the BBC announced plans for the applications, it said they were not new content services and therefore didn't need to be regulated.

However, the BBC Trust, which is the governing body of the BBC, appears to have stepped in following concerns from the Newspapers Publishers Association (NPA), which earlier this month warned that the free BBC apps would damage other app developers' ability to sell similar service for smartphones.

"It is vital that these proposals are scrutinised properly to avoid any adverse impact on commercial media organisations," said David Newell, director of the NPA.

"We are pleased that the BBC Trust has listened to the industry's concerns and acted to delay the planned April launch. We hope this will enable a thorough assessment to be undertaken."

The amount of free content the BBC provides online has already provided a headache for online publishers. Earlier this month, the BBC said it would cut down its number of websites to reduce costs and ease pressure on commercial rivals.

BBC World Cup, news iPhone apps delayed after protests



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Apple releases Mac OS X 10.6.3 Snow Leopard Software Update

Apple has released Mac OS X 10.6.3 for Snow Leopard users.

The 719.23 MB update offers the following enhancements and bug fixes.

* Improve the reliability and compatibility of QuickTime X
* Address compatibility issues with OpenGL-based applications
* Address an issue that causes background message colours to display incorrectly in Mail
* Resolve an issue that prevented files with the # or & characters in their names from opening in Rosetta applications
* Resolve an issue that prevented files from copying to Windows file servers
* Improve performance of Logic Pro 9 and Main Stage 2 when running in 64-bit mode
* Improve sleep and wake reliability when using Bonjour wake on demand
* Address a colour issue in iMovie with HD content
* Improve printing reliability
* Resolve issues with recurring events in iCal when connected to an Exchange server
* Improve the reliability of 3rd party USB input devices
* Fix glowing, stuck, or dark pixels when viewing video from the iMac (Late 2009) built-in iSight camera

Apple releases Mac OS X 10.6.3 Snow Leopard Software Update


The update can collect diagnostic and usage information from your Mac and send it to Apple for analysis automatically. The information is only collected with your explicit consent, and is submitted anonymously to Apple. the company insists. Apple explains you can choose to send these reports automatically or manually if one of these diagnostic events occurs:

* An application quits unexpectedly
* You choose to force an application to quit
* A system error occurs that requires you to restart your computer

Diagnostic and usage reports may include the following information:

* Details about application or system not responding, application unexpectedly quitting, or kernel panics
* Information about events on your computer (for example, whether a certain function, such as waking your computer, was successful or not)
* Usage information (for example, data about how you use Apple and third-party software, hardware, and services)

Apple adds all reports will contain your computer’s hardware and software specifications, including information about devices connected to your computer and the versions of the operating system and applications you’re using on your computer. You can enhance diagnostic reports by adding additional comments describing your actions when the issue occurred.

Full details of the Mac OS X v10.6.3: Diagnostic and usage data collection update can be found at http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4063.

The 10.6.3 Update is recommended for all users running Mac OS X Snow Leopard Apple notes.

For detailed information on the update Snow Leopard users can visit http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4014.

Apple has also updated Mac OS X Server to version 10.6.3 adding general stability improvements as well as specific bug fixes. Full details can be found at http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4015.



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Arctic Adventures comes to Apple Store, Regent Street, 12 April

Award-winning photographer Uzair Kharawala shares his incredible images from a trip above the Arctic Circle at the flagship Apple Store, Regent Street, 12 April.

The free event, which starts at 7 pm, will show how Uzair photographed the Northern Lights in temperatures as low as -29 as well as a wedding at the Ice Hotel.

He’ll also show you how to easily create slideshows or movies using stills, video and music in Apple's iMovie and Aperture 3.

Uzair, a professional photographer, is also the man behind Foto SF, a productivity tool for photographers, built on Apple’s FileMaker.

Billed as a one-stop solution for photographers to organise their business, Foto SF aims to make users more profitable, maximising their financial potential especially in difficult economic times.

Uzair is a regular speaker at the flagship Apple Store, often explaining how to set up a photography business.

The Apple Store is located at 235 Regent Street, London, W1B 2EL, 020 7153 9000. The nearest tube station is Oxford Circus.

Arctic Adventures comes to Apple Store, Regent Street, 12 April



Reminder: Archiware free ‘Video Visions’ event with guests Apple, JPY, MXF4Mac next weekApple announce 10 billionth download winner

Reminder: KRCS offers up to £100 off a Mac when recycling any computer

Apple Premium Reseller KRCS is offering up to 100 off a Mac when they recycle any computer.

The deal, which runs until 11th April 2010, is one of several green campaigns currently being run by Apple Premium Resellers.

"Now’s the time to upgrade your PC to a new Mac at KRCS," the company insists in a promotional email.

"Bring your old computer, regardless of manufacturer, to one of our high street stores and we’ll give you up to 100 off a new Mac. We’ll even recycle your old computer responsibly, using European recycling centres, for free!"

The following KRCS discount deals are offered:
50 off 21-inch iMac
Up to 70 off MacBook Pro 13-inch
100 off MacBook Air & MacBook Pro 15-inch/17-inch

More details can be found at www.krcs.co.uk or by calling the company directly.


KRCS boasts eight Apple Premium Reseller computer stores; in Doncaster, Merry Hill (near Dudley), Coventry, Derby, Hull, Leeds, Nottingham and Peterborough as well as the ability to buy online.

KRCS is accredited to deliver a range of after-sales services including; system integration, installations, upgrades, troubleshooting, and diagnostics.

KRCS offers up to £100 off a Mac when recycling any computer



Apple Beta SDK 3.2 shows no sign of rumoured iPad cameraApple announce 10 billionth download winner

Apple releases 3.0.2 update for Aperture, adds iPad compatibility

Still running into trouble with Aperture 3, even after the recent Aperture 3.0.1 update? Not to worry, Apple has just posted yet another update for Aperture 3 users.

Aperture 3.0.2 does add one very significant new feature, buried at the very bottom of the release notes: iPad compatibility. This will allow users to import photos from the iPad into Aperture, and to sync photos in their Aperture library with the iPad. There are also a few new minor features, like the return of the ability to navigate through images in the viewer using scrolling, and a display for how much disk space you need to import an existing iPhoto or Aperture library.


Apple releases 3.0.2 update for Aperture, adds iPad compatibility

Beyond that, there is a wealth of fixes for general stability and issues. Some of the fixes address lost data and slowdown when importing iPhoto and Aperture 2 libraries. There is a series of fixes to preserve the hierarchy of folders imported into Aperture.

The 3.0.2 update also resolves a number of issues with Aperture's new Faces feature, along with issues where presets and image metadata would be missing, incomplete, or fail to be saved.

Click here for more Apple iPad coverage

This patch aims to stop crashes associated with adjustments, both from imported libraries and those applied by Aperture 3 itself. There's also a handy fix for a crash bug associated with emptying Aperture's trash.

Finally, there's a minor update for iMovie 09, called iMovie 8.0.2, which allows iMovie to play nicer with video files stored in an Aperture library.

More details can be found in the release notes for Aperture 3.0.2.



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Algoriddim intros djay Remote App for iPhone, iPod touch

Algoriddim, billed as a leader in next-generation music software for the Mac, has announced the release of djay Remote, an application that promises to turn your iPhone or iPod touch into a fully-fledged DJ controller.

Wirelessly syncing with algoriddim’s djay software on the Mac, djay Remote enables users to mix and play their iTunes music.

