Today's menu: Podcaster, Pwnage and iPhone security

On t oday’s menu is a trio of comments regarding recent news items: Podcaster and Apple’s “success” Yesterday, the Observer reported that “Apple has rejected an iPhone app, Podcaster, on the basis that it duplicates the functionality of the Podcast section of iTunes. The author is greatly annoyed, as are some other developers and observers.…

Apple Power Corrupts, Absolute Apple Power Corrupts Absolutely

about Appleis policies regarding the App Store and what applications are permissible. While some argue that Apple can do as it pleases to insure its revenue stream, thatis exactly the argument that got Microsoft into trouble. Apple is no longer the underdog in many areas. Itis not fighting the worthy fight to survive and flourish.…

Steve Jobs' Mercedes Sports License-Plate-Free Look

Sharp-eyed photographers have spotted what appears to be a Mercedes that belongs to Steve Jobs outside the Yerba Buena Gardens during last weekis “Letis Rock” event and have noted that it has a bar code instead of a California license plate, according to the iPhone Savior. Immediately after the pictue was posted, a controvery started…

CNBC's Jim Goldman Takes on Newsweek's Dan Lyons

Dan Lyons who formerly wrote as the “Fake Steve Jobs” published a story at Newsweek about how Appleis is becoming just another Microsoft and a “monopolist in training.” The essay struck CNBCis Jim Goldman as odd, so he took a closer look at the issues involved and came to a different conclusion. Mr. Goldman noted…

Macworld Expo 2009 Registration Opens

Macworld Expo includes sessions and classes geared toward Mac, iPod and iPhone users, designers and developers, along with an expo hall where attendees have the opportunity to talk with companies that make Apple compatible products. Attendees can register for the expo and sessions at the Macworld Expo Web site. Pricing varies depending on classes and…

Apple Fixes 9 Security flaws with QuickTime 7.5.5

On Tuesday, Apple posted the complete list of security issues addressed with QuickTime 7.5.5 to its list server. The fixes were for both Mac OS X and Windows systems and were described as follows: QuickTime CVE-ID: CVE-2008-3615 Available for: Windows Vista, XP SP2 and SP3 Impact: Viewing a maliciously crafted movie file may lead to…

Microsoft to Copy Apple's Geniuses with Gurus

Tom Pilla, Microsoftis general manager of corporate communications, isnit comparing the Microsoft Gurus to the Apple Genius bar team. “Think of that as borrowing a page from Nordstrom with that retail customer experience,” he said. The Gurus will be placed in stores to help potential customers select Microsoft solutions and to offer pre-sale support. They…

Eric Schmidt Explains Google's Chrome Strategy

Google’s CEO, Eric Schmidt, explained that Chrome was designed to stop Microsoft from Balkanizing the Internet in ways that favor its own services, according to the Financial Times. In an interview with the FT, Eric Schmidt said that for a long time, Google believed that it didn’t need to build a Web browser. However, the…

TMO Quick Tip - Bandwidth Monitoring Tools

Now that Comcast has decided to start imposing monthly caps on its Internet users, there are a lot of Mac users that are taking a real interest in monitoring just how much bandwidth they are using. There are some options for helping keep track of your Mac’s Internet usage, and considering they are free, they…

Microsoft Announces, then Withdraws its Own App Store: SkyMarket

Perhaps Microsoft wanted to make a splash with its annoucement for a manager to run Microsoftis own version of Appleis App Store, according to Internetnews on Wednesday. However, the job posting has been withdrawn, and Microsoft wonit comment. The advertisement was found at ComputerJobs.com and described a services for Windows Mobile called SkyMarket. The lead…

Freeway Pro 5.2

Designing a professional looking Web site requires good coding and good design skills — a combination that isnit overly prominent in the Web design world. Freeway Pro 5.2 helps overcome that problem by giving designers the tools they need to build great sites without requiring them to develop strong coding skills, and it does it…

iPO Quick Tip - iTunes: More Info About What's on Your iPod

iTunes offers all kinds of information about what’s stored on your iPod or iPhone, like how much space the music, videos, photos and other data is using. iTunes isn’t limited to just showing you how much of your iPod is loaded with your favorite stuff — it can also show you how many items are…

ChangeWave: Apple Leads Competition in Consumer Buying Plans

A ChangeWave Research Report says that amongst those planning to purchase a PC in the next 90 days, Apple leads all competitors. Of the Alliance members surveyed, 34 percent plan to buy an Apple notebook and 30 percent an Apple desktop, numbers that continue to rise. The study, conducted August 4-12, asked pver 4,400 Alliance…

CW: SSDs in Laptops Won't Make Real Sense until 2010

Despite their appeal, Solid State Drives (SSD) wonit make real sense for laptops for several more years, according to Computerworld. The curent technology is still too expensive, slower on I/O and has a more limited lifespan. Right now, consumer grade SLC SSDs use a different structure that has good capacity and price, but suffer compared…

Apple Stores Generally Mirror U.S. Population Density

The locations of Appleis U.S. retail stores closely track the U.S. Census Bureau for the highest density population centers, according to ifoAppleStoreon Thursday. However, there are a few notable exceptions. “Apple claims that over 90 percent of the countryis population is within 15 minutes of an Apple retail store, and a population analysis seems to…

PC Makers, Stymied by Vista, Enhance Their PCs

PC makers, confronted by the complexity and slow boot time of Vista, are offering their own unique add-ons to make PC buyers happier, according to the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday. Falling average selling prices have also driven the makers to those extra value options. The PC experience has been tarnished by Vista, according to…

Psystar Responds to Apple's Lawsuit

Psystar, sued by Apple for trademark and copyright infringement, has prepared its response to Appleis complaint. Psystar will claim that Apple is engaging in anticompetitive practices and will counter sue. According to owner Rudy Pedraza, Psystar will counter sue under the Sherman Antitrust Act and the Clayton Antitrust Act and claim that when Apple ties…

Laptop Locks: Not Quite So Secure

A 2600 t-shirt clad gent shows in a video how he fashioned a small cardboard tube out of a toilet paper roll and then pick a Kensington lock all in about a minute. Bypassing Kensington lock security.

MathMagic 5.8 Adds Support for QuarkXPress, LaTex

InfoLogic announced version 5.8 of MathMagic on Monday. The new version adds support for QuarkXPress 8 and can read and export to LaTex files, and more. Version 5.8 also allows multiple math tags to be opened simultaneously when importing MathML files, and the user can now specify the resolution of PICT images. MathMagic

Woz's Advice to Engineers: Follow Your Heart

In at interview at the Intel Developer forum, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak urged future engineers to follow their heart. It isnit always about the money. CNET posted tibits of wisdom from the man who was the mind behind the Apple I and Apple II. Steve Wozniak (CNET)