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Today's Headlines - Friday, November 21st, 2008

Show: Headlines | News Briefs
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Photography Specials - 7:15 PM
iPO Free on iTunes
iTunesThis week Vern Seward surfed the iTunes Store and did his best to help bring out your inner digital photgrapher and to hone your Photoshop and digital image editing skills. Just like every week, the podcasts he found are free, which means you'll have more money to buy digital camera cards and lenses.
Khronos Group Shows Off OpenCL Standard - 6:35 PM
Only six months after announcing OpenCL, Khronos Group unveiled the proposed standard earlier in the week. OpenCL will be one of the key technologies in Mac OS X 10.6 because it allows applications to take advantage of the horsepower in video processors along with the computer's main processor chips.
HD, DRM & iTunes - 5:15 PM
John Martellaro's Blog: StrangeCharm
scApple has clearly been struggling with how to manage the demands of Hollywood and the networks on the handling of high definition (HD) content, DRM, within iTunes, their current hardware and new hardware. It wasn't hard to see all this coming, especially when one looks at how the Apple TV works.
EA Reveals Plans For SimCity on iPhone - 4:30 PM
iPO iPhone Gaming News
sc Electronic Arts has revealed that SimCity will come to the iPhone in December with a US$10 price tag. While it will simply be called SimCity, it's based on SimCity 3000. 1 Comment.
Psystar Lawsuit Filings Reveal Potential Document Policy Problems at Apple - 4:00 PM
Apple vx. Psystar In court documents filed in the lawsuit battle between would-be Mac clone maker Psystar and Apple Inc., statements by Apple reveal a lack of a company document retention plan or policy that could be a problem for the company. The policy in place at Apple leaves ultimate e-mail and other document retention in the hands of each of Apple's employees. 1 Comment.
Puzzle Adventure Game Book of Legends Comes to the Mac - 2:40 PM
Mac Gaming News
bol Macgamestore.com on Friday announced the release of the puzzle adventure game Book of Legends on the Mac. Its storyline follows Zoe and Charleston Black as they travel to five countries seeking clues to solve the mystery within a book about the famous sword Excalibur.
Philips 8.5" Widescreen Portable DVD Player With iPod Dock: $129.99 Delivered - 2:20 PM
TMO's DealsOnTheWeb.com
Our DealsOnTheWeb.com site found a deal on the Philips 8.5" Widescreen Portable DVD Player With iPod Dock for $129.99. DoW noted that it makes for a fantastic distraction during those long holiday car rides. Shipping is free.
The Simplified Guide to Buying a New HDTV System - 12:05 PM
This holiday season, many people will be delving into HDTV for the first time -- perhaps on a tight budget. With Black Friday just around the corner, and some amazing deals likely to be offered, the newbie buyer needs a lot of help wading through the new HDTV technology. At the iPod Observer, John Martellaro has written a Simplified Guide that stands on its own, but also links to a Detailed Guide. The two articles cover everything a new buyer needs to know.
PopChar X 4.1.1 Improves FreeHand 10 Support - 10:20 AM
PopChar X Ergonis Software announced the immediate availability o f PopChar X 4.1.1 on Friday. The update for the font viewer and special character locator fixed a problem when inserting characters into FreeHand 10 documents. 1 Comment.
Apple Rolls out iPod touch Software 2.2 with Podcast Downloads - 9:35 AM
iPodObserver
iPod touch Apple released iPod touch Software 2.2 early Friday morning, along with iPhone Software 2.2. The update for the touch screen iPod added the ability to download podcasts when away from your computer. 1 Comment.
New Mac Malware Surfaces - 8:55 AM
A new Mac OS X malware application, dubbed OSX_LAMZEV.A, has apparently surfaced, and computer security company Trend Micro claims it has the potential to allow hackers to take control of infected Macs. The malicious application is not, however, a virus, and requires users to launch the app so it can install its payload, and it even goes so far as to ask which firewall port it can use. 6 Comments.
Apple Releases Pro Applications Update 2008-004 - 8:35 AM
Updates

Apple slipped out Pro Applications Update 2008-004 late Thursday night. The update for the Final Cut Studio 2 app suite includes Final Cut Pro 6.0.5, Compressor 3.0.5, Color 1.0.3 and Shake 4.1.1, and the terse release notes simply state that it "addresses general performance issues and improves overall stability." The update is free and available via Apple's Software Update application.

Clusterball Arcade - 8:00 AM
iPO Review
cba Clusterball Arcade is a lot of fun and very challenging, although I had some quibbles with it that hold it back from being a great game.
iTunes 8.0.2 Improves VoiceOver, More - 7:35 AM
iPodObserver
iTunes

Apple released iTunes 8.0.2 along with iPhone Software 2.2 early Friday morning. The update for the multimedia management application improved accessibility with VoiceOver, corrected issues when connecting to the iTunes Store through proxies, improved quality when making MP3s, and fixed several bugs. iTunes 8.0.2 is free and available via the Software Update application, or as a downloadable installer at the Apple Web site.

iPhone Software 2.2 Adds Google Street View, Podcast Downloads - 6:55 AM
iPodObserver
iPhone 3G Apple released iPhone Software 2.2 early Friday morning, sporting previously rumored features like Google Street View and the ability to download podcasts when away from your computer.
 