Algoriddim claims the application offers remarkably realistic control that sets djay apart from similar software is carried over to djay Remote, including the ability to run Automix on a selection of songs, work two turntables individually, scratch and cue music in real-time and control high quality effects, looping, skipping and cue points - all from the iPhone or iPod touch.

djay Remote’s unique features include:

• Seamless integration with djay via WiFi (two-way-synchronous).
• Ultra-low latency.
• Full access to the user’s entire iTunes library on the Mac.
• Automix function, for superior, convenient control.
• Multi-Touch enabled mixing in real-time.
• Individual control of dual turntables for scratching, cueing, skipping, and other effects.
• EQ and volume controls.
• An intuitive user interface that mimics djay’s design and ease of use, including a timeline with time/artist display, turntables with cover artwork, and rotating vinyl.

Available from the Apple iTunes App Store, djay Remote costs 2.99 and requires the iPhone 3.1 Software Update or later.

Algoriddim intros djay Remote App for iPhone, iPod touch



Apple announce 10 billionth download winnerPreschool Connect the Dots Game comes to iPhone, iPod touch

Nokia acquires mobile browsing company

Nokia on Friday said it will acquire Novarra, a privately-held company based in Chicago that specializes in mobile browsing.

Novarra's technology, which can compress and reformat Web sites for phones that can't display them in their native form, will be used to improve the mobile Web experience on Nokia's cheaper phones, including devices based on the Series 40 platform, according to a statement from the Finnish company. The first results are expected to become available later this year, Nokia said, without providing more details.


The acquisition is seen as a way for Nokia to push mobile Internet access in emerging markets. In the developed part of the world, mobile Internet access is growing thanks to the increased popularity of smartphones, but that's not going to be the case in emerging markets, according to Jonathan Arber, senior research analyst at IDC. In emerging markets, phone manufacturers and operators need to bring Internet access and Internet services to cheaper devices, which is what it looks like Nokia wants to do, Arber said.

Nokia isn't providing any financial details of the deal, but the acquisition is expected to close in the second quarter of 2010. Novarra and its more than 100 employees will then become a subsidiary of Nokia.

The mobile browsing space has heated up significantly in the last couple of months. Just this week Opera Software submitted the iPhone version of its Mini browser to Apple for App Store approval. Also, Mozilla said it has decided to stop the development of a version of its Firefox mobile Web browser for phones running Windows Mobile. It will instead concentrate on an upcoming version of Firefox for Android-based phones, and on the existing version of the browser for Maemo, the operating system used in Nokia's N900.



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Wikipedia suffers global collapse

Wikipedia and other Wikimedia Foundation Web sites went down for hours on Wednesday in a global outage caused by a domino effect of technical problems.

The problems started when Wikimedia servers overheated in the organization's European data center and shut themselves off automatically.

Wikimedia then switched all its traffic to its server cluster in Florida, but the failover process, which involves changing servers' DNS entries, malfunctioned, knocking the organisation's sites offline around the world.

"Shortly after we did this failover switch, it turned out that this failover mechanism was now broken, causing the DNS resolution of Wikimedia sites to stop working globally," wrote Mark Bergsma, Wikimedia's operations engineer in a post on Wikimedia's Technical Blog.

Google's YouTube video sharing site also reportedly suffered downtime, going offline on Thursday morning, according to news reports.



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New malware overwrites PC software updaters

For the first time security researchers have spotted a type of malicious PC based software that overwrites update functions for other applications, which could pose additional long-term risks for users.

The malware, which infects Windows computers, masks itself as an updater for Adobe Systems' products and other software such as Java, wrote Nguyen Cong Cuong, an analyst with Bach Khoa Internetwork Security (BKIS), a Vietnamese security company, on its blog.

BKIS showed screen shots of a variant of the malware that imitates Adobe Reader version 9 and overwrites the AdobeUpdater.exe, which regularly checks in with Adobe to see if a new version of the software is available.

Users can inadvertently install malware on computers if they open malicious e-mail attachments or visit Web sites that target specific software vulnerabilities. Adobe's products are one of the most targeted by hackers due to their wide installation base.

After this particular kind of malware gets onto a machine, it opens a DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) client, a DNS (Domain Name System) client, a network share and a port in order to received commands, BKIS said.

Malware that poses as an updater or installer for applications such as Adobe's Acrobat or Flash are nothing new, said Rik Ferguson, senior security advisor for Trend Micro.

Decent security software should detect the malware, but those people who do become infected could be worse off even if the malware is removed, Ferguson said.

"They will lose the auto-updating functionality of whatever software is affected even after the malware is cleaned up," Ferguson said. "That could of course leave them open to exploitation further down the line if critical vulnerabilities don't get patched as a result."

That means that users would need to manually download the software again, which they may be unlikely to do if they don't know the effect of the malware.



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Adobe announces new Creative Suite 5 for 12 April release

Adobe Systems has announced that it will launch Creative Suite 5 on 12 April, including new versions of flagship software titles including Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign.

Adobe is offering the creative community the chance to register for an online launch event that will take place on Adobe TV on 12 April at 4pm to celebrate the unveiling of CS5.

During the event Adobe will announce the top new features of each program in CS5 including Photoshop and the new CS Live online services.

You can register for the Adobe event at http://cs5launch.adobe.com.

In recent months, Adobe has shown some of the new features that may appear in the CS5 update via Facebook and the Adobe blogs. A selection of new features are also are also available as videos on the Adobe event website.

Adobe announces new Creative Suite 5 for 12 April release



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Survey: iPhone making big dent in US mobile gaming market

According to mobile analytics firm Flurry, iPhone OS devices have rapidly risen to prominence as a gaming platform, acquiring significant market share at the expense of the industry’s existing firms.

Flurry published a research study on its blog which says that mobile gaming has grown from 20 per cent of the overall U.S. gaming market to 24 percent in the last year. More importantly, the growth has apparently been fueled entirely by the iPod touch and iPhone, which have also stolen share that previously belonged to their rivals.


If the field is narrowed to portable gaming platforms only, Apple’s mobile devices commanded a respectable 19 per cent of the market in 2009, up from the 5 per cent it had secured in 2008. This means that almost one dollar of every five in mobile games was spent on iPhones and iPod touches rather than on, say, Sony’s PlayStation Portable, whose market share dropped from 20 percent to 11 percent over the same period. That’s still a far cry from the market leader, however: the Nintendo DS commanded an impressive 70 per cent of the mobile market, although its share did from the 75 per cent it held in 2008.

If the figures collected by Flurry are correct and the overall mobile gaming market is worth $2.55 billion, Apple’s share is worth a little over $600 million. This makes iPhone OS a highly disruptive platform in the gaming industry because of its high accessibility to developers of all size and financial means: platforms like the DS and PSP often require a significant initial investment in expensive development kits.

iPhone making big dent in US mobile gaming market

Not to mention the fact that games designed to run on them are only distributed on physical media through traditional channels, where they fight for shelf space alongside titles with significantly higher marketing budgets. By contrast, participation Apple’s $99 iPhone OS developer program is all that’s required to publish and distribute a game through the App Store. Plus, shelf space is unlimited and large developers have few opportunities to buy their way to better positioning.

While Flurry’s numbers are impressive, they were compiled using sets of publicly available but unrelated data and should, therefore, be taken with the proverbial grain of salt. Nonetheless, it’s clear that Apple is making a big dent in the gaming market, and hopefully lowering the barrier of entry will allow game developers to invest more of their money in creating ever more appealing products.



