Apple sued over MacBook displays

A class action lawsuit has been filed against Apple alleging false advertising of the technical specification on the MacBook and MacBook Pro displays.

The allegation is that Apple is using a 6-bit display only technically capable of displaying 262,144 colors and mot the "millions of colors" they claim on their web site.

The suit claims Apple uses a "dithering" technique in software to fool the eye into perceiving millions of colors.

6-bit displays offer better performance by offering faster refresh times at a lower price. Faster refresh rates are better for smoother video.

The complaint is that in some situations the images on the MacBook's display will appear grainy or "sparkly".

Users are using an Apple called LCDTest to confirm the quality (or lack of quality) of the displays.

LCDTest

Engadget caught up in iPhone/Leopard rumor debacle

Last week Engadget, citing a supposedly internal Apple Email, reported on and then quickly retracted a story of an iPhone/ Leopard delay.

In the memo it started that the iPhone launch had been pushed back to October and that Leopard was delayed further to January 2008.

I received information from an unconfirmed source that an AppleCare rep reported receiving the email internally at Apple.

On reporting of the news Apple's stock price dropped $5.00 a share, and then quickly rebounded with the retraction and news of FCC approval for the device.

Depending on the source there are reports that Apple spokesmen flat out deny the email originated inside Apple or that the email was sent erroneously and retracted. In all cases spokesmen emphatically state that both products are on track for their respective launches, June for iPhone, October for Leopard.

Now because of the timing there are some who think this may have been a scheme by an employee inside Apple to manipulate the stock price in advance of the FCC announcement.

McCartney catalog goes digital, but not on iTunes

Paul McCartney's entire music catalog was made available for sale on several online music stores on Tuesday (Rhapsody, Napster, Zune Marketplace), but did not show up on iTunes.

We do know McCartney has a deal with iTunes, so what's the hold up? McCartney's tracks are published by EMI and EMI and Apple are going DRM free soon, so possibly Apple is waiting to launch the two together?

AT&T Leak raises iPhone pricing questions

MacNN is reporting on a story about a leaked AT&T Product Code list for the iPhone

In it it shows the iPhone being offered with 3 different plan options, subscription-only service as well as the Go Phone Pick Your Plan (hybrid) and Pay As You Go (prepaid-only) .

To date Apple and AT&T have only said the iPhone would be priced starting at USD$499.00 with a 2-year service contract.

I personally wonder if that price might end up being for the unsubsidized phone and then you can select the type of plan you want. $499.00 might actually be cheap, but if Apple can pull it off it may drive sales.

There will for sure be a shortage of iPhones at launch. Rumors say Hon Hai is already having trouble getting enough components.

Rushing to re-brand 1,800 Cinular stores under the At&T brand. Want iPhone and it's success to be associated with the AT&T brand.

Company spokesman Michael Coe said, "We want to make sure that every drop of equity from the iPhone accrues to the AT&T brand. We want to be as far along as possible with our re-branding in advance of the launch of the iPhone." Smart move.

Apple has already changed the iPhone software (or at least the images). Latest ones on Apple's site display an AT&T logo in the upper right near the Signal bars. This originally was Cingular.

Apple plans one more 10.4 update?

ThinkSecret is reporting that Apple has seeded a build of 10.4.10 to developers

The update fixes issues with mds and network home directories, and an issue with the BSD Kernel. In addition, the PowerPC build corrects a problem with JavaScriptCore.

The update was likely added to fix issues and bugs in the current OS in light of the Leopard delay

Typically Apple continues security updates for the last 2 OSes.

Security Update 2007-005

Keeping with it's one a month track record

This update addresses issues with Alias Manager, BIND, CoreGraphics, crontabs, fetchmail, file, iChat, mDNSResponder, PPP, ruby, screen, texinfo, and VPN.

It is recommended for all users PPC and Intel based Macs running OS X 10.3.9 (Panther) Client and Server as well as Mac OS X 10.4.9 (Tiger) Client and Server.

Available via Software Update or on the downloads area of Apple's support web site

Security Update 2007-005

AppleInsider predicts the death of the Mini

In an opinion piece on Apple Insider Kasper Jade proclaims the Mac Mini Dead

Reasons, few updates (only 4 so far), the introduction of the Apple TV as a lower cost media hub, underpowered Core Duo processors.

Apple TV with Laptops

Matthew wanted advice on how syncing and streaming works when the CPU is not available or in use.

Computer must be on and not sleeping, also iTunes must be running.

The exception in the CPU that you use to sync.

For syncing, the inital sync is pretty intensive, but after that it should only be updated content, like an iPod.

Streaming seems to not have much impact on host machine, at least I haven't noticed any.

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Convert videos to superior quality H.264 files with amazing speed, with the turbo.264 from Elgato

Early reviews seem to confirm Elgato's claims. The Register saw encode time drop to 1/2 to 1/3 the time on an Intel MacBook Pro Core Duo.

Pure H.264 conversion, great for older Macs, USD$99.00

Is Apple TV the sleeper product of 2007

AppleTv seems to be the product that developers forgot.

Lot of focus and attention on the iPhone, but meanwhile thousands of Apple TVs have made their way into living rooms all over the world.

The AppleTV almost limitless development potential

On the network and offers access to client/server, internet and web service apps. I would love to see it communicate with Delicious Library so I can look up DVDs in my collection. Better yet, that could be tied to a link to the Video_TS on my SAN and then play it streamed to my AppleTV.

One more thing on Save options

Last week I gave the tip about using the triangle to enable more options in the save dialog box.

I forgot, and Chris reminded me, that the same dialog also has a search box that invokes the power of Spotlight (returning just directories).

More ways to do QT full screen

Daniel points out that you can put them in iTunes. Adds full screen and organization.

Listener Hugh uses the Apple Quicktime FS

QuickTimeFS

Listener Kristen uses the QuickTime Full Screen Dashboard widget

QuickTime Fullscreen Widget

Both these you start playing the movie and the use the software to activate full screen mode

Robert created an easy Automator using the QuickTime Play Movies item, selecting full screen from the playback drop-down list and saving it as an app. Only works for .MOV files.

Importing in iPhoto

Andrew was migrating from PC to Mac and has a 3,000 photo library organized in folders (year, country, city, place/event), since he travels a lot.

The bigger issue was that his camera date had not been set, so iPhoto didn't sort them properly by date.

Wanted to bring them into iPhoto and maintain the organization

Drag each folder into the iPhoto into the "album" area under the Library section. This will add the photos to a new Album with the same name as the folder name.

iPhoto uses the EXIF date on the image to initially set it's date. After that it uses internal data. Once you have the albums you can use the Photos-->Batch Change... option to change the dates on all selected photos. This does NOT change the EXIF data.

To edit EXIF data directly try Reveal

Reveal (EXIF editor)

Some options for adding location/event data to your photos

Geotag them using Google Earth and Geotagger

Geotagger

Find the location on Google Earth and then drag the photo onto geotagger. Then add the photo to iPhoto.

Add keywords with iPhoto Keyword Assistant

iPhoto Keyword Assistant

Consider using Memory Miner

Memory Miner

Best way to organize photos by time, place, location

Integrates with your iPhoto (doesn't copy library)

Integrates with Google Maps, identify people in photos, associations, geneology, etc.

Cost USD$45.00 and worth every penny.