In short: Apple & Pixar options update, CS3 Apple demos, MagSafe
Apple Inc. is offering employees affected by its stock option fiasco the opportunity to amend past options. Meanwhile, Steve Jobs has seemingly been cleared of any wrongdoing in Pixar's own stock options mess. And Adobe plans to team with several high-profile Apple retail stores for demonstrations of Creative Suite 3.0.
Apple to amend past options
In wake of its option-backdating fiasco, Apple is offering affected employees the opportunity to amend past options and receive cash payments for such eligible options in an effort to avoid tax penalties.
The Cupertino-based company made the announcement in a regulatory filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on friday, explaining that some of the misdated stock options exercised after 2005 are now subject to additional taxes.
In an ensuing email to employees, which can be seen in full at MacNN, Apple informed affected employees of an optional plan that would allow them to avoid such penalties.
The offer, which expires on April 16th, 2007, reportedly covers a mere $67,142 worth of options.
Disney clears Jobs of wrongdoing at Pixar
Meanwhile, Walt Disney on Friday announced that it found instances of stock-options backdating at Pixar before the animation studio was acquired, but concluded that no one currently associated with the Company engaged in any intentional or deliberate acts of misconduct.
The company's Audit Committee and Board said that Disney will address the additional income tax liability issues facing Pixar employees who hold such options, including participating in programs established by the IRS and the State of California to facilitate the payment of such taxes on behalf of employees.
The statement appears to clear Disney Board member and Apple chief executive Steve Jobs of any wrongdoing during his tenure atop Pixar's executive branch.
Adobe to team with Apple Retail for CS3 launch
Adobe announced late last week that it will team up with Apple to present Creative Suite 3.0 (CS3) at Apple stores in several major cities on March 28th, the day after it unveils the next-generation software suite at a gala event in New York City.
Demonstrations of CS3 performing on the latest Intel-based hardware from Apple will be held at the following Apple retail stores and times:
Apple Store, San Francisco
Wednesday, March 28
6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Apple Store, SoHo, New York
Wednesday, March 28
6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Apple Store, North Michigan Avenue, Chicago
Wednesday, March 28
6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Apple Store, Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica
Wednesday, March 28
4:00 to 5:30 p.m.
Thursday, March 29
6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
Apple Store, Regent Street, London, UK
Wednesday, March 28
6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
Thursday, March 29
6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
Quiet MagSafe refinements
An AppleInsider reader who recently had his MacBook's MagSafe Power Adapter replaced due to a frayed lead discovered that Apple has made some quiet improvements to the strength of plastic insulator where the chord meets the magnetic connector.
The above photo shows a MagSafe connector purchased with a MacBook Core Duo last May (top) and the updated adapter now shipping with newer system.
Apple to amend past options
In wake of its option-backdating fiasco, Apple is offering affected employees the opportunity to amend past options and receive cash payments for such eligible options in an effort to avoid tax penalties.
The Cupertino-based company made the announcement in a regulatory filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on friday, explaining that some of the misdated stock options exercised after 2005 are now subject to additional taxes.
In an ensuing email to employees, which can be seen in full at MacNN, Apple informed affected employees of an optional plan that would allow them to avoid such penalties.
The offer, which expires on April 16th, 2007, reportedly covers a mere $67,142 worth of options.
Disney clears Jobs of wrongdoing at Pixar
Meanwhile, Walt Disney on Friday announced that it found instances of stock-options backdating at Pixar before the animation studio was acquired, but concluded that no one currently associated with the Company engaged in any intentional or deliberate acts of misconduct.
The company's Audit Committee and Board said that Disney will address the additional income tax liability issues facing Pixar employees who hold such options, including participating in programs established by the IRS and the State of California to facilitate the payment of such taxes on behalf of employees.
The statement appears to clear Disney Board member and Apple chief executive Steve Jobs of any wrongdoing during his tenure atop Pixar's executive branch.
Adobe to team with Apple Retail for CS3 launch
Adobe announced late last week that it will team up with Apple to present Creative Suite 3.0 (CS3) at Apple stores in several major cities on March 28th, the day after it unveils the next-generation software suite at a gala event in New York City.
Demonstrations of CS3 performing on the latest Intel-based hardware from Apple will be held at the following Apple retail stores and times:
Apple Store, San Francisco
Wednesday, March 28
6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Apple Store, SoHo, New York
Wednesday, March 28
6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Apple Store, North Michigan Avenue, Chicago
Wednesday, March 28
6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Apple Store, Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica
Wednesday, March 28
4:00 to 5:30 p.m.
Thursday, March 29
6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
Apple Store, Regent Street, London, UK
Wednesday, March 28
6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
Thursday, March 29
6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
Quiet MagSafe refinements
An AppleInsider reader who recently had his MacBook's MagSafe Power Adapter replaced due to a frayed lead discovered that Apple has made some quiet improvements to the strength of plastic insulator where the chord meets the magnetic connector.
The above photo shows a MagSafe connector purchased with a MacBook Core Duo last May (top) and the updated adapter now shipping with newer system.
Comments
...where the chord meets the magnetic connector.
Thanks for the great info. But there's no H in cord.
Thanks for the great info. But there's no H in cord.