Opera submits iPhone app, awaits Apple approvalApple announce 10 billionth download winner

Opera submits iPhone app, awaits Apple approval

Opera Software, a provider of Web browsers for the desktop, device and mobile markets, has submitted Opera Mini for iPhone to Apple for approval.

Previewed at Mobile World Congress 2010 in Barcelona during February, Opera Mini is the world’s most popular mobile Web browser, available on more than 50 million mobile phones worldwide

"The Opera Mini for iPhone sneak peek during MWC told us that we have something special," said Jon von Tetzchner, Co-founder, Opera Software.

"Opera has put every effort into creating a customised, stylised, feature-rich and highly responsive browser that masterfully combines iPhone capabilities with Opera’s renowned Web experience, and the result is a high performing browser for the iPhone."

Opera Mini for iPhone promises 'fast like a rocket,' browsing, up to six times faster than Safari according to an Opera press release and based on the company's tests.

Due to server-side rendering, Opera Mini compresses data by up to 90 per cent before sending it to the phone, resulting in rapid page loading and more Web per MB for the end user, the company insists.

Macworld's Mark Hattersley had a preview of Opera Mini for iPhone at MWC last month. "From the brief demonstration we are given, it is also clear that Opera on the iPhone lives up to its "very fast" reputation."

At the time Opera's Tetzchner told Macworld he didn't see any potential conflict with Apple, submitting Opera to the iTunes App Store, despite Apple licensing stating an application "must not duplicate core functionality."

"They are allowing other browsers" noted Tetzchner at the time. "We think they will allow it".

Apple originally had a problem with other browsers, but has approved those based upon WebKit to run on the iPhone.


"Opera is not based upon WebKit, but it's the world's most popular mobile browser. Why would Apple not want the world's most popular browser on the iPhone?"

"They [Apple] have allowed other browsers and Spotify, so why wouldn't they allow Opera?"

Opera submits iPhone app, awaits Apple approval



Apple iPhone App purge: Are template-based Apps next?Apple announce 10 billionth download winner

Mozilla ends development of Firefox for Windows Mobile

Mozilla has decided to stop development of a version of its Firefox mobile Web browser for phones running Windows Mobile.

The reason is that Microsoft has closed the door to native applications on smartphones running its new Windows Phone 7 Series software, Stuart Parmenter, director of Mobile Engineering at Mozilla Corporation, wrote in a blog post on Monday.

Mozilla was gearing up to develop a version of Firefox for Windows Mobile, and the development work Mozilla has done on Windows CE 6 has left it "well positioned to have an awesome browser on Windows Phone 7," according to Parmenter.

But the absence of a software development kit for native applications has made it impossible for Mozilla to move forward, he said.

Microsoft will only support development of applications running in the Silverlight runtime environment, or of games in the XNA Game Studio runtime environment, it announced last week at its Mix conference. It will not allow third party app developers direct access to the phone's hardware, where they might be better able to exploit its potential.

Still, Parmenter hopes that Microsoft provide Mozilla with a way to build Firefox for Windows Phone 7 Series. Mozilla thinks Windows Phone 7 looks interesting and has the potential to do well in the market, according to Parmenter.

For now, Mozilla will concentrate an upcoming version of Firefox for Android-based phones, and on the existing version of the browser for Maemo, the operating system used in Nokia's flagship N900 phone, Parmenter wrote. Mozilla released that browser on 29 January.

Firefox for Android is still only a pre-alpha version, which means it is still in the early stages of development, according to Mozilla. The pre-alpha version has been optimized for Motorola's Droid and Google's Nexus One.

Mozilla still has "a way to go before any kind of usable alpha release, but we're certainly one step closer", Mozilla's Vladimir Vuki?evi? wrote in a blog post on 2 February.



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TheMacBundles intros second BYOB Mac app store with five apps for as little as £20

TheMacBundles has launched its second BYOB (Build Your Own Bundle) store. The new low-priced store promises to let users create a bundle with as few as 5 Mac software titles. The budget priced bundles provide users with the same software, support, licenses, and upgrade benefits that apply to users who paid the full price for the software.

Discounted software titles include A-Dock, Berokyo, BlogAssist, Brush Pilot, Bub & Bob, Cashculator, Clean Text, CrossOver Mac Games, Debtinator, DVDpedia, HoudahGeo, HoudahSpot, ImageFramer, MainMenu, Master Key for Mac, Media Rage, Narrator, Print It!, PrintMagic, Punakea, Simon Standard, Socks and Yummy FTP.

Most software titles currently cost 4.17, the cheapest bundle costs just over 20, while the weekly Weekly Special Media Rage is priced at 9.07.

Customers will receive an additional discount of 10 per cent if they choose to also order the Weekly Special title.

TheMacBundles also offers a 30-day money back guarantee. All titles in the bundle are compatible with OS X 10.6Snow Leopard.

TheMacBundles intros second BYOB Mac app store with five apps for as little as £20



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Camiloo intros Fuel Calculator Pro for iPhone, iPod touch

Manchester based iPhone developer Camiloo has introduced Fuel Calculator Pro for iPhone and iPod touch.

Fuel Calculator Pro allows users to work out the cost to fuel a car for a given journey length.

Users simply input the miles per gallon (MPG), price of fuel (pence per litre) and the journey length (in miles).

Fuel Calculator Pro will then recalculate the fuel cost automatically when you update any of the values. Users can discover how varying the fuel price - or MPG or journey length - determines the cost of the journey.

Camiloo intros Fuel Calculator Pro for iPhone, iPod touch



According to Camiloo Fuel Calculator Pro also offers the following:

Trip History Log
You can save each trip you calculate the fuel cost for in a history log. This allows you to remember the cost of all of your trips. You can create a full journey based on a number of legs and sum the total fuel cost for the whole trip. Select and deselect individual trips for a customised total trip cost. Tap the email button to send your trip history log by email easily.

Massive Car Database
The car database of Fuel Calc Pro is more than 7 times larger than the Lite version, with details of 31000+ cars. This extra car data allows users to find MPG data for any car released in the UK from year 2000 to the present day.

You can find not just Urban, Extra Urban, and Combined MPG values, but many more details too the company notes. The data includes - the full make and model name of the car, the transmission type, engine capacity, fuel type, CO2 emissions, noise level, CO emissions, HC emissions, NOx emissions, particulates, Euro standard, and the typical fuel cost for a year (12000 miles).

You can look up a car in the database, or select a car to then be used in a fuel cost calculation. You have unrestricted access to this massive database with Fuel Calc Pro. Note that you need 3G or WiFi access to view the car database.

Odometer and Speedometer
Another addition is the Odometer and Speedometer function. Set the switch on, and the GPS in your device will automatically track your mileage and current speed. This is ideal if you want to measure accurately the length of your trip, or simply see as you go how much you are actually spending on fuel insists Camiloo. The distance given by the odometer along with your chosen MPG and fuel cost is used to update the trip cost on the move. Rotate to landscape to view the speedometer. This updates every second for real-time feedback.

Available from the Apple iTunes App Store, Fuel Calculator Pro costs 1.19 and requires the iPhone 3.1.2 Software Update or later.

Camiloo made the headlines last month when they developed an iPhone application, which would have allowed users to browse all BBC iPlayer RSS feeds from a simple user interface, with the ability to search, watch and even download TV shows.

Unfortunately the BBC objected to the Rewat.ch and issued a cease and desist order to prevent the application being officially released.

