Do you agree with academics who say Apple is the new religion? Cast your vote in "Today's Poll..." below in the left column or go straight to the results here.
Thursday Highlights: From the halls of academia comes this: "The religious-like behavior and language surrounding Apple devotion/fandom is an example of 'implicit religion'"; Macworld's Kirk McElhearn says Apple will have a tough time convincing users to upgrade their iPods as the device has hit a plateau; and another iPad lawsuit ... but this one claims iPad doesn't work "just like a book" as indicated by Apple in ads; World of Apple has the latest in the Psystar psaga :-); Apple ships more mobile phones than Motorola two quarters in a row; US President, Barack Obama, may be a BlackBerry fan, but is all MacBook Pro when it comes to presentations; NBC Chicago reports that the freshman class at Chicago State may be getting iPads; porn industry set to bypass Apple's App Store restrictions via FaceTime; over in the UK, iPhones upgraded to iOS 4 are having roaming problems on O2's network; Apple's latest patent applications are down in our Hardware/Software section, of interest today are a couple on the iTravel App, and it seems Apple may be making a foray into the Virtual Fashion Closet, and here's a cool one: music sync arrangement where the device controls mood, speed of music while you exercise; Walt Mossberg completes a 6-week real-world test of a couple iPhone 4 models, finds iPhone 4 better than 3GS mostly, but carrier restriction still an issue; Gizmodo believes the new Magic Trackpad is "beginning of the end" for OS X.
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"For Apple Followers, It's a Matter of Faith, Academics Say" FOXNews 8:11 AM
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"Apple updates Safari 5: The latest version of Apple's web browser, Safari 5.0.1, features extensions for an improved internet experience" Telegraph 8:54 AM
AppleCare/Troubleshooting
"iTunes not allowing users to sign in with AOL screen name" Macsimum News 8:22 AM
"As with earlier versions of Safari 5 running on Boot Camp, Safari freezes when referencing a .pdf file. Other Windows browsers (Firefox, etc.) properly download and display .pdf files. The only way to exit is to 'force quit' Safari. I reported this to Apple several weeks ago, but the bug is still there. Does anyone else experience this?" MacInTouch 11:33 AM
Reviews/How-To/Tips
"Miro 3.0.2: Miro is a free HD video and media player that helps you aggregate and download web-based content so that you can watch and listen to it on your Mac." Macworld 10:46 AM
"Learn Music On Your Mac: Free App, Or $50 App?" Mac 360 7:51 AM
"Easy: Keyboard Shortcuts In Your Mac Apps" Mac 360 7:51 AM
"New: The Top 13 Best Extensions For Safari 5" Mac 360 7:51 AM
"10.6: Automate the creation of ISO images" Mac OS X Hints 10:08 AM
"Use Transmit to deal with MobileMe's iDisk" Mac OS X Hints 9:41 AM
Op/Ed
"Ten outstanding cross-platform apps" ZDNet UK 8:20 AM
"I'd hate for Apple to drop iDVD, but I suspect it will" Macsimum News 8:18 AM
Press Releases
"Nuance Unveils Dragon NaturallySpeaking Version 11, Simply Smarter Speech Recognition: New Release of Dragon Delivers the Accuracy, Flexibility, and Features to Make Speaking Your Mind Easier than Ever – at Home, in the Office and On the Go" Business Wire 9:32 AM
"dmg software announced Sidekick 1.5 for AppleWorks 6, a Mac OS X menu bar item for Apple's aged but still loved office productivity program." dmg software 9:29 AM
"Macintosh Explorer 5 Adds Snow Leopard, Quick Look Support" The Mac Observer 8:49 AM
"Synium Software presents MacFamilyTree 6 - Genealogy built for Mac" prMac 7:48 AM
"Crazy: Apple Ships More Mobile Phones Than Motorola For The Second Quarter In A Row" Silicon Alley Insider 10:08 AM
"Motorola's phone sales drop, give Apple US crown once again" Electronista 8:46 AM
"10% Of Applications In The App Store For iPad Boast In-App Purchases" TechCrunch 10:48 AM
"Barack Obama's MacBook Pro: The President may carry a BlackBerry on his belt, but he does his demos on a Mac" Fortune 8:23 AM
