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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"Burst.com & Apple Sign Agreement in Principle to Settle Case" ["Apple agreed to pay Burst a one-time payment of $10 million cash in exchange for a non-exclusive license to Burst's patent portfolio, not including one issued U.S. patent and 3 pending U.S. patent applications related to new DVR technology. Burst agreed not to sue Apple for any future infringement of the DVR patent and any patents that might issue from the pending DVR-related applications."] Market Wire 8:18 PM
"Apple settles iPod lawsuit for $10 million: Burst.com, which had charged Apple with using four of its patents in the iPod and iTunes, will get $10 million and will make most of its patents available to Apple" IDG News Service 8:06 PM
"Apple settles iPod lawsuit for $10 million" InfoWorld 8:06 PM
"Fresh blow for exclusive Apple iPhone strategy: iPhone's German partner caves in and opens the device to rival mobile networks after a legal challenge by Vodafone" Times Online, UK 11:05 AM
"Industry attacks iPhone sales strategy" ["But the Bonn-based network operator is holding out the possibility of a claim for 'maximum' damages against DÜsseldorf-based Vodafone. At the same time, the Bundesnetzagentur, which regulates among other things the telecommunications sector, is examining a complaint from service provider Debitel, which thinks the sales strategy represents a breach of the licensing conditions for network operators."] heise online 9:21 AM
"Vodafone scuppers T-Mobile's iPhone deal: Apple has been forced to release a version of the iPhone in Germany that is not locked into a specific network or contract, scuppering its exclusive deal with Deutsche Telekom's T-Mobile." Telegraph 7:45 AM
"IPhone Must Be Offered Without Contract Restrictions, German Court Rules" New York Times 8:20 AM
"T-Mobile Offers IPhone Without Contract: Germany's T-Mobile to Offer IPhone Without Contract to Comply With Court Order" ["T-Mobile will start selling the phone for 999 euros ($1,477) immediately as well as continuing to offer it for the discounted 399 euros ($590) in combination with a two-year contract, the company said in a press release."] Associated Press 7:34 AM
"T-Mobile Changes IPhone Sale Terms After Court Ruling" ["T-Mobile backed down after Newbury, England-based Vodafone, the world's largest mobile-phone company, won a preliminary injunction from a German court that bans T-Mobile from selling the iPhone only with two-year contracts or with software that works exclusively on its wireless network."] Bloomberg 7:35 AM
"T-Mobile to respond to German iPhone injunction" Reuters 7:36 AM
"iPhone roll-out in Europe trickier than thought" FT.com 8:16 PM
"Apple iPhone Hits Snag in Europe: German Court Requests Changes in Sales Tactics From Partner T-Mobile" WSJ.com 7:34 AM
"T-Mobile Germany reveals €1,000 iPhone: German mobile operator complies with court order by offering unlocked Apple handset, without contract." Total Telecom 7:44 AM
"T-Mobile unlocks iPhone, charges €999" Reg Hardware 8:21 AM
"Debitel Wants to Offer iPhone Call Package on German Market" Dow Jones 4:18 PM
"Are Apple & O2 changing the subscription model?" SMS Text News 8:15 AM
"Apple on track to sell 25 million iPods this quarter" AppleInsider 12:49 PM
"Judge Nixes Apple Option-Backdating Suit: Apple may now be closer to clearing charges stemming from its post-dating of stock options, following a federal judge's dismissal this week of a lawsuit against the company." InternetNews.com 2:15 PM
"Shareholders' attorneys may refile backdating claims against Apple" San Jose Mercury News 8:11 AM
"Shareholders to Refile Claims in Apple Options Case" Associated Press 8:27 PM
"UK Princesshay Apple Store Opens Nov 24: Apple's thirteenth retail store in the U.K. is scheduled to open on Saturday, November 24. The Princesshay Apple Store in Exeter will open its doors at 9AM and will include the usual amenities like a Genius Bar and Personal Shopping." The Mac Observer 11:20 AM
Mac Memory and Hard Drives: MacBook Pro Memory 8GB kits $295.99! iMac Memory 4GB DDR Kits for $109.99! Mac Pro Memory 8GB Kits for $289.99! Mac Hard Drives 1TB Seagate SATA II for $94.99! Click Here!
