Briefly: R.E.M. at Apple Store; iMac inventories, iPhone music apps

[AppleInsider]

One of the pioneers of the alternative rock scene will play an exclusive set next week at Apple's flagship retail store in London. Meanwhile, retailers are attempting to clear out stock of current generation iMacs. And Apple will reportedly disallow third-party iPhone music apps.

R.E.M. signs on for Live From London gig

R.E.M., arguably one of the most prominent alternative rock bands of the 80's and 90's, will mark the third anniversary of Apple's "iTunes Live From London" series next week with an exclusive performance at the company's Regent Street retail store in London.

Michael Stipe and Co. will perform tracks from their new album Accelerate, due for release at the end of the month. Recordings from the show will later be released exclusively as digital downloads from the iTunes Store.

As was the case with a similar gig featuring Linkin Park at Apple's SoHo flagship shop in Manhattan last month, entry to the event will be extremely limited and not open to the general public. Instead, the show will be made privy to about 450 selected fan club members and winners of competitions run up by XFM and the Evening Standard.

The performance will take place Wednesday, March 26th at an undisclosed time (likely after hours).

Trimming iMac inventories

Several international Apple resellers are offering promotions aimed at clearing inventory of current iMacs ahead of refreshed models that will see the all-in-one desktop systems adopt the same 45-nanometer Intel mobile Penryn processors as the Mac maker's MacBook lines.

In particular, John Lewis is offering current generation iMacs with a free copy of Microsoft Office Student and Home Edition until March 29th. However, the upscale UK-based department store lists two of the three standard retail configurations as being out of stock.

Similarly, Canada-based Future Shop is promoting unusually steep discounts of between $50 and $100 Canadian dollars on the entire iMac line. The retailer held a similar sale on MacBook Pros in the weeks leading up to their most recent refresh.

iPhone's iTunes APIs not open to developers

It's being report that any functionality related to music playback on the iPhone will be off limits to third-party developers using the company's new iPhone SDK.

While the kit allows access to phone, camera, and Internet functions, all components with ties to iTunes are inaccessible, preventing developers from accessing one of the most popular features of the handset.

It's speculated that the restriction may be a means to blocking alternatives to the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store which could potentially nibble at Apple's music sales. Alternatively, it could be an unfortunate side-effect of measures aimed at stifling creation of enhancements to music functions, such as native versions of the iLike or Last.fm plug-ins, MacNN reports.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[fabsgwu]

Sounds great, but after reading about the new Nehalem processors coming from intel later this year, I'm tempted to keep on waiting for a new iMac.

edit: yes, I can wait a year... maybe.

[Kasper]

Originally Posted by fabsgwu

Sounds great, but after reading about the new Nehalem processors coming from intel later this year, I'm tempted to keep on waiting for a new iMac.

Those won't make it into an iMac until 2009. The first Nehalems will likely be high end Xeon chips which Apple could never run inside the iMac's streamlined enclosure. They're just too hot. Notebook and Desktop flavors of Nehalem aren't expected until next year.

Best,

K

[Booga]

Well, later this year when Nehalem comes out, Intel will be detailing what's in store for Spring 2009, etc. The nice thing about the move to x86 is that there is always steady progress. We're no longer in the PowerPC era when there was one big chip update a year or so, and Macs were slightly faster for a month or two then fell behind for the rest of the year.

[Novaoblivion]

Hmm well that sucks, I currently use MobileScrobbler on my jailbroken iPhone. I wonder if it will still work after the 2.0 firmware if I jailbreak?

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by fabsgwu

Sounds great, but after reading about the new Nehalem processors coming from intel later this year, I'm tempted to keep on waiting for a new iMac.

That's true.
I also hope it also gets an overhaul in looks and goes back to being a stylish trandsetter it once was when it was white and gorgeous- and as all the models before that were as well.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by Novaoblivion

Hmm well that sucks, I currently use MobileScrobbler on my jailbroken iPhone. I wonder if it will still work after the 2.0 firmware if I jailbreak?

I've been musing on whether Apple will continue to allow jailbreaks after the ver 2 software is out. Jailbreaking requires the well known security flaw in the Safari browser in the iPhone to work. While Apple has fixed a number of other security flaws in the iPhone since it came out, they have not fixed that one. That flaw is considered to be serious, as it allows malicious apps to take the device over, as indeed, the jailbreaks do.