"Sprint prepping iPod touch case with Wi-Fi hotspot?" iPodNN 11:09 AM
"Chicago State May Dole Out iPads to Freshman Class: Trustees will decide next week" NBC Chicago 9:37 AM
"Porn Industry Sees Opportunity In Latest iPhone: With Adult Apps Banned By Apple, New FaceTime Video Chat Feature Marks 1st Chance At Untapped Market" Associated Press 8:02 AM
"Here's Everything We Know So Far About Apple's New 'iAd For Developers' Program" The Business Insider 8:45 AM
"iPhone Jailbreaking Lure Used to Push Malware: Cyber crooks try to pass trojan as iPhone unlocking software" Softpedia 8:17 AM
"Apple finally ready to ship white iPhone 4?" LoopRumors 11:07 AM
"Apple to investigate iOS 4 upgrade issues for iPhone 3G customers" FierceWireless 11:10 AM
"Upgraded iPhones refuse to recognise roaming: iPhone users who've upgraded to iOS 4 are discovering that the roaming switch isn't working any more, for those on O2's network at least." The Register 9:41 AM
"Music Synchronization Arrangement: The invention generally pertains to a hand-held computing device. More particularly, the invention pertains to a computing device that is capable of controlling the speed of the music so as to affect the mood and behavior of the user during an activity such as exercise." United States Patent and Trademark Office 9:01 AM
"To add to the iPad timekeeping mystery I have an iPad wifi unit that lost its mind (clock-wise) for 3 or 4 days a couple of weeks ago. One day I noticed it was significantly out of sync with the actual time by something like 6 or 8 hours. I thought it was strange but since nothing like that had happened before I decided to wait and see if it would recover. Next day the offset was even worse so I manually set the correct time. However the next time I turned on the iPad, the clock was again off by mulTiple hours." MacInTouch 11:33 AM
Price Trackers/Deals
"15" MacBook Pro Prices & Current Bundles" MacPrices 8:49 AM
"13" White MacBook Prices & Current Bundles" MacPrices 8:49 AM
"Mac mini Buyer's Guide - Prices Range From $499 to $999 ... Other Extras - The Best Mac mini Prices, Reviews And Information" MacReviewZone 1:41 PM
"In The US Apple Store seven refurbished iMacs decreased price by $70 to $200 – the previous generation iMac 27-inch 2.8GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7 is now $1699, two items were restocked, 76 were unchanged, and six were Sold Out." While Supplies Last 8:19 AM
"What Weeks Of Real Usage Tells About New iPhone" ["Despite the hot-spot issue and the exposed antenna, the iPhone 4 does better than the 3GS for me in decent coverage. But I still wouldn't advise adopting it as your primary phone if you live, work or travel in areas with poor AT&T reception, or if you prefer a network under less stress."] AllThingsD 8:23 AM
"2.4GHz Mac Mini (Mid 2010) Test Results" Mac|Life 11:34 AM
"iOS vs Android vs WebOS vs Maemo: HTC Legend, Palm Pre and Nokia N900 against the iPhone" TechRadar UK 9:02 AM
"Apple Magic Trackpad: The Beginning of the End for Mac OS X" ["Its true relevance is in what it heralds: The end of Mac OS X as we know it. You are probably thinking that I'm crazy, but before explaining why this is the beginning of the end of Apple's desktop operating system as we know it, here's the review"] Gizmodo 9:33 AM
"Kindle vs. iPad: You're Both Winners" The Apple Blog 12:13 PM
"Amazon's New Kindle: Priced as an iPad Accessory?" Seeking Alpha 10:49 AM
"Mossberg: iPhone 4 the best of the super-smartphones, except for U.S. voice calls on AT&T" MacDailyNews 9:28 AM
"The iPhone 3G Hates iOS 4. It's a fact." IntoMobile 9:08 AM
"iPad Users Are 'Selfish Elitists'" TheStreet 11:09 AM
"Study: iPad owners are selfish elitists, non-owners are independent geeks" The Unofficial Apple Weblog 9:08 AM
"So is iPhone Jailbreaking Now a Good Thing?" The Tech Night Owl 8:55 AM
"Apple's Overheating Problem Boils Over" Gizmodo 8:54 AM
"Thanks for arranging my exit from Apple: This is a letter sent today to an Apple executive who will remain nameless. It was not Steve, but I thought it was worth sharing." Applepeels 8:47 AM
