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After a full month of rumor and speculation, Apple has finally confirmed it’ll be updating its notebook line next week. Unfortunately there is little to be known about the upcoming event, which is scheduled for October 14, beyond a deliberately teasing tagline which states “the spotlight turns to notebooks.”

So what can we expect from this event? No one knows for sure, but if the rumor mill is right, the announcement should hold a complete revision to the MacBook line with aluminum casings and LED screens, and perhaps the introduction of relatively low cost model at around $800. We will know for sure next Tuesday.

Since the release of Mac OS X 10.0 in 2001, the Dock has been one of the most prominent features of operating system's user interface, serving as a centralized launch pad for applications and document files. Now, nearly a decade after filing for a patent on the OS X Dock, it has finally been awarded to Apple under the title “user interface for providing consolidation and access.”

Apple now has the exclusive right to prevent others from making, using, selling, or otherwise employing replicas of the technology in their own products for 20 years from now – which could spell trouble for imitators such as ObjectDock, RocketDock, and others. The patent puts a particular focus on the Dock's ability to magnify icons to a predetermined size when the cursor is near, the user's ability to rearrange icons, and how it indicates which applications are running.

One setback that Apple’s laptops have always faced has been their relatively high price, especially when compared to the entry-level machines that most vendors offer. Apple hasn't been actively trying to change that, though they do understand some people just don't want to put away a minimum of $1,100 for a machine.

That may change in the near future, with rumors that Apple is getting ready to push out a low-cost MacBook. The machine may start as low as $800, a price range never before seen for an Apple mobile. Little real information on this “budget” MacBook is known – no specifications, release dates or model information is currently known. It would be interesting to see Apple among the lower cost laptop, though, as it would help them a lot in competing with Microsoft for OS dominance. It would also be interesting to see exactly what Apple has “cut” from their mainstream laptops to make a cheaper version of the MacBook.

Hopefully Apple will give us some real information soon. At the moment this is still in the rumor phase, but there is some evidence that Apple has been preparing a low-cost mobile, such as the manufacturing of solid-piece laptop chassis, with the intent to lower cost.

With Apple surpassing or at least quickly approaching a full 10 million iPhones deployed in the world, some (including myself) wonder where that puts them in the mobile market. While Apple still sells only a very small portion of mobile phones overall, the smartphone market is a much more targeted one, and one that the iPhone has gone after.

If you focus on smartphones, Apple's doing pretty well, with recent reports showing considerable gains. The device now represents roughly 17% of the smartphones in the world – not a small feat for such a new product. Interestingly, iPhone sales are also primarily happening in Apple stores – not in their partner stores.

How far will the iPhone go? Does the increasing popularity of the iPhone mean that it will be seen as a more serious competitor to “enterprise” smartphones like the BlackBerry?

Has Apple’s goal of 10 million iPhones sold this year already been met? One group collecting statistics believes so. According to them, using IMEI statistics as their source, Apple has already pushed their way through at least 9 million phones on top of other sales. That would put Apple almost exactly where they said they wanted to be upon the release of the iPhone, perhaps a few months ahead of schedule.

This was definitely helped by the introduction of the iPhone 3G, which saw over one million sold in the opening weekend. There's no official word from Apple on whether or not they've truly reached this milestone, but Apple isn't known for sharing much information.

The European Union is readying a new set of directives that could have an impact on Apple and other manufacturer’s future products. Specifically, a new draft batteries directive, which mandates that power cells inside electronic devices must be readily removable for replacement and safe disposal. The iPhone, iPod and even the MacBook Air don't fit that mold.

Apple requires owners to send back their iPhones and iPods to the company for a battery replacement. If approved, however, the new directive could force the company to redesign its products to meet the criteria in Europe. Interestingly, it could also mean that products globally would see the same features since it would make no sense to build and market products with two different designs.

Then again, as AppleInsider notes, the idea behind the directive is to keep gadgets from being sent to landfills or recycled with the battery inside, so the EU might let Apple off the hook if the company proves that its battery replacement program prevents that from happening.

Apple has released software updates for both iTunes and Apple TV today, addressing performance issues with the former and security issues with the latter. Specifically, iTunes 8.0.1 fixes the bug in Vista machines that leads to the "blue screen of death" when connecting an iPod and another bug that leads to some HDTV shows getting deleted during downloads.

The company also released Apple TV firmware version 2.2, which addresses three security issues involving maliciously crafted video files or PICT image files that could lead to arbitrary code execution. In terms of new features, the new firmware brings Genius and On-The-Go playlist support for Apple TV and an improved standby mode. It also enables users to purchase and download HD television shows directly from the media hub.

As usual, you can find the latest iTunes version at our download section. Apple TV users can apply the updated firmware by choosing the "Update Software" option in the Settings menu.

Apple has pulled a somewhat unexpected move, announcing suddenly that they will be dropping their controversial non-disclosure agreement for iPhone software. The NDA has been one of the biggest hurdles developers face when writing software for the iPhone, and many felt that Apple was artificially stifling people with it. Dropping the NDA will certainly make many developers feel more comfortable.

