Applelinks Tech Web Reader - Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Vendor touts PC's Mac OS X compatibility
Open Tech Offers A Different Twist On The Apple Clone
Apple Hints at Lower Prices: iPod, Notebook Refresh on Tap
Snow Leopard And Newly Announced Intel Chips Should Make A Sweet Combo
Rumor: MacBook touch Coming in October
Apple May Be Eying Sub-$1000 Notebook Market
What's Apple's Big Mystery Product?
Apple 'Product Transition' Chatter Sparks Web Speculation
Analyst: Strong Mac Growth Driving Apple
Apple's Rising Costs Won't Slow Future Product Launches
Is the Secret Product Going to Be the New Macintosh?
Five Key Quotes from Apple's Conference Cal
Apple Is Worth More than Steve Jobs
Is it Time for Steve to Step Down?
The Real Issue About Steve's Health
Microsoft offers first hints at anti-Apple marketing blitz for Vista
First Hints Of Microsoft's "Fight Back" Ads Appear
The Role Of Apple Marketing In My Switch
Apple's MobileMe Problems Mount
Apple's MobileMe could be a headache for IT managers
Remember typewriters?
The Mac Night Owl: Apple's Financials: Finding a Way to Turn Good News to Bad
Vendor touts PC's Mac OS X compatibility
The Register's Tony Smith reports:
Apple Legal, we laugh in your face! Brassy computer company Open Tech is cocking just such snook Jobs-wards, though we note it's not brave enough to publish an address on its website...
Undeterred by Mac clone maker Psystar's recent run-in with Apple's lawyers, Open Tech has announced Open Tech Computer 1.0, a $620 bog standard system based on a 3.4GHz dual-core intel Pentium D 945 - yes, we're surprised there are still some of those around too - 3GB of 667MHz DDR 2 and an Nvidia GeForce 8600 GT graphics chip.....
Crucially, it's billed as compatible with Mac OS X 0.5 - aka Leopard. To be fair, it's also said to be compatible with Windows XP, Vista and Linux, but you'd expect those to be supported.
For the full report visit here:
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/07/22/pc_vendor_pushes_hackintosh/
Open Tech Offers A Different Twist On The Apple Clone
Ars Technica's Jeff Smykil reports:
Just one week after news broke about a lawsuit pitting Apple against "clone" manufacturer Psytar, another company has announced that it will be throwing its own hat into the ring. Open Tech Inc. has announced it will begin selling Mac OS X-compatible PCs in the coming days, offering two models to choose from: the Open Tech Home, and Open Tech XT.....
For the full report visit here:
http://tinyurl.com/6qg8a8
Also see Open Tech press release elsewhere on Applelinks today.
Apple Hints at Lower Prices: iPod, Notebook Refresh on Tap
SeekingAlpha says:
Amid all the chatter about Apple's fiscal third quarter results, which were strong, most
concerns about the future revolve around two words: Gross margins. The big takeaway for technology buyers: Those lower margins hint at cheaper iPods and notebooks in the not-too-distant future.
Following Apple's typical strong quarter with a side of conservative guidance (Techmeme), CFO Peter Oppenheimer and COO Tim Cook noted that gross margins would be 31.5 percent for the September quarter and about 30 percent in fiscal 2009. It could be that Apple is lowballing again with its outlook, but there are good reasons to think that your Mac notebooks and iPods will come cheaper in the future.
Bottom line: If you're in the market for an Apple iPod or notebook a little procrastination may not hurt, given the company's comments.
For the full commentary visit here:
http://tinyurl.com/5vnchz
Apple F3Q08 (Qtr End 6/28/08) Earnings Call Transcript:
http://tinyurl.com/6nxwfu
Snow Leopard And Newly Announced Intel Chips Should Make A Sweet Combo
Macsimum News's Dennis Sellers says:
In covering Intel's announcement of upcoming quad-core chips for laptops Infoworld says that "getting a quad-core processor into a laptop is more about bragging rights than a genuine boost in performance." That's true for many Windows-based systems, but less true for Mac OS X systems.....