"5 ways Apple's Magic Trackpad could change the world" The Next Web 8:46 AM
"iPadawan - pt 12: Mobile Madness" iPadawan 8:37 AM
"Apple's iPad muscle flex: Setting the stage for a showdown with publishers?" ZDNet 8:10 AM
"Magic Trackpad + iPad = MacBook killer?" ZDNet 8:09 AM
"Phunking for a Phone: Providing further proof there really is a problem with Apple and the latest phone, John Gruber launched into a supposedly humorous piece last Thursday on why there's no need to write yet another piece about Apple and the latest phone." Rixstep 8:07 AM
"Overheating iPads bring legal fire to Apple's doorstep" ZDNet 8:02 AM
"iPhone 2G/3G/3GS/4 Reaction Comparison" The Apple Press 7:52 AM
Non-Apple
"AT&T Is Winning Its Catch-Up Race: AT&T focused on smartphones before it was cool. Before everyone else did. Many thought it was nuts. However, that is the direction the industry is now heading in, and it is paying off for AT&T." E-Commerce Times 11:34 AM
"Is Amazon's New Kindle Good Enough? Despite new features -- like a battery that lasts for a month and a slightly smaller size -- the Kindle 3 may not be cheap enough at $139." Minyanville 9:38 AM
"Facebook Mountain ('I wish I knew how to quit you'): Why abysmal customer satisfaction levels won't stop the social giant." O'Reilly Radar 8:56 AM
"Google's lax vetting allows almost any app in the Android market. Unscrupulous developers rejoice." The Small Wave 7:52 AM
"SendStuffNow app now available for iPhone, iPad" Macworld 11:34 AM
"I'd like to introduce our Just Mobile UpStand™, made of quality aluminum and precision crafted: as a museum piece of art. It is the ultimate accessory to compliment your Apple iPad." Just Mobile 10:58 AM
"Grocery iQ Now a FREE Download" Best App Site 10:47 AM
"Trans International announces memory upgrades for new iMacs" Insanely Great Mac 10:01 AM
"Microsoft's chance to show it still leads" CNNMoney 9:39 AM
"Microsoft hosts annual financial analyst meeting: Analysts trek to Redmond in hopes Microsoft will talk mobile strategy, tablets and online ads" Associated Press 10:08 AM
"Microsoft touts cloud computing customers" CNET News 10:18 AM
"Tech Feud: Informatica vs. Microsoft" TheStreet 9:40 AM
"IBM to buy Storwize for undisclosed sum: IBM said it has agreed to buy privately held data-compression company Storwize for an undisclosed sum." Associated Press [Free Registration Required] 10:45 AM
"IBM to open infrastructure lab at Carnegie Mellon: IBM to team with Carnegie Mellon University on infrastructure technology lab in Pittsburgh" Associated Press 10:04 AM
"Infineon, Intel in talks on wireless sale-sources" Reuters 10:05 AM
"Oracle Out, Google In At Berkeley Lab: 4,000 employees at DOE research facility will have new calendaring system when they show up for work Monday." InformationWeek 10:25 AM
"Tech Firms Lobby EU on Privacy" WSJ.com [Paid Membership Required] 9:46 AM
"White House proposal would ease FBI access to records of Internet activity" Washington Post [Free Registration Required] 9:57 AM
"Brotherhood of the Internet Keys: Who Are the Chosen Seven? Seven People Worldwide Hold Keys to Protect Web After Disaster" ABCNews 10:39 AM
"Facebook data harvester speaks out: The man who harvested and published the personal details of 100m Facebook users has spoken out about his motives." BBC 10:42 AM
"Google Fights Android Piracy: A new licensing service for Android apps aims to limit misuse." InformationWeek 10:26 AM
"Japan robots chat, play -- and help find lost specs" Reuters 10:24 AM
"Nintendo posts Q1 profit fall, keeps outlook" Reuters 10:09 AM
"Nintendo posts lowest Q1 profit in 5 yrs, keeps view" Reuters 10:08 AM
"Amazon Unveils New Kindle: $139 WiFi-Only Model, $189 With 3G, Available August 27th" VentureBeat [Free Registration Required] 10:22 AM
"Amazon debuts new Kindle design, with Wi-Fi only version" MarketWatch 9:53 AM
"Panasonic swings to black, plans $9.4 billion acquisition" MarketWatch 9:52 AM
"Playstation, TVs boost Sony to $294 million profit" Associated Press 10:06 AM
"Sony Swings to Profit" WSJ.com [Paid Membership Required] 9:46 AM