There are still numerous open complaints about Apple's development environment, not the least of which is Apple openly admitting to removing programs from the iPhone store that compete with existing Apple products.

Is Apple scared of Android? That's certainly something you could take from this move. Android is a much more open platform, which is exactly what Google was going for, and many developers have been spurned by Apple in the past. This seems like an obvious attempt from Apple to nip this problem in the bud, hoping to prevent a swarm of developers from abandoning the iPhone in favor of phones based on Android.

The first class-action lawsuit filed against Apple over the iPhone has now been dismissed. The lawsuit claimed the company did not “immediately tell customers about the limited life of batteries for its iPhone or their $86 replacement cost, including delivery.” However, Judge Mathew F. Kennelly dismissed the suit without trial at Apple's request.

Apparently, the judge simply read the packaging on the iPhone, which described the battery as having “limited recharge cycles and may eventually need to be replaced by Apple service provider,” and ruled that was sufficient warning. The lawsuit never seemed to have much of a chance, let alone merit class-action status, but the plaintiff was probably hoping to cash in by relating his case to a successful one over the iPod’s battery.

But while Apple is off the hook, AT&T may not be so lucky. The wireless provider remains a defendant, at least until some issues involving an arbitration requirement are resolved.

Week in and week out, it's not uncommon to have first tier computer manufacturers releasing updates to its laptop lines or even complete overhauls. That sole fact hardly guarantees tons of media attention, unless you are Apple, of course.

For the past few weeks, the Apple hype machine has been hard at work after the rumor came out that major updates for its entire MacBook line - except the newer MB Air - will arrive around mid-October. Apple fans have been drooling ever since, but to top it off a new leaked picture was released last night by a French blog showing the supposed revamp of the MacBook Pro:

The picture could easily be a fake, nevertheless there seems to be somewhat of a consensus on certain features the new MacBook line will carry: Aluminum body for both MacBook and MacBook Pro models, thinner enclosures with lines that resemble those of the MB Air, a black screen bezel in the MacBook Pro, retooling of port configurations, among others.

Apple has taken a lot of criticism, particularly by developers, for how they operate the iTunes App Store. The most controversial actions Apple took were pulling applications from the store that they felt competed with existing Apple software, which put many developers into an uproar. Some developers found a workaround from getting turned down at the App Store, allowing at least one developer to continue to offer software that Apple had previously barred from sale.

Apple found the hole and has plugged it. From Apple's standpoint, that is a good thing, as regardless of what content they do or don't allow they should be aware of what's going on. From a consumer standpoint it doesn't help Apple out of the sticky situation they seem to be getting into, where they are being seen as a very monopolistic company that seeks to control in detail how the iPhone is used.

Regardless of what people are saying about Apple's actions, Apple themselves are very quiet – refusing to speak even minor details about why they are going down the road they are.

Google may be rolling out its first Android phone today, but Apple is generating some buzz of its own. Piper Jaffray’s Gene Munster, one of the most closely watched analysts who track Apple, has revised his estimates for the company’s fourth quarter sales, and his outlook is even rosier than before.

Munster has raised his previous iPhone 3G sales estimates from 4.1 million by the end of September to a more optimistic 5 million units. Given that about 2.4 million first-generation iPhones are already in circulation and Apple’s claims of one million iPhone 3Gs sold in the first weekend, the new estimate would have Apple selling 7.4 million iPhones before the start of the holiday shopping season.

That puts the Cupertino company well on track to meet its own prediction of selling 10 million handsets for calendar year 2008. In addition, Munster raised his estimates for Mac sales from 2.5 to 2.8 million, and increased expected iPod sales from 10.8 to 11 million. All in all, this should be yet another big quarter—and fiscal year—for Apple.

Apple has issued a recall for the ultra-compact USB Power Adapter that ships with the iPhone 3G. In a statement, the company acknowledged that “under certain conditions,” the device’s little metal prongs can break off, get stuck in the power outlet and potentially give you a very bad electric shock.

Affected adapters were sold with iPhones in the US, Canada, Mexico, Japan and several Latin American countries. Apparently, this is the result of a fairly poor design approach used to save money. No injuries have been reported, but Apple is urging iPhone 3G customers to bring their adapters to an Apple store for an exchange and in the meantime charge via USB through their computers. Click here to see the full details directly from Apple.

Routine Mac OS X updates are becoming just as common as Windows updates, likely the inevitable result of the increased popularity the OS has discovered the past few years. The latest update issued this week has patched up a huge number of flaws, ranging from minor issues like program crashes to a relatively high number of “serious” exploits that could lead to broken and infected systems.

Patches for the Mac OS X kernel affected shared systems in which a user could access files they don't have permissions to, another update fixed an issue with unencrypted network passwords, a fix in Time Machine will prevent “sensitive” data from being leaked out of backups and a laundry list of others. This update is quite large, and contains many important updates, so if you are an OS X user it is a good idea to update right away.