....However, with the upcoming Snow Leopard, having a quad-core laptop will make even more sense. One of the additional benefits is that increases in performance from better use of multi-core chips will extend the usable life of the hardware further. Virtualization is another big place where multi-core chips will play a big part.
"Grand Central," a new set of technologies built into Snow Leopard, brings "unrivaled support" for multicore systems to Mac OS X....
For the full report visit here:
http://tinyurl.com/5agtkq
Rumor: MacBook touch Coming in October
Giznodo says:
Those of you clamoring for an Apple tablet may finally get what you've been waiting for. According to a MacDailyNews source who leaked wireless iTunes a week before its official announcement, we can expect a sort of "MacBook touch" in October......
Think MacBook screen, possibly a bit smaller, in glass with iPhone-like, but fuller-featured multi-touch. Gesture library. Full Mac OS X. This is why they bought P.A. Semi......
For the full commentary visit here:
http://gizmodo.com/5027706/rumor-macbook-touch-coming-in-october
Apple May Be Eying Sub-$1000 Notebook Market
AppleInsider's Katie Marsal says:
Investment bank Piper Jaffray said Tuesday it believes Apple is readying new iPod and notebook products that will apply downward pressure to profit margins because they'll be priced more affordably, such as 13-inch MacBook that will fetch less than $1000.....
Addressing clients in a report Tuesday, analyst Gene Munster said...:
"We believe there is an 80% chance Apple will introduce redesigned MacBooks and possibly new MacBook Pros at lower price points," he wrote. "Specifically, Apple may re-enter the $999 price point (currently $1099) with the MacBook, or test the $1,799 price point with the MacBook Pro (currently $1999)."....
For the full report visit here:
http://tinyurl.com/58twvy
What's Apple's Big Mystery Product?
TheStreet.com's Gary Krakow says:
What exactly is next for Apple's product lineup? What blockbuster product announcement is next for the Cupertino, Calif., computer company? Speculators are going wild today trying to figure out exactly what is going on.
This is all because of Apple's earning call late Monday afternoon. Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer said the numbers were great for the last quarter but warned about a "future product transition" as a big reason that Apple expected slightly worse profit numbers in the fourth quarter.
Apple's stock dropped $14.13 (or 8.5%) to $152.16 afterhours Monday night.
But what is that "future product transition" all about?....
For the full commentary visit here:
http://www.thestreet.com/_yahoo/newsanalysis/technology-update/10429357.html
Apple 'Product Transition' Chatter Sparks Web Speculation
InformationWeek Antone Gonsalves reports:
Apple's tease of a "product transition" in the works sparked debate among pundits Tuesday about what the Mac and iPod maker may be planning.
In a conference call Monday, CFO Peter Oppenheimer told financial analysts that product development contributed to a drop in gross margin in the fiscal second quarter to 34.8%. Moreover, the "product transition" would help push the margin, also known as gross profits, down further in the current quarter to 31.5%, and keep it around 30% in fiscal 2009.
Oppenheimer declined to provide even a hint of what Apple is working on, but promised it would be "state of the art" and unmatched by rivals. Those comments sparked a firestorm of speculation among Apple watchers on the Web......
For the full report visit here:
http://tinyurl.com/67lbl8
Analyst: Strong Mac Growth Driving Apple
MacObserver's Jeff Gamet says:
Apple operating income for its third quarter of 2008 proved to be the second highest in the company's history, and Technology Business Research analyst Ezra Gottheil thinks the Macintosh computer lineup deserves a substantial portion of the credit. Year-over-year revenue growth for Mac desktops and laptops topped 40 percent, and both have cleared the 40 percent growth mark for several consecutive quarters....
"TBR believes Apple will refresh its notebooks with the latest Intel Centrino 2 processors, which will improve performance and increase battery life," he said. "We think the company will do more than update internals.....
For the full report visit here:
http://www.macobserver.com/stockwatch/2008/07/22.1.shtml
Apple's Rising Costs Won't Slow Future Product Launches
InformationWeek's Antone Gonsalves says:
Apple on Monday reported a 31% increase in profits in its fiscal third quarter, driven by strong demand for Macintosh computers and iPods. But the company acknowledged that costs were rising as it prepared for new product launches.