Camiloo intros Fuel Calculator Pro for iPhone, iPod touch



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iPad Expected to Beat iPhone's First 3-Month Sales

Apple could sell more iPads in the first three months of availability than it sold original iPhones in the same period, according to sources quoted by the Wall Street Journal. "Hundreds of thousands" of units have already been pre-ordered, says the report, with strong demand expected at launch.

Apple is preparing to roll out the iPad on April 3, and the company's hype machine is in full swing, as none of the presumed buyers have seen or touched the device but are handing over their cash based largely on the promotional material on Apple's Website.


The numbers claimed by WSJ's sources are similar to estimates that surfaced early in the week, which say that pre-orders for the iPad are nearing 200,000, with 10,000 advance requests accrued daily. However, Apple is keeping mum and has not confirmed any of these speculated numbers.

Apple sold 1.2 million original iPhones back in 2007 when it launched the handset, and the WSJ report says the iPad could outperform this number if demand keeps steady. Despite this, the success would be able to be gauged only in a few months, possibly just before the next-generation iPhone is introduced.

But there is still a lot of work to be done before the iPad comes out, as an interesting tidbit from the WSJ story claims Apple is still trying to secure media content for its upcoming tablet.

It's not a secret the Apple has been negotiating with media companies to make plenty of content readily available for the April 3 launch. Newspapers, magazines and eBook deals are on the table, and the last bastions to be conquered by the iPad are the TV networks, from which Apple is trying to get low-price deals on TV shows.

It will be interesting to see though what sort of media deals other manufactures preparing iPad alternatives will come up with. For example, Dell's Streak tablet is expected to offer books, music and movies downloads, all from Amazon's online store.



Survey: iPad may take bite out of e-book rivalsApple announce 10 billionth download winner

Apple Mac OS X 10.6.3 Snow Leopard update approaching

Apple has provided developers with a second private beta of Mac OS X 10.6.3, hinting that an update to Snow Leopard will be available to the public soon.

The latest update to Snow Leopard to be given to developers has the build number of 10D572; this comes just days after Apple gave developers a pre-release with the build number 10D571.


According to people familiar with the beta versions, Apple is now asking developers to focus on certain applications including: Mail, images, QuickTime and graphic drivers. In the 10D571 beta version of Snow Leopard, developers were focusing on fonts and iCal.

When Mac OS X 10.6.3 is finally released there will also be an update for QuickTime that enables improved security and compatibility that will improve the overall performance of the software.

There are still other issues that need to be tweaked, including a problem with copying files to a shared windows volume, reports Apple Insider.

Apple normally only gives developers new betas at such a fast rate if they are entering the software into a final candidate stage, or if there is a potentially dangerous glitch in the system. There has been no dangerous glitch reported.



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Apple UK asks agencies to bid for £10m search work

UK agencies can now bid for Apple's global search account, after Apple began a tender. The agency that wins the bid will be in charge of managing paid search activity for the entire range of brands by Apple, including: the iPad, iPhone, iPod touch and Mac laptops.

The contract for the search work is currently held by search agency eSearchVision. eSearhVision describes itself as a search engine marketing agency, offering paid search management technology. It offers search tracking and campaign analysis.


This new move to have a new agency work on the search team comes just after Apple launched its iPad ad campaign in the US.

The first iPad advertisement was broadcast during US coverage of the Oscars this March. The 30-second advertisement showed the iPad being used, and an example of it's applications including: Photos, iTunes, Safari and Mail.

We much prefer the E4 spoof of the iPad - ePad - which you can watch on YouTube.

The new iPad will be available in the UK at the end of April, a month after it was released in the US, where it will go on sale, in store, on 3 April.



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Microsoft pulls Bing app from UK and other non-US App Stores

The iPhone app for Bing, Microsoft's search engine, has been pulled from all international App Stores,according to Neowin.net. However, it remains available for U.S. customers.

The good folks in Redmond are quoted as saying that the app was never intended for international markets, and was instead supposed to be destined for the United States alone. The company claims that it is working on international versions of Bing for iPhone, but it remained mum on when these would be made available.


As has been the case with other apps been pulled from the App Store, users who have already purchased and downloaded the app can continue to use it regardless of which country they call home.

The Bing app, which wasoriginally launched last December, provides access to most of the functions provided by its Web-based cousin, such as image, business, movie, and news search, in addition to map visualization and travel directions.



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Facebook won't overtake Google in UK

Earlier this week we reported that social network Facebook had overtaken Google in visits for the first time, at least in the US.

Is Facebook going to overtake Google in the UK? No, says Robin Goad, Research Director of web metrics analysts Hitwise - and it isn't likely to do so in the foreseeable future, either.


Hitwise data shows that Facebook is the second most visited website in the UK, but Google.co.uk remains ahead of it.

Last week Google.co.uk picked up 9.34 percent of UK Internet visits, while Facebook accounted for 6.01 percent.

In the US, the respective figures were 7.03 percent (for Google.com) and 7.07 percent.

Facebook wont overtake Google in UK

Goad says that there are two main reasons why Facebook hasn't yet caught up with Google in the UK.

"Facebook has a very similar share of the social networking markets in both the UK and US (51.9 percent and 51.3 percent respectively last week), but social networking is slighty more popular in the US, so Facebook's share of all Internet visits is higher in there," says Goad.

"Google has a larger share of search market in the UK (over 90 percent) than in the US (just over 70 percent), and search engines as a category are also more popular on this side of the Atlantic," he added.

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How to use Facebook safely



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Apple to release 27in LED Cinema Display and Dodeca-Core Mac Pro

Reports suggest Apple is preparing a pair of new products - a new version of its LED Cinema Display and a 12-core Mac Pro.

The new 27in LED Cinema Display looks similar to the already existing 24in model. The release date is said to be targeted for June this year.


According to AppleInsider, the new model has been in Apple's labs for some time, but the Mac maker is believed to have been waiting for the price of large LCD panels to reduce before releasing the product.

The new Mac Pro is expected to feature a Dodedeca-core - basically a 12-core processor. Apple is likely to use Intel's Xeon chips, specifically the Xeon 5600 Series "Gulftown" chips, with a total of 12 cores. They will also offer a single processor model, with only six cores, but the price will be considerably less. The new Mac Pro is rumoured to be released in June.

Although Apple is expected to stick with Xeon processors, it has been claimed that it may combine two of Intel's 3.33 GHz Core i7-980X Extreme Edition uniprocessor chips inside the 12 core Mac Pro. However, this would mean that the Apple would need to change the insides of the Mac Pro in order for it to run on a dual motherboard.



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Reminder: Archiware free 'Video Visions' event with guests Apple, JPY, MXF4Mac next week

Apple, Archiware, JPY and MXF4Mac will be demonstrating a range of time-saving video production tips using Final Cut and other tools at a special afternoon event next week.

The free 'Video Visions' event runs all afternoon on Tuesday 23rd March at the Apple Executive Briefing Center, located on One Hanover Street, around the corner from the flagship Apple Store, Regent Street, in the heart of London’s west end.


'Video Visions' will cover a variety of topics including production, workflow, data management and archiving.

Apple’s Marcelo Oliveira and freelance expert Andr Aulich will be offering talks on efficient workflow practices with Final Cut and its integration with Xsan, Final Cut Server and Archiware PresSTORE.

Dr Marc Batschkus of Archiware and David Fox of JPY will be offering discussions on video data management through the workflow. Bjrn Adamski of MXF4mac will discuss use of the Material Exchange Format (MXF) in unifying workflow processes at the event.