Top Headlines - Thursday, November 20th, 2008

Safari Exploit Allows Hacker to Call 1-900 Numbers - 5:40 PM
iPodObserver
1-900 OH NOES! An exploit has been discovered in the Safari Web browser on iPhone that could allow a maliciously-crafted Web page take control of your iPhone and force it to dial any phone number, for instance a nice, expensive 1-900 number that could cost the user dearly. 1 Comment.
Deal or No Deal: Apple Edition - 4:55 PM
User Friendly Blog by Ted Landau
If you?re a huge corporation with lots of cash in the bank, you?re inevitably going to be a target for lawsuits. Apple Inc. is certainly no exception here --in case you haven?t been following ?Deal or No Deal: Apple Edition,? I thought I?d give you this recap of recent actions against Apple.
Times Are Tough Apple, How About Feeding Some Kids - 2:00 PM
Editorial
In times like these, it wouldn't be a bad idea for Apple to lend a helping hand to the less fortunate. While some major companies are staggering from the effects of the recession or out of business completely, Apple is wealthy beyond imagination. 20 Comments.
Bento 2 - 1:00 PM
Review
Bento Bento 2, FileMaker's new consumer-focused database application, is shipping and promises more features while remaining easy to use. Nancy Gravley took Bento 2 for a spin around the block and lets us know if it lives up to those promises and is a worthwhile upgrade.
 

Top Headlines - Wednesday, November 19th, 2008

Report: Intel to Release Quad-Core Processors for All-in-Ones (iMacs) - 5:50 PM
Core 2 Quad for iMac? Intel is set to announce a Core 2 quad-core processor that is optimized for all-in-one PCs, for instance the iMac, according to Taiwanese newspaper DigiTimes. The newspaper reported that Apple, along with Acer, Hewlett-Packard and Dell, have all committed to building computers with the processors, suggesting that iMacs will soon be quad-core equipped.
StoryMill - 3:45 PM
Just a Peek
Vern Seward - Just a Peek Vern Seward put Mariner Software's StoryMill through its paces to see if it is a useful tool for writers. While it will help you organize your ideas, it won't make you into an award winning writer. Read on for his first impressions on StoryMill. 3 Comments.
Google Mobile App's Voice Search - 3:30 PM
iPO First Look Review
Google MobileThe free Google Mobile App for the iPhone and iPod touch can now search the Web based on voice commands. It's also capable of quick text searches of the contacts list as one types in the first few characters. In my initial testing, I found voice recognition to be good in favorable surroundings and slow speech. 1 Comment.
Another Christmas Arrives, Same Old Apple TV - 12:25 PM
Hidden Dimensions
The Apple TV is a fun product, but implicit design constraints have kept it from delivering its full potential. John Martellaro takes a look at what's holding the Apple TV back, and how only minor modifications could transform the device from a hobby to one that dominates the home theater industry -- including an Apple TV App Store. 11 Comments.
iCal: Automated Custom Email Reminders - 9:45 AM
TMO Quick Tip
Quick Tip iCal does a good job of reminding you about your appointments thanks to its alarms feature. If you have a customized email message that you want to send to specific people through an iCal alarm, however, you'll need a little extra help from Automator.
Judge Dismisses Pystar Antitrust Claims Against Apple - 8:40 AM
Justice Scales The unauthorized Mac cloner Pystar watched its case against Apple crumble to the ground on Tuesday when the court dismissed its counterclaims that the Cupertino company violated antitrust laws by prohibiting other companies from selling Mac-compatible hardware. The ruling means Pystar may now have to face up to Apple's suit that alleges it is violating Apple-owned trademarks and copyrights. 20 Comments.

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Features & Tools

iPO Free on iTunes - Photography Specials
by Vern Seward
iTunesThis week Vern Seward surfed the iTunes Store and did his best to help bring out your inner digital photgrapher and to hone your Photoshop and digital image editing skills. Just like every week, the podcasts he found are free, which means you'll have more money to buy digital camera cards and lenses.

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HD, DRM & iTunes
John Martellaro's Blog: StrangeCharm
scApple has clearly been struggling with how to manage the demands of Hollywood and the networks on the handling of high definition (HD) content, DRM, within iTunes, their current hardware and new hardware. It wasn't hard to see all this coming, especially when one looks at how the Apple TV works.

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Psystar Lawsuit Filings Reveal Potential Document Policy Problems at Apple
by Bryan Chaffin
Apple vx. Psystar In court documents filed in the lawsuit battle between would-be Mac clone maker Psystar and Apple Inc., statements by Apple reveal a lack of a company document retention plan or policy that could be a problem for the company. The policy in place at Apple leaves ultimate e-mail and other document retention in the hands of each of Apple's employees. 1 Comment.

Since April of 1995, Apple has been proclaimed to be dead or dying 52 times. Pay your respects at the Apple Death Knell Counter.

The Simplified Guide to Buying a New HDTV System
by Staff
This holiday season, many people will be delving into HDTV for the first time -- perhaps on a tight budget. With Black Friday just around the corner, and some amazing deals likely to be offered, the newbie buyer needs a lot of help wading through the new HDTV technology. At the iPod Observer, John Martellaro has written a Simplified Guide that stands on its own, but also links to a Detailed Guide. The two articles cover everything a new buyer needs to know.
iPodObserver - Apple Rolls out iPod touch Software 2.2 with Podcast Downloads
by Jeff Gamet
iPod touch Apple released iPod touch Software 2.2 early Friday morning, along with iPhone Software 2.2. The update for the touch screen iPod added the ability to download podcasts when away from your computer.
iPO Review - Clusterball Arcade
by Brad Cook
cba Clusterball Arcade is a lot of fun and very challenging, although I had some quibbles with it that hold it back from being a great game.

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