The question is, why has apple allowed this to continue? My feeling is that they can fix this any time they want to, but haven't.

Why? Because they want the jailbreaks to continue. It gives them a good idea of what apps may be developed, how many people want apps, sells more phones, creates news, etc.

Once their own ver 2 software is out, and the SDK is producing validated apps, they likely won't need the jailbreak anymore.

So, at some point in the future, once they have co-opted most of the jailbreaking developers over to writing validated apps, they might close it down.

Once they do that, there may not be any method to get apps on the phone other than their own portal.

I know it's easy to say that another way will be found, but that may not be true. This security breach is an important one, and there may not be anything equivalent.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by teckstud

That's true.
I also hope it also gets an overhaul in looks and goes back to being a stylish trandsetter it once was when it was white and gorgeous- and as all the models before that were as well.

Oh, I surely hope it doesn't go back to that now, outdated, look. The new look is very much responsible for the large increase in sales.

[Larry767]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

...clearing inventory of current iMacs ahead of refreshed models...

Will they just be "refreshed" or have they also fixed a seemingly "widespread" problem of random shutdowns as discussed in this lengthy Apple Support forum topic?

[zanshin]

Originally Posted by melgross

Oh, I surely hope it doesn't go back to that now, outdated, look. The new look is very much responsible for the large increase in sales.

Me too. No worries, tho... SJ never goes back to an older look. Something new might pop up, but the "Apple White look" is as outdated as the Beatles White album. Side by side, the old design looks thick and clunky next to the newer version.

I just wish they would build it so the visible display area was the same exact height as the corresponding Cinema display,. I'd like an iMac and a Cinema display sitting next to each other and let my eyes go easily back and forth between screens as they do on a multi-monitor Mac Pro setup.

As for stock dwindling -- the Apple store has been running special pricing on refurb iMacs for a while now. Usually a tell-tale sign of an update coming.

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by melgross

Oh, I surely hope it doesn't go back to that now, outdated, look. The new look is very much responsible for the large increase in sales.

HAH! Yeah, especially with that white mouse that doesn't match or is it the PC looking racoon black border that frames the image?

The increase in sales is due to the Intel processor and the overall increase awareness of Apple- OS, iPhone , etc. Don't fool yourself. It could be much more improved cosmetically. This current design has not won any design awards- has it?
I never said go back to the white design, but give us something innovative once again Apple for an iMac - not an evnvironmentall friendly, rehashed, Dell-looking version of the prior white iMac.

[hezekiahb]

Apple is probably trying to protect the audio content from being streamed to other devices, which theoretically could also allow DRM protected content to be ripped from an audio stream. Course it may be a combination of all the possible outcomes but I think it is a stupid & crippling move.

A lot of apps could benefit from access to the music library, especially alarm/scheduling apps. I predict massive uproar about this will cause Apple to crumble.

[dreyfus2]

Originally Posted by teckstud

This current design has not won any design awards- has it?

Well, actually it did win one of the most prestiguos industrial design awards, the iF product design award 2008. Interestingly though: the award explanation mainly talks about the keyboard?!

I do agree with you, breaking the strict two-colour design of the white model and replacing it with this consumer TV design with non-matching keycaps, mouse and cable colours, that obscene black Apple logo and that cheap plastic back is only different, but certainly not better. Still, consumers are not designers and obviously they do like it. I could live with the new design, I cannot live with that glass screen cover. I hope Apple will either give us a matte option, or finally introduce an offer between the Mini and the Mac Pro.

[Restalot]

Little lesson in Canadian retail... MAP (Minimum Advertised Price) is illegal in Canada. I find it rather ironic that the USA, home of the ultimate free market, allows manufacturers to dictate pricing across the market while us left leaning Canadians have a true free market economy.

When I see discounts at a Canadian retailer, I don't think transition, I think "sale".

[drummerjoe]

I want Last.fm support on my Touch!

[melgross]

Originally Posted by teckstud

The increase in sales is due to the Intel processor and the overall increase awareness of Apple- OS, iPhone , etc. Don't fool yourself. It could be much more improved cosmetically. This current design has not won any design awards- has it?

No, it's not. Sales didn't pick up more than a bit until these new aluminum machines came out.

I don't know either way. I don't pay attention. Though I did read Apple won 8 design awards at CEBIT a short time go. I don't know which products they won for though. I suppose you could look it up.