"Perfecting perfection: Mac OSX Leopard, part 1/Apple's new operating system challenges users and developers to explore new and better ways of working" ["Apple's secret, which is no secret to Mac users, is that major OS X releases deliver tangible value far in excess of their asking price"] InfoWorld 8:16 AM
"Apple's Leopard Gobbles Up Batteries, Users Complain: Users that have upgraded to Leopard say they are only getting two hours of battery life per charge instead of three." InformationWeek 10:35 AM
"Mac quarantine bug returns in Leopard: Mac OS X includes a mechanism that's supposed to warn users before they execute files downloaded from the Internet, but the reappearance in Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard leaves systems vulnerable to Trojan attachments received in Mail." iTWire 6:32 PM
"Email flaw comes back from the dead in Leopard: The flaw, which could allow attackers to disguise malicious file attachments, was left open in last month's release of Mac OS X 10.5, says security company" Computerworld New Zealand 8:11 PM
"Leopard file download security flaw discovered" Macworld 11:07 AM
"Leopard quarantine bug discovered" MacNN 10:34 AM
"QuarkXpress update supports Leopard and Vista: Working closely with Apple, Quark has already upgraded XPress for Mac OS X 10.5" Macworld UK 8:09 AM
AppleCare/Troubleshooting
"Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard): UI stutters and USB problems" Betalogue 2:16 PM
"Mail 3.1: Replying removes text colour from message in message list" Betalogue 1:59 PM
"We have updated today's Leopard reader reports, which include the latest tips and experiences regarding security, compatibility, Time Machine, features (and misfeatures), bugs, fixes and more." MacInTouch 1:56 PM
"CTGradient and the Landed Gentry of Mac Development™" Rixstep 2:05 PM
"Leopard out, Tiger back in: I just downgraded from Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard to the previous release, Tiger. I'd had enough of a recurring glitch that left me looking at the spinning Beach Ball of Death right after Finder starts loading. The only way out: force the computer to power-down." Reg Hardware 9:44 AM
"Through Remote Buddy's menu, you have direct access to your local or shared iTunes® music library, iPhoto®-albums, VIDEO_TS folders found through Spotlight#153; via the movie library as well as your recordings and channels in EyeTV." IOSPIRIT GmbH 10:45 PM
"Apple Banners Go Viral, Then Crash" Adweek 8:20 PM
"Plucking the Fruits of Apple Accessories: Makers of cases and adapters must hustle when Steve Jobs unveils another new product. Still, the near-$1 billion market makes it worth the stress" BusinessWeek 7:34 AM
"id Software co-founder criticizes Apple stance on iPhone games" AppleInsider 8:09 PM
"Apple readies for the Holidays." ["photo"] LoopRumors 10:17 AM
"This Day in Apple History/November 21, 2005: Apple Announces Long-Term Supply Agreements for Flash Memory" AppleMatters 8:59 AM
Non-Apple News
"Firefox 2 Security Update Coming: The fix addresses a Java Archive handling bug that could allow a malicious attacker to hide exploit code in a .jar file." InformationWeek 3:25 PM
"Web Offers Myriad Choices For Holiday Cards" Reuters 3:20 PM
"Indiana University grabs Bandwidth Challenge crown" Network World 1:19 PM
"Spam Traveling with .SCR File Attachments, Trojans in Tow" eWeek 11:59 AM
"Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Zune in high demand this holiday season -- but there aren't enough to go around" St. Paul Pioneer Press 11:35 AM
"New Hitachi robot rolls around, crashes" Associated Press 11:30 AM
"Google serves up surprise password cracking function" The Register 11:13 AM
"PlayStation Store comes to the PC" vnunet.com 11:10 AM
"When Every Day Feels Like Black Friday: There's Cyber Monday, Super Saturday; Wal-Mart Even Seeks 48-Hour Day" Washington Post 10:33 AM
"Verizon Adds FlipShot Cell Phone With Photo Features: The FlipShot has a built-in 3.0-megapixel camera with digital zoom, camcorder, and a rotating display." InformationWeek 10:24 AM