Maybe when the cables are frayed they play a little electrical tune...
Bastards.
They changed the magsafe adapter _only_ because people were too stupid not to pull the thing out directly and instead to bend it up- or downwards slightly? Wouldn't it have been cheaper to include a small paper with some illustration on how to use the thing? Pulling out straight uses much more force - and of course puts strain on those cables. *sigh*
The advertised design would appear to invite such abuse. The entire design is too delicate anyway. I've only lightly used mine and the pins on the inside wouldn't push out properly anymore such that it wouldn't charge properly. The microsprings just broke or seized.
If they made the cord such that it could disconnect from the power brick, replacing stuff like this wouldn't cost them so much.
They changed the magsafe adapter _only_ because people were too stupid not to pull the thing out directly and instead to bend it up- or downwards slightly? Wouldn't it have been cheaper to include a small paper with some illustration on how to use the thing? Pulling out straight uses much more force - and of course puts strain on those cables. *sigh*
Er, no. I had the end of a magsafe adapter fray on me, and it had nothing whatsoever to do with yanking it out at an angle.
I use my MacBook Pro day in, day out, as a laptop, on my knees. Most of the time (obviously) it's plugged in (as it doesn't yet have a 12 hour battery life). The cable is therefore hanging down, swinging about freely as I move about, all the time putting a strain on the end of the cable just past the strain reliever.
It has nothing to do with force and everything to do with constant, minute movements to the cable in normal use.
-Rolf
I use my MacBook Pro day in, day out, as a laptop, on my knees.
Forgive me for asking, but why are you on your knees while using your MBP?
Also, will the box versions be availible then? The marketing dept at work has been begging me to approve the upgrade to CS2 from CS since ~Feb and I have given a firm NO Wait for CS3 and they are a bit impatient.
They changed the magsafe adapter _only_ because people were too stupid not to pull the thing out directly and instead to bend it up- or downwards slightly? Wouldn't it have been cheaper to include a small paper with some illustration on how to use the thing? Pulling out straight uses much more force - and of course puts strain on those cables. *sigh*
Yes, because gosh forbid people use a laptop in a mobile environment where they don't have the time and space to be careful about how to plug and unplug AC power.
FWIW, Apple replaced my MagSafe connector for free, including shipping back and forth. This is a common problem and a design mistake on Apple's part, not stupidity on mine. Asking people to be more careful is one thing; requiring them to work with finicky pieces of hardware when they're under time constraints is another.
Why cant adobe do this at all apple stores?
Also, will the box versions be availible then? The marketing dept at work has been begging me to approve the upgrade to CS2 from CS since ~Feb and I have given a firm NO Wait for CS3 and they are a bit impatient.
Hasn't CS2 been available for nearly two years now? Why the sudden hurry?
Why cant adobe do this at all apple stores?
Also, will the box versions be availible then? The marketing dept at work has been begging me to approve the upgrade to CS2 from CS since ~Feb and I have given a firm NO Wait for CS3 and they are a bit impatient.
Why not just give them the beta until the final comes out? It's free! I'm sure they won't complain about that.
They changed the magsafe adapter _only_ because people were too stupid not to pull the thing out directly and instead to bend it up- or downwards slightly? Wouldn't it have been cheaper to include a small paper with some illustration on how to use the thing? Pulling out straight uses much more force - and of course puts strain on those cables. *sigh*
This just isn't the case. The cords are really complete crap. They fray and melt and fall apart all over the place.
This just isn't the case. The cords are really complete crap. They fray and melt and fall apart all over the place.
I'm wondering to myself while reading comments like this, just thinking, how is it that so many people are unlucky as they are and here I am with my MBP since Feb of last year and I'm still using the same power adapter? I'm not doing anything special. I wrap it up around the adapter itself when I take it on road trips with me. It simply can't be just me, can it?
I bought a 1.83ghz MBP when it first came out last March. I ALWAYS remove the magsafe as your supposed to, never pulling the cord. The end of it frayed where the cord met the tip of the magsafe and there were wires exposed everywhere. I took it to the Apple Store and the Genius said it was clearly neglect and there was 'no way he could do a replacement'. I talked to the manager and within 5 minutes I had a new adapter. There's definitely a defect.
You're lucky. I took mine to the Apple Store at the Glendale (California) Galleria; the manager refused to give me a replacement. They blamed me!!!
Idiots! Really, Apple you have to work on your customer service.
(and no I am, I've never pulled on the cord.)
I just got mine replaced, and had also noticed the slightly longer sleeve, though I hadn't realized that was a newsworthy development. Anyway, I treated mine well, the wire was sometimes bent during normal use but I never removed the plug by pulling it directly out (I doubt anyone does, since it's actually quite hard to do, and much more intuitive just to bend it off). My first plug lasted about 6 months; looking at this one, I expect it to last about 8 or 10. Every laptop plug I've had from Apple has died in about a year, and it's not just me, I know other people with similar problems. I don't know what design imperative makes them produce these flimsy things, but plenty of other companies seem to know how to do it right.
Wow, mine lasted a whole 8 months. It's really annoying that I had to pay out-of-pocket to get a new powercord. My previous laptop was a Dell and that ugly power cord lasted 7 years!!!