I never said go back to the white design, but give us something innovative once again Apple for an iMac - not an evnvironmentally rehashed Dell looking version of the prior white iMac.

You mentioned how gorgeous it was, so it's obvious you liked it that way. I happen to prefer the new design much more.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by Restalot

Little lesson in Canadian retail... MAP (Minimum Advertised Price) is illegal in Canada. I find it rather ironic that the USA, home of the ultimate free market, allows manufacturers to dictate pricing across the market while us left leaning Canadians have a true free market economy.

When I see discounts at a Canadian retailer, I don't think transition, I think "sale".

Amazon, and other retailers, sell Apple at discount, though Apple doesn't give the margins to retailers that many other manufacturers do.

Do you prefer a system like you have there where the "list" is much higher than the wholesale price so that you THINK you are getting a bargain, when you are simply being overcharged by some stores?

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by dreyfus2

I do agree with you, breaking the strict two-colour design of the white model and replacing it with this consumer TV design with non-matching keycaps, mouse and cable colours, that obscene black Apple logo and that cheap plastic back is only different, but certainly not better. Still, consumers are not designers and obviously they do like it. I could live with the new design, I cannot live with that glass screen cover. I hope Apple will either give us a matte option, or finally introduce an offer between the Mini and the Mac Pro.

And I agree with you. I love my white Intel matte iMac. I've added the aluminum white keyboard to it and it looks amazing. I will eventually upgrade to a newer iMac someday but will never buy the current TV version. Especially when it is turned off -it is a real iSore.

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by melgross

No, it's not. Sales didn't pick up more than a bit until these new aluminum machines came out.

I don't know either way. I don't pay attention. Though I did read Apple won 8 design awards at CEBIT a short time go. I don't know which products they won for though. I suppose you could look it up.



You mentioned how gorgeous it was, so it's obvious you liked it that way. I happen to prefer the new design much more.

It is gorgeous and I do like it that way but I want to see something now that is completely different looking.
And by the way, the sales of the G3 iMacs (original) are what brought Apple the most attention not the current version. The original was completely revolutionary in its design. The current aluminum model is merely evolutionary at most.

[FlimFlamMan]

Originally Posted by dreyfus2

I hope Apple will either give us a matte option, or finally introduce an offer between the Mini and the Mac Pro.

Exactly. Needs eSata port, as do all new Macs, and I'd like to see an ExpressCard slot. Finally, I would love to see Apple create a new Bluetooth multitouch trackpad that would match their small BT keyboard. As long as we're wishin'.

[pomo]

Originally Posted by teckstud

HAH! Yeah, especially with that white mouse that doesn't match or is it the PC looking racoon black border that frames the image?

The increase in sales is due to the Intel processor and the overall increase awareness of Apple- OS, iPhone , etc. Don't fool yourself. It could be much more improved cosmetically. This current design has not won any design awards- has it?
I never said go back to the white design, but give us something innovative once again Apple for an iMac - not an evnvironmentally rehashed Dell looking version of the prior white iMac.

first off, I own an Al iMac and I honestly think that it is the best iMac yet. The colors are great and the black border does have a purpose. Our eyes capture more contrast by placing a true black border around a composition. Also, the white mouse does match the white keys and with the cables

[BigE]

Originally Posted by teckstud

That's true.
I also hope it also gets an overhaul in looks and goes back to being a stylish trandsetter it once was when it was white and gorgeous- and as all the models before that were as well.

Huh? Jonathan Ives' current aluminum design is absolutely brilliant, and its been an amazing commercial success. I've got both a G5 20" iMac and a new 24" Aluminum unit, and I VASTLY prefer the new unit. In all respects. The glass screen is outstanding, the system performs like a madman, and it is physically smaller (thinner) and more attractive than the old white G5.

I only hope that Apple continues to refine the Aluminum iMacs to be thinner and share more consistent with the developments in the laptop space, such as a keyboard with a trackpad, backlighting on the keyboard, and a substantially improved mouse offering (I've gone through three Apple mice now, and I'm done -- back to Logitech). Apple does many things well, but their mice suck bigtime.

[BigE]

Originally Posted by teckstud

That's true.
I also hope it also gets an overhaul in looks and goes back to being a stylish trandsetter it once was when it was white and gorgeous- and as all the models before that were as well.