"MTV's new music game set to rock music industry" Reuters 10:01 AM
"Big Content asks presidential candidates for more restrictive copyright laws" Ars Technica 9:44 AM
Publications
"YML Archives - Leopard Missing Manual, Kindle eBook & a SignedEvolve!" Your Mac Life 11:49 PM
"Podcast #119: The second part of 7 days with Leopard; some international IT news, hints, ugprades and other new software" eXtensions 7:16 AM
"More Evidence Apple Readying Itunes Video Rentals" ["Appleflix"] Delphene 10:31 PM
"MacBook, MacBook Pro owners suffer keyboard freezing with Leopard: Some users of Apple's Intel-based portables are reporting that their keyboards are periodically seizing up during use, especially after upgrading to Mac OS X Leopard." AppleInsider 8:57 AM
"Macbooks turned into useless bricks" The Inquirer 8:20 AM
"Fry's ad claims $800 new iMac for Black Friday" Electronista 2:16 PM
"Get Black Friday Deals on 'New' Macs 24/7" PBCentral.com 9:40 AM
"MacBook - more on magnets, battery issues" MacInTouch 1:55 PM
Price Trackers/Deals
"starQuiz X: Buy at a 50% discount. Promo runs today only." MacUpdate Promo 7:14 AM
"Apple offers refurb Macs, $5 gift wrap" MacNN 7:46 PM
"In The US Apple Store 10 were restocked including six refurbished MacBooks under $949, 40 were unchanged, and six were sold out." While Supplies Last 7:13 AM
"17 MacBook Pro Prices & Current Bundles" MacPrices 9:13 AM
"15 MacBook Pro Prices & Current Bundles" MacPrices 9:13 AM
"13 MacBook Prices & Current Bundles" MacPrices 9:13 AM
"MacBook Pro Refurbished Deals -Save Up To $600" MacReviewZone 10:06 AM
"Apple Refurbished Product Watch -$70 To $1,800 Off Apple Products -1 Year Warranties.... iMac $550 Off" MacReviewZone 9:34 AM
"iPod DealZone -40GB iPods $130" MacReviewZone 11:56 AM
"When is the Apple iPhone Coming to Canada?" SEOspace 4:24 PM
"Europe faults Apple for 'anticompetitive' iPhone deals: At issue are laws that bar companies from 'tying' – requiring consumers who buy one product to buy another." Everything 3:59 PM
"To Apple Marketing: We have had enough!" SolSie 11:20 AM
"iTunes apparently thinks I'm a drag" MacUser 11:07 AM
"Can Dell Meet or Beat Apple's iMac?" NewsFactor 10:35 AM
"Mac 1 - a new world: After a long wait, my journey into the world of Apple Macintosh began today when the agonizingly slow courier service delivered my MacBook Pro, which I ordered on eBay over 2 weeks ago, and which was shipped one week ago." Baggas' Blog 9:41 AM
"Apple's iPhone running into European roadblocks" Blogging Stocks 9:44 AM
"Unlocked iPhones - a smart strategy?" Macworld UK 9:42 AM
"In an iPhone-enlightened world, Kindle has an obvious flaw" Craig Hunter 7:44 AM
"Apple iPod vs. Amazon Kindle: An Examination of Lock-In." The Small Wave 7:18 AM
Non-Apple
"Google U.S. Web search share jumps to 58.5 %" Reuters 3:57 PM
"At your fingertips: Passwords to the past/Computer passwords could soon be a thing of the past. Rebecca Armstrong gives the thumbs up to the latest security gadgets" The Independent 3:52 PM
"Gobble gobble: Biggest turkeys of 2007" InfoWorld 3:45 PM
"Is e-mail dead? Hardly: Analysts predict e-mail accounts will continue to grow even as instant messaging, texting, and social networking sites gain in popularity" Computerworld 3:43 PM
"Review: Firefox 3 Beta 1 -- Packed With New Features And Rock Solid: Firefox 3 Beta 1 sports usability enhancements that make it a big step forward over previous versions. It's proven stable enough to use as a production browser -- on some machines. On other machines, it's a pig." InformationWeek 3:23 PM
"Review: Amazon Reader Needs More Juice" Associated Press 2:57 PM
"High-Tech Thanksgiving: Upgrade your holidays with the best tech for capturing memories, entertaining dinner-party guests, and watching parades and football." PC Magazine 11:57 AM
"No Excuses: a Wire-Free Way to Upload Photos: Wi-Fi Device Transfers Digital Shots to PCs And Sites Automatically" WSJ.com 11:05 AM