"Archiware’s previous Video Visions events were enormously successful, and were hugely well received by the community", said Dr. Marc Batschkus, of Archiware.

"To be honest post-production people aren’t interested in turning up to a seminar just to hear about a bunch of new products; they want useful information they can apply on the level of their everyday working lives. Archiware and its partners engage at that practical level. Sharing experiences with the post-production community and supporting effective solutions is their main goal with this event."

"JPY will be at this event illustrating the uses of PresSTORE, one of the industry’s favourite solutions for fail-over management, archiving and backup of large amounts of video data", added Dr John Yardley, CEO of JPY.

"With ever increasing mountains of video data we find production houses are increasingly grateful for practical advice as to how to manage it. We generally find these events are a brilliant way to spread new ideas, share everyday tips for post-production professionals and to network with one another. I look forward to it immensely."

To register for 'Video Visions' please visit www.archiware.de/video-visions-2010uk.

(Visit our sister site MacVideo for in-depth details and analysis regarding all the features found in Final Cut Pro.)

Archiware free Video Visions event with guests Apple, JPY, MXF4Mac next week



Apple announce 10 billionth download winnerCancom announces free London based Adobe video workshop

Amazon brings Kindle app to the Mac

After months of anticipation, Amazon on Wednesday night released a beta of Kindle for Mac, software that lets you read Kindle e-books without the need for any special hardware (say, a Kindle). The free app for OS X 10.5 or later is available now in more than 100 countries, and joins the ranks of Kindle for iPhone, Kindle for PC, and Kindle for Blackberry.

As with other Kindle products, the Kindle for Mac app uses Amazon's Whispersync technology to synchronize your bookmarks and current place in your book across all supported devices. However, Kindle for Mac is in beta, and at the moment it doesn't support full text search, highlighting, or creating and editing notes (though it will display notes and highlighting you've already made in your e-book elsewhere). Amazon promises these features in a future update.

Interestingly, in the official press release, Amazon says people will soon be able to read Kindle books on iPads. Of course Kindle for iPhone should be able to run on the iPad, but it sounds like Amazon's hinting that an optimized Kindle for iPad is in the works.



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Apple asks developers to test new Mac OS X 10.6.3 beta

Apple has sent out another private beta software to developers asking them to test font compatibility and stability. The company has also asked developers if they are able to test other components in the new software.

The other components that are being evaluated include: QuickTime Player X, iCal, AppKit, Fonts, CoreMedia and the graphics drivers. According to AppleInsider there are four known issues that Apple has reported to developers. Improvements to other components, such as Rosetta and Software Updater, are also available in the new beta.

Mac OS X 10.6.3 will be the third update of Snow Leopard. The original version of Snow Leopard was found to have a bug that deleted user's data when they logged in or out of a guest account, this was fixed in version 10.6.2 released in November.


Reports suggest there have been over 60 individual crash-prone codes found in the latest version of Mac OS X 10.6.3. According to AppleInsider, people familiar with the build have reported that there is a total of 221 code corrections to 92 system components.

The beta addresses issues with "hangs in iTunes, and potential anomalies while updating applications, viewing Display preferences, and navigating the ColourSync Utility Filters tab," according to AppleInsider.

Developers have also been asked if they can tweak mail-messaging displays, as it currently has the wrong background colour. There are also problems when trying to copy files to a shared Windows folder.

The build number for the latest beta software is 10D571 and weighs approximately 700MB, whereas the first version of Mac OS X 10.6.3 had a build number of 10D522 and weighed in at 665.7MB.



Apple announce 10 billionth download winnerApple Beta SDK 3.2 shows no sign of rumoured iPad camera

Bill Clinton talks about the iPhone, newspapers, broadband

In a forum marking the 25th anniversary of the first .com registration, former President Bill Clinton spoke about his favourite devices, the grim outlook for newspapers and the need for policies to improve Internet access.

It was a wide-ranging assessment by Clinton, whose administration (1993-2001) played a largely hands-off role when it came to e-commerce. The forum was organized by VeriSign Inc. to mark the anniversary of the 15 March, 1985 registration of Symbolics.com, a computer company. The anniversary event ranged from sweeping to whimsical, all of which characterized Clinton's talk.


Clinton offered a grim take on mainstream media when asked by VeriSign CEO Mark McLaughlin about his favorite websites. In response, he ticked off several political sites, including Politico , The Daily Beast and Huffington Post , as well as a few "right wing ones" to get both sides of the political debate. . But Clinton said that many of the political sites "don't have to do what a newspaper does every day," which is why he is "really worried about our ability to maintain any newspapers" or anything that "serves as a standard of objectivity."

"It's almost impossible given the economics of the modern world for newspapers to continue...," said Clinton.

Asked by VeriSign CEO Mark McLaughlin what his favourite device is, Clinton named the iPhone, "because I can get so much stuff on it." The former president also has a Blackberry, but no e-reader .

"I don't even own a Kindle, yet," said Clinton, who still prefers physical books.

As for his administration's role in shaping Internet policy, Clinton said that its most important discovery was the realization "that this was going to be the dominant mode of the communication in the 21st Century," he said. "Realizing (the Internet's) importance led to everything else," he said.

The Clinton administration set out a federal role for the Net in a 1997 report, "Framework for Global Electronic Commerce." Its overarching conclusion: that "for electronic commerce to flourish, the private sector must continue to lead."

Even so, he said that the broadband access framework proposed by the Federal Communications Commission may be needed. The deregulation approach helped the US move ahead quicker than some other nations, "but a lot of our competitors now have better cell phone coverage than we do because they had some regulation to guarantee a framework of universal access.

"In general, our entrepreneurial approach is the best one," said Clinton, but "there are limits to it and sometimes we need a framework to make sure the markets can continue to grow by having more universal access. So I'm hoping the FCC proposals will do that."



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Escape Studios details its storage solution for demanding creative pros

Escape Studios is best known as a leading training facility for visual effects artists, modellers and animators -- but the company has also taken the knowledge it’s acquired by creating a network of up to 100 users running high-end 3D tools from Maya to Nuke and sharing assets to build a business that offers solutions similar to its own to post-production companies large and small.

Escape’s business has grown organically since it was set up in 2002 as a ‘finishing school’ for 3D animators and VFX artists graduating from university, taking their raw talent and preparing them for the industry. It now offers training from its base in Shepherd’s Bush, e-learning courses from its website, and tailored on-site sessions for clients looking to gain skills for a particular project.


The firm’s relationship with leading post-houses led it take to the regular informal recommendations of talented creatives who had completed its courses, and turn them into a successful recruitment business. It also took what it had learned from the high demands of its own environment to create a ‘Technology Store’ offering hardware, software and support to post production houses and universities.

Key to what Escape Studios offers here is that the products it sells have been tried and tested in-house.

“We sell what we train on and train on what we sell,” says Escape Studios commercial director Mark Cass. “Customers like to be able to come here and see what we offer working ‘in situ’ as part of their evaluation.”

One example of this is the Isilon IQ X-Series storage platform, which provides the students with fast access to project files. These files include high-definition video, massive textures and huge renders, so it’s important that each has fast access to – and that one student’s bandwidth use doesn’t hamper another’s.

The Isilon IQ X-Series is a clustered storage architecture focussed on high-bandwidth environments where individual X-Series devices appear on the network as a single device for simple management, but guarantee individual users a set level of bandwidth.