Huh? Jonathan Ives' current aluminum design is absolutely brilliant, and its been an amazing commercial success. I've got both a G5 20" iMac and a new 24" Aluminum unit, and I VASTLY prefer the new unit. In all respects. The glass screen is outstanding, the system performs like a madman, and it is physically smaller (thinner) and more attractive than the old white G5.

I only hope that Apple continues to refine the Aluminum iMacs to be thinner and share more consistent with the developments in the laptop space, such as a keyboard with a trackpad, backlighting on the keyboard, and a substantially improved mouse offering (I've gone through three Apple mice now, and I'm done -- back to Logitech). Apple does many things well, but their mice suck bigtime.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by teckstud

It is gorgeous and I do like it that way but I want to see something now that is completely different looking.
And by the way, the sales of the G3 iMacs (original) are what brought Apple the most attention not the current version. The original was completely revolutionary in its design. The current aluminum model is merely evolutionary at most.

I do notice that you don't seem to mind the mismatched aluminum keyboard and your old white machine.

What's interesting about the original iMacs is that while written about constantly, and while many other manufacturers copied their color scheme, Apple's sales didn't increase as a result of their introduction. At most, they may have prevented a deeper slide in sales, but that was about all.

The new aluminum iMacs are overseeing a large surge in Apple desktop sales.

You can't expect a revolution every time a new model comes out.

I really do think that the in-panel computer design the iMac represents is close to the final computer design we'll see.

After all, what could be more idealized than the entire computer in the panel? I can't think of any way Apple could revolutionize the design more than that until totally new display technologies are out, such as the new holographic displays that are just now being seen.

Other than holography, which may not be practical for most computing uses, what else can Apple do?

That means varying the way the current machines look. That's about all.

[fARGINaPPLES]

Originally Posted by teckstud

-it is a real iSore.

iLaugh - hyuck hyuck hyuck!

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by pomo

first off, I own an Al iMac and I honestly think that it is the best iMac yet. The colors are great and the black border does have a purpose. Our eyes capture more contrast by placing a true black border around a composition. Also, the white mouse does match the white keys and with the cables

?? Of course you would- you own it. Do you think the laptops should have black borders around their screen also to provide more contrast?
It's still derivitive of the white iMac. The aluminum iMac was released with a completely mismatched keyboard by the way. Finally, the white mouse matches its own cable?

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by melgross

I do notice that you don't seem to mind the mismatched aluminum keyboard and your old white machine.

It's not mismatched. Its (keyboard) colour matches the pedestal of the white iMac. and the keys are white! What's mismatched?

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by melgross

I really do think that the in-panel computer design the iMac represents is close to the final computer design we'll see.

After all, what could be more idealized than the entire computer in the panel? I can't think of any way Apple could revolutionize the design more than that until totally new display technologies are out, such as the new holographic displays that are just now being seen.

Other than holography, which may not be practical for most computing uses, what else can Apple do?

That means varying the way the current machines look. That's about all.

From the Jay Leno chin to the non- height adjusting base there is a lot that could be changed. A new touch screen tablet instead of a mouse perhaps? This current iMac is far from the definitive version that we will see. I look forward to the newer designs.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by teckstud

It's not mismatched. Its (keyboard) colour matches the pedestal of the white iMac. and the keys are white! What's mismatched?

If you like it...

[melgross]

Originally Posted by teckstud

From the Jay Leno chin to the non- height adjusting base there is a lot that could be changed. A new touch screen tablet instead of a mouse perhaps? This current iMac is far from the definitive version that we will see. I look forward to the newer designs.

Those are all minor changes. There is nothing Apple can do about the design itself that wouldn't be a step backwards.

Plenty of Tv's have this chin as well. It's not exclusive to the iMac. The circuits have to go somewhere.

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by melgross

Those are all minor changes. There is nothing Apple can do about the design itself that wouldn't be a step backwards.

Plenty of Tv's have this chin as well. It's not exclusive to the iMac. The circuits have to go somewhere.

??? Why would a design change be step backwards?
What modern monitor has a chin? ???

[auxio]

Originally Posted by melgross

Jailbreaking requires the well known security flaw in the Safari browser in the iPhone to work. While Apple has fixed a number of other security flaws in the iPhone since it came out, they have not fixed that one.

Actually, there are many exploits used for jailbreaking. The Safari TIFF exploit was only one of them. And it actually was fixed with the 1.1.2 firmware update.