In explaining the drop, Peter Oppenheimer, senior VP and CFO, said costs have risen in part because of "product transition" to state-of-the-art technology. "We've got some investments coming that I can't go into right now," he said, later adding, "We're very excited about what we have in our new product pipeline."
For the full report visit here:
http://tinyurl.com/6ah6x3
Is the Secret Product Going to Be the New Macintosh?
HardMac's Lionel says:
Earlier today we were reporting about the "secret project" Steve was mentioning during the conference call yesterday, clearly stating that this/those device(s) will mark a difference with competitors. Something similar to what was experienced 25 years ago when Apple introduced the Macintosh?
For the full commentary visit here:
http://www.hardmac.com/news/2008-07-22/#8635
Five Key Quotes from Apple's Conference Cal
SeekingAlpha says:
Here are five key quotes from Apple's conference call. They're taken from the Apple transcript which we published a few hours after the call ended:
1. Steve Job's health
2. Overall growth
3. Market share gains
4. iPods
5. Disappointing guidance
For full elucidation, visit:
http://seekingalpha.com/article/86259-five-key-quotes-from-apple-s-conference-call
Apple Is Worth More than Steve Jobs
SeekingAlpha says:
I wish Steve Jobs a long and happy life. I thank him for all of the good that he has done. Sadly, others do not seem to feel this way. The New York Post yesterday joined the chorus of negative voices speculating that Steve Jobs is in ill health. This is pure speculation. But, the implication is that Mr. Jobs's demise would tank Apple's stock price.
I have lived through this before. I owned Apple in early August of 2004 when the company announced that Steve Jobs was taking a leave of absence. I still own it today. On July 31, 2004, Apple's stock price closed at a split-adjusted price of $16.17. When Apple announced that Steve Jobs was well in January of 2005, Apple's stock price finished the month at a split adjusted price of $38.45. During the six month "cancer scare," Apple's stock price rose 137.79%.....
For the full commentary visit here:
http://seekingalpha.com/article/86166-apple-is-worth-more-than-steve-jobs
Is it Time for Steve to Step Down?
Cult of Mac's Leigh McMullen says:
Recent questions regarding Steve's health have renewed calls for a succession plan at Apple. While I hardly give two shakes over the "Industry Concerns" cited in the recent New York Post article, I would go a little further and suggest that what Apple needs is not a 'Succession Plan', but a new CEO.
As startling a statement to make as that is, hold the flames for just a few more moments, follow me after the jump to find out why.
For the full commentary visit here:
http://cultofmac.com/is-it-time-for-steve-to-step-down/2369
The Real Issue About Steve's Health
BusinessWeek's Arik Hesseldahl says:
After the earnings call last night I talked with a source who is close to Apple and who who has in the past proven very well informed on the concerns of Apple senior management. This source told me with near-certainty that Jobs' cancer has not returned.
The concerns around his health have centered on two things: His thin appearance at the Worldwide Developer's Conference, and published reports in Fortune that in late 2003 after he first learned he had cancer, word of his condition wasn't disclosed to investors for nine months. Having consulted with two outside lawyers, the board of directors decided that it wasn't under any obligation to disclose anything.
Apple has for the most part remained silent about the health of its CEO. When questions were raised about his appearance at WWDC, spokeswoman Katie Cotton said he had been suffering from a "common bug," and I'm willing to take that at face value.....
For the full report visit here:
http://tinyurl.com/65dgbn
Microsoft offers first hints at anti-Apple marketing blitz for Vista
AppleInsider's Slash Lane says:
Microsoft this week offered a window into the first phase of a mega million dollar advertising campaign designed to clear up 'misconceptions' about the quality of its Windows Vista operating system exacerbated by in-your-face marketing efforts on the part of longtime rival Apple.
The first series of ads in the campaign were reportedly met with rave reviews last week when they were previewed at Microsoft's employees-only Global Exchange conference.
"[I] got goosebumps - just, wow," said one insider who was privy to the preview.
For the full report visit here:
http://tinyurl.com/5erot7
First Hints Of Microsoft's "Fight Back" Ads Appear
ZNet blogger Ed Bott says:
I just noticed [a] teaser on Microsoft's home page....