"Motorola 2Q earnings climb, revenue stabilizes" Associated Press 10:16 AM
"Motorola's quarterly profit surges: Android-based phones help bottom line" MarketWatch 9:53 AM
"HCL Technologies Profit Up 3.6%" WSJ.com [Paid Membership Required] 9:45 AM
"Sharp Swings Back to Profit" WSJ.com [Paid Membership Required] 9:44 AM
"RadioShack Net Rises, Reaches Deal With Wireless Provider" WSJ.com [Paid Membership Required] 9:44 AM
"IBM Acquires Storage Company Storwize for Data Compression Capabilities: Industry-unique, real-time data compression technology helps IBM clients further improve storage efficiency, reduce storage requirements up to 80%" PRNewswire-FirstCall 10:04 AM
"IBM Opens the First Multipurpose Cloud Computing Center in Poland: Helps university students design and adopt cloud technologies" PRNewswire-FirstCall 10:05 AM
"Dell and HP to Certify and Resell All Three Oracle Operating Systems -- Oracle Solaris, Oracle Enterprise Linux and Oracle VM -- on Their x86 Server Computers" Marketwire 10:10 AM
"Oracle Launches Oracle Sun Product Strategy Event Series: Worldwide Tour Highlights Best Practices for Optimizing Data Center Efficiency" Marketwire 10:09 AM
"Google cleared of wi-fi snooping: Google did not grab 'significant' personal details when collecting data from wi-fi networks, according to the UK's Information Commissioner Office (ICO)." BBC 10:42 AM
"Government departments spend £6m on search engines: Four government departments spent almost £6m ensuring their websites appeared on search engine results pages in the last two financial years, according to newly released figures." BBC 10:41 AM
"Mr. Zuckerberg goes to Washington; Facebook faces more privacy concerns" Washington Post [Free Registration Required] 9:57 AM
"Review: Hulu Plus takes television to your pocket" Associated Press 10:47 AM
"Glance: Comparison of e-reader prices" Associated Press [Free Registration Required] 10:40 AM
"Hot Summer: Gadgets That Help You Beat the Heat of Summer/Get Tips to Keep Your Tech Gadgets Functioning and Cool" ABCNews 10:38 AM
"Will you buy the $139 Kindle Wi-Fi?" CNET News 10:18 AM
"Google searches for growth: While still dominant in search, and gaining in mobile, Google's stock has been relatively flat for several years." [Video Report] Fortune 10:08 AM
"Google: The search party isover/Yes, the company is still growing at rates that would be the envy of the rest of the Fortune 500. But its core business is slowing, its stock is down, its Android mobile platform generates scant revenue, and competition (hello, Facebook) is fierce. Can Google find its footing in this brave new world?" Fortune 10:02 AM
"Videogame publishers to report tough June quarter: Activision, EA and THQ see sales declines; analysts looking to second half" MarketWatch 9:53 AM
"Best Buy to offer Clearwire 4G service" CNET News 10:18 AM
"The Next Big Tech Targets: Microsoft, Cisco, IBM and several other large tech companies are likely targeting companies that can bring digital content into the living room such as Boxee, Roku and People of Lava says Matthew Dahl, a managing director at Waller Capital." [Video Report] TheStreet 10:02 AM
"Rambus investors gleeful over big legal victory" MarketWatch 9:52 AM
"Stocks Rise on Exxon Earnings Beat" TheStreet 9:40 AM
"Stocks gain on earnings: Stocks rallied early Thursday after Exxon Mobil and others reported better-than-expected quarterly earnings and a report showed a drop in weekly jobless claims." CNNMoney 9:39 AM
"Disney, Exxon Give Stocks Firm Start" WSJ.com [Paid Membership Required] 9:47 AM
"Stocks set for early gains: U.S. stocks were set to rise Thursday, as investors attempted to shake off worries about slowing economic growth and looked to corporate earnings." CNNMoney 9:39 AM
"Asia ends mixed: Tokyo drops as Shanghai rises/Panasonic slumps on planned M&A stock issuance; AgBank raises more funds" MarketWatch 9:52 AM
"Europe Markets: European shares advance amid earnings deluge/France Telecom, Telefonica, AstraZeneca, Merck KGaA update investors" MarketWatch 9:47 AM
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