Here's a list of the jailbreak exploits found so far:

1) Using some powerful commands available when the phone is in restore mode. Fixed in firmware 1.1.1
2) Invalid TIFF in Safari exploit. Fixed in firmware 1.1.2
3) Creating a symbolic link from the media (writable) filesystem to main (read-only) filesystem. Fixed in firmware 1.1.2
4) Creating a device file in the media filesystem which mimics the device file for the main filesystem and allows for writing to it. Fixed in firmware 1.1.3.
5) Booting the phone from an unsigned RAM disk. This is the currently used jailbreak method.
6) Signing and installing your own pre-jailbroken firmware packages. This is the method that will be used in the future.

c'mon, things are moving fast, you need to stay up-to-date.

[GQB]

Originally Posted by auxio

c'mon, things are moving fast, you need to stay up-to-date.

Very true. And for 99.9% of users, legit SDK apps will roll over jailbreak apps like a steamroller.
But jailbreak will remain a fun hobby for a few no doubt. Have fun playing while serious programmers are making $$$$$$.

[auxio]

Originally Posted by GQB

Very true. And for 99.9% of users, legit SDK apps will roll over jailbreak apps like a steamroller.
But jailbreak will remain a fun hobby for a few no doubt. Have fun playing while serious programmers are making $$$$$$.

I lost track there, how many dollar signs in a row = happiness again? Sorry, I was too busy having fun to count.

[pomo]

Originally Posted by teckstud

?? Of course you would- you own it. Do you think the laptops should have black borders around their screen also to provide more contrast?
It's still derivitive of the white iMac. The aluminum iMac was released with a completely mismatched keyboard by the way. Finally, the white mouse matches its own cable?

I own it because I bought it, and I bought it because it is a much better design IMO . In my school, they use both, and every time I use the white ones, they feel cheap because they plastic, and the toy look is not my cup of tea. Again, IMO the Al iMac does look more professional and sleek.

In what way is the aluminum iMac mismatched with the "aluminum" keyboard BTW? The keys are white just like the mouse. And about the border, what's your point? You know what, maybe they should add black borders on their laptops, because, believe it or not, the black borders aids our eyes to compare the blacks with the blacks in the composition. This is an old and very useful illustration trick. Also, I like the cool black apple logo .

[mimizhusband]

No access to Itunes stores via SDK - If I were Apple I would do the same thing to protect the mother hen.

[JeffDM]

There's not that much to be gained to a speed bump this time around. The speed will probably go up negligibly at best, and the chips might run so slightly cooler.

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by pomo

In what way is the aluminum iMac mismatched with the "aluminum" keyboard BTW? The keys are white just like the mouse. And about the border, what's your point? You know what, maybe they should add black borders on their laptops, because, believe it or not, the black borders aids our eyes to compare the blacks with the blacks in the composition. This is an old and very useful illustration trick. Also, I like the cool black apple logo .

It's like an Apple trend to move towards a kaleidoscope of colors, there's the aluminum, black bezel and white keys, white remote, white mouse. I think it's bizarre. As much as I didn't like the color, the previous version was all white, and pretty consistent that way.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by auxio

Actually, there are many exploits used for jailbreaking. The Safari TIFF exploit was only one of them. And it actually was fixed with the 1.1.2 firmware update.

Here's a list of the jailbreak exploits found so far:

1) Using some powerful commands available when the phone is in restore mode. Fixed in firmware 1.1.1
2) Invalid TIFF in Safari exploit. Fixed in firmware 1.1.2
3) Creating a symbolic link from the media (writable) filesystem to main (read-only) filesystem. Fixed in firmware 1.1.2
4) Creating a device file in the media filesystem which mimics the device file for the main filesystem and allows for writing to it. Fixed in firmware 1.1.3.
5) Booting the phone from an unsigned RAM disk. This is the currently used jailbreak method.
6) Signing and installing your own pre-jailbroken firmware packages. This is the method that will be used in the future.

c'mon, things are moving fast, you need to stay up-to-date.

You're right, I haven't been paying muchattention to it. I just remember, not long ago, reading about the Safari problem as being the most important of those. If it's actually fixed, that's interesting.

But the phone is a fairly simple device. At some point there won't be any usable holes left. that still makes my argument about jailbreaking staying viable, true.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by JeffDM

There's not that much to be gained to a speed bump this time around. The speed will probably go up negligibly at best, and the chips might run so slightly cooler.

Possibly, we might see a better GPU, which is why I haven't bought the 24" iMacs for my wife and daughter yet.