The Fall release new album in AprilHumans continue to be ‘weak link’ in data security

Humans continue to be 'weak link' in data security

Nearly 90 percent of IT workers in the UK have said a laptop in their organisation has been reported lost or stolen, new research has found.

Sixty-one percent said that this then resulted in a data breach, according to the ‘2010 Human Factor in Laptop Encryption Study: United Kingdom', a report produced by the Ponemon Institute for Absolute Software.


A survey from Ponemon in January revealed that the cost of a data breach had risen last year to 126 per customer record. The average total cost of a data breach rose from 4.1 million in 2008 to 4.17 million in 2009.

Ponemon surveyed 368 IT workers and 355 non-IT business managers for the latest report.

The institute said that its findings, particularly with respect to how business managers look after their laptops and their contents, were very similar to its study last year.

However, while in that study it suggested that the negligence was possibly due to users relying too much on encryption solutions, report author Dr Larry Ponemon said: "We also conclude that current training and awareness programs may not be effective in preventing employees’ risky behaviour."

The institute found that although fewer business managers reported a laptop loss or theft (65 percent) and data breaches as a consequence (25 percent), just 18 percent of business managers said that their organisation was able to prove that the contents of the laptop were encrypted. This is compared to 45 percent of IT workers.

Despite the risk of laptop loss and data breaches, not all organisations provide encryption for their laptops.

Only 55 percent of business managers said that their organisation provided encryption, 10 percent fewer than IT workers (65 percent).

Encryption solutions used to protect laptop content ranged from network or gateway encryption (the most popular) to encrypted backup devices, including thumb drives. Whole disk encryption for laptops was the second most popular method, followed by file-based encryption.

Despite these encryption methods being in use, just 35 percent of IT workers do not worry about losing their laptop because of its contents are encrypted.

Business managers appear more confident, however, with 63 percent not worrying about losing laptops. This is evident by the fact that when travelling, only 20 percent of business managers never left their computers in insecure locations, compared to 79 percent of IT workers.

Ponemon also found that business managers put data at risk by not using encryption properly.

Forty-eight percent of business managers admitted to forgetting their laptop’s encryption password, compared to just seven percent of IT workers.

Only half of the business managers were able to recover their password, and 43 percent said they could no longer access the information, and permanently lost it, as a result of forgetting their password,

Business managers were also more likely to go around security procedures by recording their password on a private document, such as a post-it note (35 percent), or sharing it with other individuals (31 percent).

None of the IT workers recorded their password on a private document, but three percent did admit to sharing their key with other people.

Ponemon reiterated the conclusion it made in its 2008 study: "The human factor is the weakest link in any organisations’ efforts to defend data at risk," he said.

John Livingston, chairman and CEO of Absolute Software, said: "The Human Factor in Encryption study shows that you need to seriously contemplate the degree to which your own employees may be contributing to the potential for business-jeopardising data breach incidents.

"You must take the human factor out of your computer security plan."

Earlier this month, a study by Redshift Research found that up to 90 percent of UK companies may not comply with PCI security standards.



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Apple Beta SDK 3.2 shows no sign of rumoured iPad camera

Despite rumours that Apple's forthcoming iPad would eventually find space for a camera (or even two) the Apple Beta SDK 3.2 recently released to developers shows no sign of any code related to a camera.

MacRumours recently discovered the camera tab in the Photos App, found in an earlier beta of the SDK, has been removed.


Many had hoped the iPad would include a camera for video conferencing, social networking and simply chatting online, but the latest Apple Beta SDK 3.2 has put paid to that, for now at least.

Shortly after January's Apple announcement, Mission Repair, a leading service company for electronics repairs based in Olathe, Kansas showed photos of iPad parts apparently revealing space inside to fit an iSight camera from a MacBook perfectly.

At the time, Mission Repair's Ryan Arter noted: "Guess what, it fits right in there. The camera slips in the frame, the lens fits in the hole, the LED that indicates that the camera is on, fits, and the ambient light sensor hole is also correct. It appears that the plans to have camera in the iPad is a reality. I’m looking forward to the iPad... Rev 2."

Additionally, recent Apple rumours claim the next generation of the iPhone and iPhone OS will add a front camera and video calling capabilities. O2's new iPhone tariffs now show a charge for 'UK video calls' adding to the rumours.

Apple Beta SDK 3.2 shows no sign of rumoured iPad camera



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Pink Floyd and iTunes could split after court ruling

It's "A Great Day For Freedom"--at least for the members of Pink Floyd. As BBC News reports, the band has emerged victorious in a legal battle with record label EMI, accompanied by a ruling that could soon lead to the band's entire discography getting pulled from iTunes.

Pink Floyd's original contract with EMI--inked before the rise of iTunes and Amazon and their ilk asmodernpurveyors of digital music--included a clause that Chancellor Sir Andrew Morritt says requires that EMI "preserve the artistic integrity of the albums." The court's interpretation was thus that EMI may not distribute Floyd tunes "by any other means other than the original album, without the consent of Pink Floyd." That means no more integrity-busting individual tracks.


One wonders whether Steve Jobs will cry out "Don't Leave Me Now!" My guess? No. "Is There Anybody Out There" who thinks Pink Floyd couldn't be convinced to let EMI continue to sell individual tracks, in exchange for some extra "Money," as All Things Digital suggests?

Let's be clear, though. The court's ruling, which also requires that EMI pay the band $40,000 for the contract violation, could certainly mean that Floyd's tunes won't "Stay" available in iTunes much longer. Of course, "If" the band decides to "Stop" the madness, and finds some way to keep its digital tracks available, such an announcement may well herald "The Happiest Days of Our Lives."



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HP touts Flash as killer app against Apple's iPad

What will HP's Slate Tablet have that Apple's iPad won't? It's Adobe Flash, a key Internet technology that HP is touting as the key difference between the two platforms. And, HP is right, though how Flash support will translate into sales remains to be seen.

While Apple has its App Store to provide applications for iPad users and iTunes for content, Flash gives HP users access to Web content and apps that iPad users can only dream of. Adobe's AIR provides a framework for developing applications for the HP Slate tablet and other devices that iPad also will not support.


HP has posted two new videos that use Flash and AIR support to take aim at the iPad ahead of its April 3 release.

The videos, demonstrating HP's likewise forthcoming (but not-as-soon) tablet, show how the Slate "will access the full web, and just a part of it," according to Adobe's Alan Tam, who does a four-minute demonstration of Adobe Flash and AIR running on the Slate in one of the videos.

HP introduced the Windows 7-based Slate in January at the Consumer Electronics Show, but has not announced a ship date besides "mid-2010." The device, to be priced "below $500" was considered underwhelming at the time of its introduction.

HP touts Flash as killer app against Apples iPad

Support for Adobe technology and the use of Windows 7 are key differentiators between the HP Slate and Apple's iPad, which runs a tablet-optimized version of the iPhone operating system. The Slate and other Windows 7 devices support Adobe Flash and AIR, Apple's iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad, do not.

HP's Adobe support is generally considered a win, while its use of Windows 7 has proven controversial among those who believe a general purpose operating system is not the best choice for a tablet.

Both videos were posted Monday to HP's Voodoo blog.

Tam's Slate demonstration shows Flash streaming video running from within a Web site, without the use of an external player; casual Flash-based games; and Photoshop.com web-based photo editing.

He also demonstrated Adobe Air, which allows Adobe Flash applications to run outside of the browser. These included Pandora, a popular music service, and the New York Times Company's e-reader application, which also offers the paper's interactive crossword puzzles.

