MacBlogz - One Stop Apple News » Insanity

Microsoft’s ‘iPhone Killer’ Secret Prototype Stolen in Barcelona

Aviv — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 19:10:07 +0000

One of Microsoft’s new prototypes, which was loaded with “tons” of top-secret software, features and early bugs was pick-pocketed from an unnamed executive in Barcelona, a city known for having the best thieves in the world.

Telegraph reports: But within hours of announcing the launch of Windows Mobile 6.5 at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, a phone fitted with the new generation software was stolen from an executive’s pocket.

The theft will no doubt embarrass Australian telecommunications giant, Telstar, whose CEO Sol Trujillo was reportedly given the device by Microsoft to test the system ahead of the launch.

He in turn handed the top secret product to an unnamed executive who was pick-pocketed during an evening function at the trade convention.

A spokesman for the Australian company confirmed the theft had happened. “One of our product executives was given the phone to test the system. He had it with him at an organised evening event and it was stolen from him – we don’t know by whom.”

There are fears that leaks regarding the features and early bugs in the software could mar the launch of Windows Mobile 6.5 which the company hopes will give it the edge over the iPhone and the new Google Android operating system. The new product includes support for touch-screen technology similar to that found on the Apple iPhone.

Among the features offered in the new service unveiled by Microsoft’s chief executive, Steve Ballmer, on Tuesday, is a version of Windows Marketplace for Mobiles, which is set to compete with the popular Apple’s App Store and provide easy ways to download music and products to mobiles.

“I’m not clear on what the security implications of the theft will be,” said the Telstar spokesman. “That is for Microsoft to say.”

As Fortune notes, Barcelona is known for having the best pick-pocketing thieves in the world. So, while the news is shocking, after it resonates for a second, it is understandable.

Apple Sues German Website Over ‘Misuse’ of iPhone Imagery

Aviv — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 01:42:02 +0000

Apple has sent a cease and desist letter to a German website that sells iPhone 3G’s independent of a Simlock or T-Mobile contract, as well as a $2,271 bill for legal costs surrounding the misuse of Apple’s own iPhone imagery.

3Gstore.de is an online store based out of Germany that sells iPhone 3G’s. By importing these iPhones from surrounding countries, where they are sold unlocked, 3Gstore.de is not breaking the rules. Because they are legally allowed to sell the device, they assumed it was alright for them to use official photos provided by Apple, of the iPhone 3G.

However, as one blogger by the name of Randolf Jorber points out, this was not the case. Apple, without any preemptive warning sent a Cease and Desist letter to German site 3Gstore.de demanding they remove all iPhone 3G imagery and pay the $2,271 bill attached to the letter.

When a German magazine Macnotes.de asked Apple about whether other stores and publications can use the official iPhone images, Apple remained tight-lipped and pointed the magazine to its Image Use Agreement.

In response to the legal demands thrown at them, 3Gstore.de hired a photographer/artist that goes by the name Lukas Palik to create their own sets of iPhone images. The end result is two sets of incredibly professional looking iPhone images that are being licensed under the generous Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License. This allows for the images to be edited and shared for anything including commercial usage.

You can find the original resolution photos done by Lukas Palik here and on flickr.

Another Fake Steve Jobs Heart Attack Rumor Published Online

Aviv — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 22:24:02 +0000

Wired.com’s open image viewer had been used today in another disgraceful attempt to spread false rumors about Apple CEO Steve Jobs going into cardiac arrest.

Apparently, even amidst all of the incredibly heated reports regarding Jobs’ health, some people thought it would be amusing to post more fake rumors about the CEO going into cardiac arrest. As you can see from the screenshot below, Wired’s image viewer allows pretty much anybody to post anything online.

As we learned with iReport the first time a fake Steve Jobs heart attack story was published, user generated content (when not even slightly moderated) can lead to manipulated and unethical results. Not to mention potential lawsuits and investigations by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Image via Gizmodo of Wired’s “Image Viewer”

Reports regarding Steve Jobs’ health have been incredibly heated over the last few weeks. First Apple announced they were pulling out of Macworld, then there was this letter directly from Jobs, then this letter from Jobs. In a nutshell, this has left Apple and Steve Jobs entangled in endless speculation. Every analyst around has weighed in with their own “analysis” regarding the situation, most notably Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak.

All of the ongoing reports, letters and seemingly smudged information has adversely sprung the SEC into action, probing Apple about “who knew what, and when they knew it” about Jobs’ health conditions.

The bottom line? LeaveSteveJobsAlone.com should sum it up pretty nicely.