If this is going to be the overall message of Microsoft's much-vaunted new $300 million ad campaign, it might be money well spent. According to the folks at LiveSide, the first ads in the new campaign were previewed at Microsoft's employees-only Global Exchange conference last week to rave reviews. As Tim Anderson astutely noted the other day, "Vista is now actually better than its reputation. That's a marketing issue.".....
But the bigger job, that of actually changing people's minds, will be easier said than done. Apple has largely defined Vista's public image so far with its devastating "I'm a Mac, I'm a PC" ads. Responding directly to those ads is a losing tactic.....
For the full commentary visit here:
http://blogs.zdnet.com/Bott/?p=499
The Role Of Apple Marketing In My Switch
Davis Alison says:
Just a few weeks ago I was contacted by Beth Bulik at Advertising Age to talk about my transition from Windows to Mac. We had a long ranging discussion about the merits of switching to Mac. This got me to thinking, what role has Apple's marketing played in my switch? How heavily was I influenced by the regular drumbeat of TV ads, online ads, store displays, etc.?....
While I would normally be loathe to admit that something like ad campaigns and store layouts actually played a role in my technology decisions, the reality is that it did.....
Once that was done the technology itself did the rest.
For the full commentary visit here:
http://www.davidalison.com/2008/07/role-of-apple-marketing-in-my-switch.html
Apple's MobileMe Problems Mount
PC Mag's Mark Hachman reports:
Apple's problems with its MobileMe service continue, as some customers still report that they have not been able to access email on the service after several days. Now an upgrade to Apple's iTunes software has added a control panel applet without notification or permission.
Coincidentally, Apple's discussion forums were taken down briefly Tuesday for "updating".
For the full report visit here:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2326246,00.asp?kc=PCRSS03069TX1K0001121
Apple's MobileMe could be a headache for IT managers
CIO.com's Robert Lemos (via Macworld) says:
When Apple initially rolled out its MobileMe service for synchronizing e-mail, contacts and calendars among computing devices, its tagline-"Exchange for the rest of us"-suggested that businesses might find some use for the technology.
The service, however, has little to do with corporate information technology and more to do with redefining Apple's online service as a contender in the cloud computing space. Companies from software maker Microsoft to search giant Google offer productivity applications as services on the Internet- "the cloud" in industry parlance-allowing customers to have access to their data from anywhere.
For the full commentary visit here:
http://www.macworld.com/article/134628/2008/07/mobileme_it.html
Remember typewriters?
Salon's Machinist says:
In Monday's post about the iPhone as e-book reader, a reader pointed out the beauty and joy of real books, which made me realize I forgot to mention my own love for books printed on paper.
I feel the same about writing and typewriters. There's nothing like the feel of a rugged, reliable old manual typewriter under the fingertips. Rolling in the paper. The extra effort to pound keys that all sound different, the smacking sound of the type bars as they strike the platen, to say nothing of the wonderful aroma of ink and old gears working behind the metal-clad scene ... If only there were a way to magically convey the words from page to screen to email to editor.
Since no such enabling technology exists, I've found a helpful alternative. No, there's none of the good smells or tactile feel from key or paper, but the illusion of staring at a single blank page that WriteRoom ($24.95) for the Mac displays provides just the right distraction-free focus without compromising all those little things we've all gotten used to the last couple of decades....
[Editor's note: Yup, sure do, still have three of them - one an office model Remington - although they haven't been used for years.... Ed.
For the full commentary visit here:
http://machinist.salon.com/blog/2008/07/22/typewriter/index.html
The Mac Night Owl: Apple's Financials: Finding a Way to Turn Good News to Bad
All right, so Apple can't even sit back and celebrate its record 3rd fiscal quarter profits without seeing its stock price plummet again. As usual, the reasons are complicated, and probably only related in part to the company's actual performance or their immediate expectations for the current financial quarter.
Here's the URL for today's commentary:
http://tinyurl.com/5gll65
Notes: You can also access our new RSS feed, available at:
http://www.macnightowl.com/rss
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http://www.macnightowl.com/atom
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