Click here for more Apple iPad coverage

Apple's lack of Flash support on its iPhone, iPod, and now iPad devices, is controversial. It also dramatically limits their browsing options. Tam said that of the top 100 Web sites, as ranked by Alexa, 85 percent use Flash content. Three-quarters of Web video exists in Flash, Tam added.

"With this slate product, you're getting a full Web browsing experience in the palm of your hand. No watered-down Internet, no sacrifices," wrote Phil McKinney, VP and CTO of HP's Personal Systems Group. "We just posted a quick video showing some more of what that's like as well as how the slate device will work as an eBook reader. Enjoy the short clip (and the techno soundtrack)."



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Vodafone cuts 375 jobs in cost cutting measure

Vodafone, Apple's latest partner for the iPhone in the UK and potential iPad partner, is cutting 375 jobs across its business from this month.

The cuts, part of a 1 billion cost-cutting programme, will hit mainly back office positions in a number of locations including its headquarters in Newbury, Berkshire according to the Press Association.

The news is not all bad for Vodafone however, with the company announcing 170 new staff, with an additional 50 graduates starting work in September, from a total of 3,000 who applied for jobs as part of a University leaver programme.

"We're committed to increasing the number of customer-facing employees which will help us simplify our business and continue to deliver outstanding communications services across the UK's best network," said Matthew Brearley, human resources director at Vodafone UK.

Vodafone cuts 375 jobs in cost cutting measure



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US school accused of student Apple MacBook spying puts IT workers on leave

Two IT employees of the suburban Philadelphia, US school district accused of spying on students by activating the cameras on their school-issued laptops have been placed on administrative leave.

An attorney for one of the employees also claimed that the Lower Merion Police Department knew of the school district's ability to activate the cameras and that a special Web site had been used by the department to view the photographs taken by the MacBook laptops.

A spokesman for Lower Merion School District of Ardmore, Pa. today confirmed that Carol Cafiero, information systems coordinator, and Michael Perbix, one of three people with the title of network technician on thedistrict's technology staff Web site, were placed on paid leave two weeks ago. Both have been employed by the district for the last 12 years.

On Feb. 16, Michael and Holly Robbins of Penn Valley, Pa., on behalf of their son Blake, sued Lower Merion, accusing it ofspying on studentsand students' families using the iSight camera in the MacBook laptops issued to each high school student in the district.

According to the original complaint, Blake Robbins was accused by a Harriton High School assistant principal of "improper behavior in his home" and shown a photograph taken by his laptop as evidence. Robbins has said he was accused by the assistant principal of selling drugs and taking pills, but he claimed the pictures taken by his computer's camera showed him eating candy.

A federal judge has issued a consent orderbarring the districtfrom activating the cameras.

Charles Mandracchia of Mandracchia & McWhirk, LLC, who represents Cafiero, said today that his client has done nothing wrong. "She has not been accused of any wrongdoing of any kind," he said in an interview. "Hiring an attorney is more prophylactic than anything. There's a lawsuit, and she could be called as a witness."

Cafiero has not been called to testify in front of a grand jury, said Mandracchia. The U.S. Attorney's and FBI's offices in Philadelphia are investigating the Robbins' allegations.

Both Mandracchia and Marc Neff, a Philadelphia attorney who represents Perbix, said that their clients had only been following orders when they triggered the laptop cameras. "It was their duty to turn on the camera," Mandracchia told WTXF-TV of Philadelphia in an interview last Friday. "But they would only do that if they received a request from the two high schools, the two buildings, because they had no direct contact with the students, they didn't know the students."

"Every time a tracking device was activated, it was activated at the request of an administrator or another IT person," said Neff.


Lower Merion School District spokesman Doug Young today declined to answer specific questions related to the administrative leave, citing the ongoing investigation. "The District generally does not comment on personnel matters, but we feel compelled to do so in the interest of two long-time staff members,"


US school accused of student Apple MacBook spying puts IT workers on leave

Young said in a emailed statement. "Placing them on administrative leave with pay is not a reflection of any wrongdoing on their part. It is a standard, prudent step in an investigation such as this one and it occurred in conjunction with the start of the review process nearly two weeks ago."

Mandracchia added that the Lower Merion Police Department had been involved in at least some of the efforts to recover lost or stolen laptops using the photographs taken by the MacBooks' camera. "They had a private Web site for some of these pictures, for the Lower Merion Police Department to view, and they were the only ones allowed to view it."

He also argued that Cafiero and Perbix had assumed that turning on the cameras was legal because local law enforcement was involved and knew of the practice. "If the police department is receiving this information, you as an employee have no knowledge of doing anything inappropriate," he said.

Neff was not immediately available Monday for comment. His Web site identifies him as a criminal defense attorney whose office "limits its practice to federal and state criminal defense and related matters, including grand jury investigations, parole matters, and forfeiture cases."

His client, Michael Perbix, had been mentioned in several reports last month as the district IT worker who hadpraised the tracking functionalityof the LANRev software used to locate lost or stolen laptops. "Yes, we have used it. It's a fantastic feature," Perbix said in the promotional Webcast for LANRev.

Absolute Software, the company which acquired LANRev last year, has said it will issue an update todisable the camera featurein the software.

The superintendent of the Lower Merion Police Department, Michael McGrath, declined to comment Sunday on Mandracchia's claims that the department had access to a site where the school district laptop's camera photographs were posted. Instead, McGrath pointed to a statement issued by U.S. Attorney Michael Levy on Feb. 22. In that statement, Levy confirmed an investigation was ongoing, but said that he and other agencies involved would not comment further until the investigation was complete.

Gregg Keizer covers Microsoft, security issues, Apple, Web browsers and general technology breaking news for Computerworld. Follow Gregg on Twitter at@gkeizeror subscribe toGregg's RSS feed. His e-mail address isgkeizer@ix.netcom.com.



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Apple iPhone App purge: Are template-based Apps next?

Apple's campaign to get tough on iPhone applications is reportedly continuing with a new target: template-based iPhone applications. You can find services that build these so-called cookie cutter applications all over the Web, and they have been used by a variety of prominent celebrities, bloggers, and brands including Ashton Kutcher, blogger Seth Godin, and the U.S. Army.

Cupertino's main concern is that some of these applications - but by no means all of them - are nothing more than "RSS feeds or glorified business cards," according to TechCrunch. Unlike previous App Store purges, like those that affected Wi-Fi stumblers and explicitly sexual apps, this clampdown reportedly isn't concerned with purging approved apps, but refusing to accept newly developed cookie cutter apps with basic functionality.


One Size Fits All

Template-based applications can be a handy way for a small company or blogger to get a branded iPhone application into the hands of users as quickly as possible. Apple reportedly doesn't have a problem with this in principle, and seems to be focusing on applications that have very basic functionality.

One iPhone app building service, Mobile Roadie, was reportedly told by Apple that applications had to do more than just "pull feeds from web sites or reproduce websites with webviews," according to TapSwipePinch. Mobile Roadie had initially discussed the issue in a blog post, but has since removed the post from its Website (although it still shows up in Google searches).

TechCrunch reports that some feature add-ons that could help applications qualify for the App Store include things like in-app purchases, offline access, instant notifications, and landscape view.