When Apple acquired PA Semi back in April, the reasoning behind the deal seemed clear: the company would now be able to design its own microprocessors for use in iPhone and possibly iPod products. That was confirmed in June by Steve Jobs himself, but beyond that Apple has been coy about any specific plans.

A bit more information has surfaced over the weekend though. A New York Times blog post points to the public LinkedIn profile of PA Semi's senior principle architect Wei-han Lien, where he lists his current job function as “Senior Manager Chip CPU Architect at Apple” managing the “ARM CPU architecture team for iPhone.”

While it’s a minor revelation, at the very least this appears to confirm the type of chip to be used in future iPhone / iPod products and supports earlier speculation that ARM had given a long-term architecture license to Apple. By developing its own brand of ARM chip in-house, Apple will be able to further innovate and possibly benefit from cost savings, all while keeping a tighter lid on upcoming products.

As promised earlier this week during the “Let’s Rock” press event in San Francisco, Apple has delivered the new 2.1 firmware update for the iPhone and iPod touch. Unlike previous updates that are described simply as bug fixes, this one includes a list of specific improvements including most notably better call reception and fewer dropped calls, improved battery life, and better performance when viewing or searching contacts.

Addressing recent concerns, Apple also closed the security loophole that allowed certain data to be accessed by bypassing the passcode, and introduced a new option to erase the phone’s data after ten failed attempts to enter the code. Some other features include Genius playlist creation, faster installation of third-party applications, and it’s now much faster to backup to iTunes.

It’s definitely a worthy upgrade, though one can’t help to think that this should have been firmware 2.0. To get it simply connect your iPhone or iPod touch to your computer and click Update in the iTunes Summary tab. The update is free for all iPhone users and iPod touch owners who already bought the 2.0 firmware.

Apple’s “Let's Rock” media event earlier this week saw the launch of a refreshed iPod line, but those hoping for a surprise notebook announcement which has been rumored for weeks went home disappointed. According to John Gruber of Daring Fireball blog, that was all part of the plan.

Citing sources “familiar with Apple’s hardware plans,” he claims that the company will be releasing new notebooks on October 14th. This timeframe fits into recent expectations of a more staggered release, and although it misses the back-to-school rush, the lucrative holiday season is still ahead. Sadly, Gruber offers no specific details as to what the company might have planned for that day – though rumors about impending MacBook and MacBook Pro updates have been circulating for some time now. We’ll know for sure in a few more weeks.

It looks Apple’s stock options backdating scandal might finally be over, with CEO Steve Jobs and other executive having agreed to a $14 million settlement pending the court’s final approval on October 31. The settlement comes close to two years after the company took an $84 million charge for improperly booked stock options.

Apple has also agreed to reform parts of its options plan, but in the end all of this basically comes to the $14 million being paid by Apple’s liability insurer back to the company itself – not the shareholders –given that this was a “derivative” lawsuit that sought compensation on behalf of the company. Apple, however, must pay around $8.5 million in plaintiffs' attorneys' fees and $350,000 in expenses. While shareholders do not financially benefit from the suit, they benefit to some extent by restoring Apple’s good name and forcing changes that otherwise might not have happened inside the firm.

At the end of last year, NBC and Apple were struggling with each other over NBC's shows on iTunes. It ultimately ended up with NBC leaving iTunes and launching their own video site. The loss of NBC was a blow to Apple, as they were the largest single provider of video content for the service.

Time has apparently healed NBC's wounds, and following up on their intentions earlier this year to rejoin the Apple fold, NBC shows are once again available on the site. Apple is now selling NBC shows and, once again, they have kept the $1.99 price tag that was originally upsetting NBC so much. They didn't keep the price tag for HD content, which now goes for $2.99 per episode.

It isn't mentioned how much price flexibility Apple will let them have on iTunes, nor if they plan to cave to other NBC demands such as more anti-piracy measures.

Steve Jobs took the stage at Apple’s music event today in San Francisco to announce a handful of new products, including new and updated iPod nanos, touch and classic. As expected, the new iPod nano will be the thinnest model ever made by Apple, boasting a longer body and curved display similar to those pictures that have leaked out across gadget blogs over the past few days.

Besides a new voice recording function and an updated interface, the new nano incorporates the same accelerometer included in the iPhone and the iPod Touch – meaning it’ll know when you turn it on its side and you can also shake it up to shuffle songs. Available in a rainbow of new colors, an 8GB version will be $149 while the 16GB model will set you back $199.


The iPod touch also received an update to cut back on size and scale up on power. The new model offers integrated volume controls and an integrated speaker along with access to the App Store to further position the device as a handheld gaming platform. The new touch will run $229 for the 8GB, $299 for the 16GB, and $399 for the 32GB model.

Apple also overhauled its iTunes application, bringing it to version 8. The updated program introduces a “Genius” feature that groups similar songs together into playlists and also marks the return of NBC content to the platform. Aside from all these major upgrades, Apple also announced the iPhone Software 2.1 and revealed an update to the iPod classic line, removing both the 80GB and 160GB models and replacing them with a single 120GB model which will sell for $249.