"What We're Thankful For, Game|Life East Edition" Wired Blogs 10:57 AM
"U.S. Mobile Phone Sales Are Surging; Up 47% In 3Q" InformationWeek 10:24 AM
"Amazon 'Kindles' readers' imagination: Amazon's newest offering is more than an e-book reader: it's a bold step into our increasingly mobile future, argues Fortune's David Kirkpatrick." Fortune 9:39 AM
"TUNEWEAR announces three new versions of their popular ICEWEAR high-density silicone case, compatible with iPod nano, iPod classic and iPod touch. The suggested prices range from $19.95 to $29.95 (US SRP)." TUNEWEAR 2:54 PM
"Square mouse ditches scrollwheel in favor of touch-scroll sensor" Coolest Gadgets 11:21 AM
"Vera Bradley Fashion Laptop Cases" Applelinks 8:36 AM
"Macworld Best of Show details announced" Macworld 8:06 AM
"FirmTek Releases Leopard-compatible Firmware" HardMac 8:04 AM
"Free video tutorials get iPod, iPhone and AppleTV support. An eductional foundation raising money for victims of domestic violence has introduced Apple-friendliness for Mac and Windows users" Macworld UK 7:36 AM
"It's baa-acck... Dancing flower returns with iPod feature" Shiny Shiny 7:35 AM
"Leopard Missing Manual, Kindle eBook & a Signed Evolve!" Your Mac Life 7:19 AM
"Macfun.com Relaunched, Free Copy of 3D Hearts Deluxe for Download" MacFun 11:55 AM
"Relaunch of Macfun.com, free copy of 3D Hearts Deluxe" prMac 7:16 AM
"Paul Kent Explains Why 'More' is the Word for Macworld Conference & Expo 2008" MacVoices 7:14 AM
"Where Ecological and Economical Meet: Michael Dell and Mark Hurd aren't big on save-the-planet rhetoric, but the bosses of Dell Inc. and Hewlett-Packard Co., respectively, are excited about their newest computers' energy savings." WSJ.com 11:04 AM
"Strong HP results raises bar for Dell" Reuters 9:57 AM
"Will Sun Shine Again? Sun appears to be just dripping with innovation, openness and a willingness to partner. Unfortunately, innovation hasn't equated to sales. Can the company rebound?" Network Computing 3:25 PM
"When is Java not Java? Google's cunning plan to bypass the Java license might not be cunning enough, depending on how Sun decides to play it and if they see Android as a significant threat to their Java revenues." The Register 11:15 AM
"One year later: Did Vista's focus on security pay off? Some analysts think Microsoft overemphasized the security upgrades in Vista, which were not enough to convince businesses to adopt the OS" IDG News Service 3:45 PM
"Researchers blast Vista Service Pack 1: Study claims update will provide little speed enhancement" vnunet.com 11:09 AM
"Second Windows Home Server update to hit November 27" ZDNet 3:37 PM
"IBM Adds .NET Interface To Java Server" InternetNews.com 1:42 PM
"Intel Share Price Expected to Fall on Analyst Concerns About Stock Value" Associated Press 9:55 AM
"Best and Worst Consumer Electronics, 2007: Winners were clear in the music player and game console categories, but the dust has yet to settle in the fight over PC-to-TV and next-gen DVD technology" BusinessWeek 10:02 AM
"Web Services Get GPL License: New tools for software-as-service apps are based on the latest version of GNU." IDG News Service 11:54 AM
"Linux legal team sues over GPL violations: The Software Freedom Law Center said it has filed suit against two companies for allegedly violating the General Public License, which covers usage of Linux and thousands of other free and open-source products." CNET News.com 10:37 AM
"Free Software Group Files Copyright Lawsuits: The Software Freedom Law Center claims developers distribute open-source software without proper license." IDG News Service 11:55 AM
"Chip Design Flaw Could Subvert Encryption: Following news that RSA's Adi Shamir said that a processor design flaw could lead to millions of PCs being attacked simultaneously, Andrew Storms, director of security operations for nCircle Network Security, downplayed the threat. The cryptographic attack that Adi Shamir postulated is 'still in a theoretical stage,' he said." CIO Today 12:05 PM