App Spam: You Know It When You See It

Unlike other recent purges to the App Store, Cupertino's decision to disqualify basic cookie cutter apps makes a lot of sense. Applications with limited functionality that deliver no real value to the user, and which are only meant as a shallow attempt to create a marketing platform, deserve to be cut from the App Store. That's because these apps are nothing more than useless spam, clogging up the iPhone application catalog.

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But at the same time, Apple may have to be more selective when it comes to turning down some of these template-based apps. Blogger Godin's iPhone application, for example, does nothing more than deliver Seth's daily blog posts and capture tweets that happen to mention him. The application does support offline viewing, which may be enough to have an updated version approved, but the app doesn't have other features that would appeal to Godin fans, like in-app purchasing for Seth's books or landscape view.

A similar application by a lesser-known writer could end up on the chopping block, but considering Godin's popularity and avid readership, it makes sense for this app to survive regardless of its basic functionality.

That may not be fair, but there are clearly times when two applications with the same basic functionality can serve two different purposes: one informs a dedicated readership and one serves as a self-promotional tool with no real value to the end user. App spam may be hard to define, but just like Justice Potter Stewart said about pornography more than 40 years ago, when it comes to App spam you know it when you see it.

Connect with Ian on Twitter (@ianpaul) or on Google Buzz.



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Apple's iPad: Release date announced, but will it sell?

Apple's iPad will fly out of stores when it goes on sale in four weeks (in the US, the UK launch will be later in April), and will build momentum through the back-to-school and into the holiday selling seasons, analysts said today.

"I expect a surge going out the door," said Ezra Gottheil of Technology Business Research. "There's a group of Apple advocates that will queue up no matter what. Apple has the most effective branding in the industry, and these people think of themselves as acolytes, they do think of themselves as the 'Mac' in Apple's 'I'm a Mac' ads."


On Friday, Apple announced that the iPad will go on sale April 3 , and that it would begin taking pre-orders for the device, which is priced starting at $499, on March 12.

That news had been preceded by reports citing Peter Misek, an analyst with Canaccord Adams, who said iPad production problems would limit the number of units available at launch to just 300,000, considerably less than the 1 million many had anticipated.

Wall Street analyst Brian Marshall of BroadPoint AmTech leaned toward inventory shortages as well, and said that such news might pressure consumers to line up for Apple's new device. "They're definitely going to sell out in a matter of hours," he said of the iPad's debut.

Gottheil echoed Marshall. "I do expect there will be some constraints on supply," he said. "Apple had inventory problems before with both the iPhone 3G and the 3GS. It's not the same -- everyone needs a phone -- but there's not an unlimited supply of touch screens."

Release date announced, but will it sell?

It took Apple about six weeks to fully stock its stores with the iPhone 3G in 2008. The company had similar problems keeping up with demand for the iPhone 3GS a year later.

Once the initial rush is over -- which will likely continue through the launch of the 3G-equipped iPad a month or so after the WiFi-only model on April 3 -- sales will drop off until the back-to-school run in mid-to-late summer, said Gottheil. "I see a lot of upside for the iPad during the year, with strong sales in the back-to-school quarter. And it will be a very attractive holiday product."

Survey data seems to back up Gottheil's sales projection. According to ChangeWave Research, which polled more than 3,100 U.S. consumers in the first half of February -- days after Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiled the iPad -- sales of the iPad will gain momentum for at least six months after launch.

Of the people polled who said that they are likely to buy an iPad, only 6% said they would put down their money in the first week after its release. That number climbed to 20% for two to three months after launch, and 23% for the four-to-six month period.

Paul Carton, ChangeWave's research director, cited the low number who said they would immediately buy an iPad to challenge the thinking of analysts like Gottheil and Marshall. "I don't think you'll see in the first weeks people pounding down the doors," he said. "It will take off slower, and build."

Starting on Friday, Apple's U.S. online store will accept pre-orders for both the WiFi-only and the WiFi+3G models. Apple's retail stores, however, will reserve only the WiFi iPad for pick-up on Saturday, April 3. The iPad will be available in late April in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the U.K., Apple said last week.

Prices for those markets won't be announced until next month.

Gregg Keizer covers Microsoft, security issues, Apple, Web browsers and general technology breaking news for Computerworld. Follow Gregg on Twitter at @gkeizer or subscribe to Gregg's RSS feed . His e-mail address is gkeizer@ix.netcom.com .

Release date announced, but will it sell?



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Apple's Final Cut used on 9 out of 10 Oscar documentaries

When you talk about the Oscars and a Steve Jobs-led company, it's usuallythe other onethat gets the mention. But this year, Apple scored some Oscar cred of its own: Of the ten documentaries nominated for Oscars, in both the "Documentary Feature" and "Documentary Short" categories, a whopping nine were created using Apple's ownFinal Cut Pro.

Apple's PR rep put it this way: “This year's Academy Award nominationsdemonstrate that the best documentary filmmakers in the world are using Apple.” According to the "2010 SCRI Report for Non-Linear Video Editors" - a scintillating sounding report if ever there were one - Final Cut Pro captures half of the professional video editing software market.


If you think Apple's 90 percent showing in the Oscar documentary categories is impressive, you'll be even more awed to learn that the one holdout that didn't use Final Cut Pro was actually edited entirely on an iPhone 3GS. (Of course, you'll be decidedly less awed to learn that I just made that up - the long-form documentary "Burma VJ" actually used an Avid video-editing system, which is a bit more advanced than an iPhone.)

With the Documentary Short category entirely made up of Final Cut-created docs, one Oscar with the Apple touch is a given. As for the Documentary Feature, the Final Cut-edited "The Cove" is considered the favorite. Take that, "Burma VJ."

The Academy Awards air March 7th at 8pm Eastern, 5pm Pacific Sky have the rights to the Oscars in the UK.

(Visit our sister siteMacVideofor in-depth details and analysis regarding all the features found in Final Cut Pro.)



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Survey: iPad may take bite out of e-book rivals

A new consumer survey from ChangeWave shows that four in ten people who are thinking about buying an e-book reader are planning to get Apple's iPad. And more than one in four people who had previously purchased a different device say they would have gotten the iPad if it had been available when they shopped.

ChangeWave Research polled 3,171 consumers to gauge interest in the iPad and to find out how the iPad might impact the budding e-book reader market. Overall, 4 percent of people are "very likely" to buy the iPad after its release, and 9 percent say they are "somewhat likely" to do so. The comparable numbers for the iPhone before its release in 2007 were 3 percent "very likely" and 6 percent "somewhat likely." So, it would seem the iPad has even more pent-up demand.


Looking at future market share for e-book readers, the iPad, with 40 percent, is well ahead of its second-place competitor, Amazon's Kindle, which is expected to come in around 28 percent. Barnes and Noble's Nook is down at 6 percent, and the nearly forgotten Sony Reader comes in at just 1 percent.

But obviously, the iPad is much more than an e-book reader, as ChangeWave's survey also demonstrates. Likely buyers were asked to list their top uses for the iPad, and reading e-books comes in third, after surfing the Web and checking email.

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The survey doesn't address how the iPad will impact the burgeoning market for tablet computers. But in one possible cautionary point for Apple, one in four likely iPad buyers state they will hold off on the purchase of another Apple product to get their hands on the iPad. After all, there's only so much disposable income to go around.

Of course, you should approach all consumer surveys with at least a little skepticism. After all, a survey released a month ago showed that people's interest in the iPad declined significantly after Apple's announcement.

What does it all mean? Apple may indeed have a hit on its hands with the iPad, but no one can say for certain until the thing hits the streets on April 3.



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