Leaked Image Shows Apple Destroying Macs In Warehouse

Aviv — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 10:44:13 +0000

A factory worker going by the fake name James Johnston has leaked an image of what allegedly seems to be perfectly fine “looking” Apple equipment being compacted and smashed in a warehouse in Sydney, Australia.

The report which first showed up on apcmag.com, claims that most of the macs shown in the image are in working order. “Apple Computer has been busy getting labourers to smash a rubbish skip full of computers in a Sydney warehouse, many of them in seemingly working order.”

Johnston (which is a fake name remember), “assumed he was in for an everyday job until he saw what he estimated to be $200,000 worth of Apple hardware, peripherals and equipment.” He doesn’t skimp on the details either.

“There were up to nine pallets,” Johnston remembers, “two were of MacBooks, both Pro and 13 inch versions, two were of iMacs, two were of Mac Pro towers, one had few Xservers on it and a few Mac Pros and one had Mighty Mice and a copy of Final Cut Studio – we went as far as manually tearing up the manuals.”

Upon discovering the equipment, Johnston says him and his team were surprised to discover that most of the Macs started up with no problem. “Several machines in the first batch I was involved in had emails included in the box or taped to the outside.” Allegedly, “Someone who’d been there about nine months said Apple had replaced the units because it was too expensive to send them to China for repair.”

However, Johnston claims that him and his team were instructed to destroy all of it. “The supervisor told someone to get some tools and they came back with two hammers and several screwdrivers. They wanted us to separate the two halves of the MacBooks and smash the screens of the iMacs with hammers.”

Apparently, someone who represents Apple on the site permanently gave Johnston the order to destroy the equipment. When they dumped all of the equipment into a large dumpster outside of the warehouse, people complained that it was sticking above the edge of the bin, and Johnston’s crew had to crush it down with a forklift.

Apple Australia Marketing Director Rob Small explained, “We only destroy stock that’s either beyond economic repair or is been deemed not fit for sale to a customer again.” Which means they do not destroy perfectly good Macs for no apparent reason. “Anything we recycle is done responsibly through certified recyclers. Nothing goes to landfill and we do not donate second hand products to charity or move them off-shore,” Small added.

E-waste has been a big deal for the technology industry around the world. Recycling has become more important, and as we progress and evolve as a society, our population increases and so does the need for efficient and proper waste management. CBSNews put together an incredible report tracking the origins of e-waste half way around the world.

No Steve Jobs Keynote, But The Show Must Go On!

Aviv — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 22:22:43 +0000

Apple has officially announed that CEO Steve Jobs will not be giving the opening keynote at the upcoming Macworld expo in January, as well as this being their last year at the expo in general.

Despite some recent comments regarding Jobs’ appearance at Macworld, it has been confirmed that he will not be giving his traditional keynote at Macworld 2009.

While this news is incredibly momentous, it should come as no surprise. CEO Steve Jobs has given his heart and soul to the company, and as he gets older, retirement, time with his family and life outside of Apple are surely growing incredibly important to him. As far as shareholders, the long-term effect this will have on Apple as a whole remains to be seen.

Steve Jobs giving Macworld’s annual keynote has become a staple of Apple’s culture over the years. Various companies have relied on the expo to expose the masses to their products. But as the economy quickly deteriorated over the last 12 months or so, companies began pulling out of Macworld expo, and downgrading their exhibitors booths. Worried speculation began to appear that Jobs wouldn’t deliver the keynote, or that maybe the expo would be a big disappointment in 2009. Unfortunately, much of the worried analysis has been correct and Jobs will in fact be forgoing his keynote speech.

Apple Announces Its Last Year at Macworld

Apple’s Press Release: CUPERTINO, California—December 16, 2008—Apple® today announced that this year is the last year the company will exhibit at Macworld Expo. Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing, will deliver the opening keynote for this year’s Macworld Conference & Expo, and it will be Apple’s last keynote at the show. The keynote address will be held at Moscone West on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 9:00 a.m. Macworld will be held at San Francisco’s Moscone Center January 5-9, 2009.

Apple is reaching more people in more ways than ever before, so like many companies, trade shows have become a very minor part of how Apple reaches its customers. The increasing popularity of Apple’s Retail Stores, which more than 3.5 million people visit every week, and the Apple.com website enable Apple to directly reach more than a hundred million customers around the world in innovative new ways.

Apple has been steadily scaling back on trade shows in recent years, including NAB, Macworld New York, Macworld Tokyo and Apple Expo in Paris.

This year will be Apple’s last year at Macworld, if you were not previously planning on attending the event, perhaps giving it a little more thought will encourage your final decision. As many people will surely have a hard time stomaching this news, it’s important to remember that the show must go on.