"IBM Blue Gene Supercomputers Top New List of Energy-Efficient Systems: Green500 List Awards Blue Gene 26 of the Top 27 Spots" Market Wire 2:49 PM
"Tech Firms Seek Larger Lobbying Clout: Proposed Merger of Trade Groups Should Raise Tech Industry's Influence on Capitol Hill" Associated Press 7:18 PM
"Court upholds $1 billion award to Motorola: Federal appeals court rejects Turkish family's arguments that punitive damages in fraud case constituted an 'economic death sentence.'" Dow Jones/AP 6:43 PM
"U.S. Court Upholds $1 Billion Award For Motorola: A U.S. appeals court upheld a $1 billion punitive damages award to Motorola against the Uzan family of Turkey Wednesday." Reuters 3:50 PM
"U.S. Panel Urges FCC To Cap Rural Phone Subsidies: A government advisory panel recommended that some of the funds to be used for promoting broadband service." Reuters 3:48 PM
"Qualcomm wins a round in patent battles with Nokia" Reuters 3:09 PM
"Info chief demands criminal charges for data breaches: Brown lets him carry out spot checks" The Register 11:13 AM
"British Government Apologizes For Massive Security Breach: Two Lost Computer Disks Contained Personal Details of 25 Million Citizens" Associated Press 11:06 AM
"Government 'bang to rights' over HMRC fiasco: The Information Commissioner's Office has said that, on the facts known, the UK government is 'bang to rights' over the loss of 25 million personal records." ZDNet UK 10:35 AM
"Lawmakers Attack Video Game Ratings, Seek Review: The lawmakers cite a psychologist who claims Nintendo's Wii and Manhunt 2 combine to teach players the behavioral sequence of killing." InformationWeek 10:25 AM
"Google-DoubleClick: Tough sell in EU" CNET News.com 10:14 AM
"Wall Street Pounded Again: Stocks closed sharply to the downside Wednesday as a session that had been weak all along took a decided turn for the worse in the final minutes of trading." TheStreet.com 6:52 PM
"Dow at 7-month low: Blue chips close at lowest point since April on worries about mortgage and credit markets and the surge in oil prices. Markets closed for Thanksgiving." CNNMoney 3:58 PM
"Nasdaq Falls 1.3% in Broad Selloff" WSJ.com 6:49 PM
"Tech stocks sell off with broader market: Technology stocks skidded in early trading Wednesday, taking their cue from a broad market sell-off that was sparked by continuing economic fears tied to record-high oil prices and a weakening dollar." MarketWatch 9:57 AM
"Stocks Tumble Across Asia: The surging cost of yen and oil destabilized Asian markets in trading on Wednesday, with all the key indices ending deep in the red." TheStreet.com 6:50 PM
"Asia Markets: Asian declines on Wall Street sell-off/Asian markets extended declines in early trade Thursday following Wall Street's sell-off, with Japan's main index hitting its lowest level in 16 months as a strengthened yen and high oil prices continued to weigh on auto exporters such as Honda Motor Co. and Toyota Motor Corp." MarketWatch 6:49 PM
"Europe Markets: Fourth loss in five sessions for Europe/Autos decline as crude price spikes; Ericsson's warning hurts techs" MarketWatch 9:50 AM
MacSurfer Headline News Staff
Publisher & Editor-in-Chief: P. Pearson
Managing & Weekday Editor: D. Mahaffy
Evening Editors: S. Siegling and
D. Mahaffy
Weekend Editors: S. Siegling and
D. Mahaffy
CEO: T. Jefferson
CFO: K. Midas
Editor Emeritus: W. Shakespeare
Writers Emeritus: W. Lewis, R. Chandler, W. Morris, G. Simenon, C. Vallejo, F. Garcia Lorca,
P. White, R. Adams, P. Valery, C. Aiken, R. Bradbury, F. Pessoa, S. Bellow, F. O'Connor
Art Directors: V. Van Gogh, C. Monet
Advertising Managers: C. Chaplin, H. Marx
Public Relations Firm: Bits & Bytes
Bomb Squad: Type 11 Errors
Chief Scientists: I. Asimov, S. Hawking
Road Crew: R. Petty, J. Cooper
Mechanics: Tom and Ray
Fishing Crew: A. Lindner, D. Stange, K. VanDam
Head Chef: Mom
Head Travel Guru: D. Pearson
Whipping Boys: B. Gates, S. Jobs
Mascots: Cyberdog, Clarus the Dogcow
General Counsel: #%@*$$$$!
Mac Memory and Hard Drives:
Deal Brothers Daily Deal: 