Grand Opening: Apple Store Munich, Images and Video

Aviv — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 22:27:18 +0000

A huge crowd celebrated the opening of Apple’s new retail store in Germany today. The “Apple Store, Rosenstraße,” is Apple’s first retail store in the country.

Prior to the store’s official opening, Apple had a pattern splattered across the facade of the building resembling the Bavarian flag, only with blue iPod nanos. As previously explained, T-Mobile carries the iPhone in these parts of the world, so Apple’s physical presence was already fairly strong. The addition of a new flagship store in the area will only increase brand recognition and awareness of Apple as a whole.

MacDailyNews points us to a 360 degree panorama VR of the opening crowd. Additionally, the video below is from Martin in Munich (via Youtube). Many more images via flickr

iFund’s $100M Database Leaks Onto The Web

Aviv — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 18:11:22 +0000

Hosting company Meteora Technologies Group has accidentally leaked Kleiner Perkins’s $100 million iFund Database information onto the internet. With a text editor, the file can be easily read.

The information was quickly indexed by Google, and found in a search by Fruxx.

The iFund is a $100 million fund used to invest in digital startups that have chosen to develop applications specifically for Apple’s iPhone platform. There has been controversy surrounding the iFund before, as it was believed that iFund founders KPCB were being biased in primarily funding companies with previous ties to them.

TechCrunch’s Michael Arrington spoke with the President of Meteora (the hosting company), who explained that Kleiner Perkins was no longer a client of theirs, and that the file was published accidentally.

I spoke to Lowell Fletcher, the President of Meteora, who says that they no longer work with Kleiner Perkins, and that the file was accidentally published by one of their employees. Kleiner Perkins has not yet responded to our request for comment.

Fruxx reported to both Kleiner Perkins and Meteora that the file was removed this morning. While this may have been a mistake, if anyone has a copy of the leaked information it may prove to be a liability for KPCB specifically. If the database contained confidential information regarding applications, developers and companies, then people may be at risk.

We have dug around extensively and searched through multiple Proxies to try and get back to an old DNS stored copy of the .SQL file, but have had no luck.

[via 9to5mac]

Unlocked 32GB iPhone Mistakenly Sold Outside Apple’s NYC Flagship

Aviv — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 18:25:37 +0000

Apparently an unauthorized reseller is marketing a 32GB unlocked iPhone only a few blocks away from Apple’s flagship NYC retail store.

As you can imagine, the reseller is clearly mistaken and the 32GB “unlocked” iPhone being displayed is false. The reseller happens to be only a few blocks from Apple’s flagship retail store in NYC, so if anybody can spot this out, it may not hurt to drag an Apple employee over to the shop and say “See! It does exist!”

MacBlogz has previously received an anonymous tip pointing to Macworld ‘09 as the release date for a 32GB iPhone. “That rumored red iPhone… It’s not happening. The only iPhone news I know for certain is that it’s getting bumped to 32GB in January,” the tipster explains.

[thx to Ray at the iPhoneSavior for pointing this out]
[image via flick user stimply]

Steve Jobs Sends High School Student Free Software

Aviv — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 23:53:57 +0000

A high school student recently wrote Apple CEO Steve Jobs an email asking for a discounted version of Final Cut Studio 2. Instead of giving the kid the discount, Jobs forwarded the email onto a colleague and sent a free copy of the video editing software the kid’s way.

The student is a long-time Gizmodo reader who told them the story today.

Below is the high school student’s original letter to Steve Jobs

Richard Townhill, Director, Pro Video Product Marketing replied.

Surely a high school student who can afford an eight-core Mac Pro isn’t exactly hurting for cash, but it’s a nice story either way. Don’t let this fool you into thinking Apple is a company of sunshine and fluffy bunny rabbits though, Apple knew it’d make the rounds.

Apple Misspells ‘Catagories’ Tab In iPhone Software Update 2.2

Aviv — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 17:35:06 +0000

An eagle eyed Macworld reader spotted a significant typo in Apple’s iPhone Software Update 2.2.

It seems that Apple released the update with the “Categories” tab accidentally spelled “Catagories.” Not a major roadblock, but quite ironic for a company that neurotically obsesses over perfection. As Macworld hilariously points out, it was Scott Forstall, Apple’s vice president of platform experience that said: “I actually have a photographer’s loupe that I use to make sure every pixel is right. We will argue over literally a single pixel.”

“I’ve done the math, and in order to miss the word ‘Catagories’, Scott has overlooked eight hundred and six pixels,” explains TheAppleBlog.

Apple has since fixed the issue by updating the download package.