A plethora of Apple patents

The U.S. Patent & Trademark Office has published numerous patents from Apple

Covering everything from embedding a movie within a movie to podcasting

Apparatus and method for storing a movie within a movie

Virtualization of graphics resources

Managing a calendar and a computer system

User interface for accessing presentations

And 3 podcast related patents

Acquisition, management and synchronization of podcasts

Techniques and systems for supporting podcasting

Utilization of podcasts on portable media devices (Zune beware)

Apple slip enables extra International iTunes Store content

Apple mistakenly enabled 'TV show,' 'music video,' and 'movie' categories that appeared in the 'podcast' sub-menu of 14 international iTunes Music Stores .

UK to decriminalize FM transmitter use

After December 8th you will no longer be breaking the law by using that iTrip (or other FM Transmitter) with your iPod

Currently in the UK low-power radio transmitters are illegal to use under the Wireless Telegraphy Act of 1949.

The BBC says "strong consumer demand" was the biggest factor in amending the law.

I am not a big fan of FM transmitters as in populated cities (like LA and I assume London) it is hard to find an open FM frequency.

I use a tape adapter, 1/8" jacks and iPod connector are in 70% of new cars in the US. Can have them added for a modest fee or DIY with parts from RadioShack.

Beatles on iTunes soon?

Fortune magazine is reporting that Apple and Apple may be close to sealing a deal. Despite the fact that Apple Corps recently lost a legal battle over the Apple logos use in selling iTunes Music forcing them to pay Apple Computer approx.. £2 million in legal fees.

This follows reports from EMI group a couple weeks ago that the Beatles music would be soon available for digital download.

The Apple Beatles deal would reported also include Apple or iPod TV ads using Beatles music and possibly a special edition Beatles branded iPod

It is no secret that Jobs is a Beatles fan

Will we see an Apple tablet in 2007?

Smarthouse in Australia is reporting that Apple has a working prototype in their labs and is costing it out to manufacturers in Taiwan

Basically a touch screen that links to various source devices including a brand new media centre that Apple is planning to launch next year (iTV?)

What is interesting here is that while the article says it will have "full blown" PC features, it is focusing more on the device as a supplemental system to 3rd party applications, like home automation, home entertainment, etc.

Would have a docking station with HDMI connections and integrate with a new Apple Wireless Hi Fi speaker system.

I like the thought of a supplemental "pad" (yes like Star Trek) with an OS, a few 20-30GB of flash storage. Can control iTunes, FrontRow, iTV, etc. Applications like iChat, Apple Mail, Skype, etc. Instead of carrying my laptop around the house. A "thin Mac" literally and functionally.

New Mac holiday ads running

Started running this week on US TV

Justin Long is in them

Veronica Belmont does appreciate all those who nominated her to replace Justin. Play clip from Buzz Out Loud (11-15-2006).

Buzz Out Loud

"Gift Exchange", "Meant for Work" and "Sales Pitch"

C++ GUI Programming Guide/ iPhoto Book

Buy a PC. Mac sales are brisk.

PC is being used by kids and hates it. Just wants to work. (good angle here) PC at work Mac at home.

They are available for viewing on the US Apple web site

Holiday Mac Ads

Proof of Concept Ad-ware finds its way into OS X

It was only a matter of time. F-Secure in Finland is reporting on iAdware, a proof of concept ad-ware that targets the Mac

iAdware

Seems to install something into the System Library that can attach itself to applications and launch your web browser when you use your apps.

According to the report it does not require administrative access to install into your user account. If it did have admin access it could potentially install to all user accounts (don't run admin).

Now, almost all OS X applications install items into the System Library after you authenticate the installer. Once you authenticate So you need to trust the app you are installing. This isn't anything new.

F-Secure feels Apple should prompt you when items are being added to the System Library by an installer.

Two libraries. I assume this can only install into the main one once it has been granted access.

There are a couple of new exploits for Firefox and Safari to attempt to phish for passwords.

Make fake logins on sites like MySpace where you can control HTML

Firefox, hidden fields + autofill, Safari fields sized to 0 + auto fill.

French find another OS Flaw. FiRST, the sam ones who discovered the DMG memory corruption error, now report a flaw an error in the "kevent()" [kern/kern_event.c] function.

This could be used by local unprivileged user to panic a vulnerable system.

The exploit is low risk, but exists in OS 10.4.8 and prior

For those becoming concerned with the growing proof of concept exploits, Avast!! antivirus is coming to Mac and looking for beta testers

Avast Anti-virus

Security Update 2006-007 released and it's loaded

Fixes for AirPort, Apple Type Services, CFNetwork, ClamAV, Finder, ftpd, gnuzip, Installer, OpenSSL, perl, PHP, PPP, Samba, Security Framework, VPN, and WebKit

Apple leaks iPod dock-able keyboard?

Think Secret is reporting that possibly as many as 10 customers on the East Coast may have received a new, as yet unreleased, Apple keyboard in a Service snafu?

The report says the customer were sent replacement Apple keyboards with built-in iPod Docks

What doesn't smell right about this

Why would Apple repair depots have these when they haven't even hit shelves

Apple reportedly recovered all unit and made customers sign NDAs to get regular replacement keyboards. Why would you send yours back?

How did an image not leak out? I would have had a pict up on Flickr 2 seconds after opening the box.

Using a Zune with a Mac

Let the hacking begin.

A post on MacDevCenter reveals that you can use WentNet’s open-source XNJB utility (a project originally designed to access the Creative Nomad) to view the contents of a ZUNE connected to the Mac.

XNJB Utility

The Zune uses Microsoft’s Media Transfer Protocol. So viewing the content is all you can do.

The Zune will not allow non-host computers to download data off the unit (there are PC hacks to mount the Zune as a device on a host PC to transfer data).

The Zune treats all computers other than the original host as hostile entities and will not allow access to the Zune data without a total reformat/rehost. (does that mean the Zune can only connect to one PC at a time?)

Listener MacPro review

Play review from Matt

There is one theory that the WPA encryption and/or WEP may be the issue on the MacPro. Can quickly test it by turning it off. Obviously don't want to run that way. If you do 'Create a closed network' in the AirPort tab of the AirPort Admin Utility (turn of SSID) and then also set up a MAC address table. Add MAc addresses under the Access Control --> Airport ID list.

Reset the Firewire Port

1. Shut down the computer.

2. Disconnect all FireWire devices and all other cables, except the keyboard and mouse cable(s).

3. Disconnect the computer from the power outlet and wait for 3 to 5 minutes.

4. Plug the computer back in and turn it on.

5. Reconnect the FireWire device(s) (one at a time if there is more than one) and test. Test with each FireWire port if you have more than one.

Next MacCast: Resolution Independence. The good, the bad, the really ugly.

Will discuss on next show

Feedback?

What's an iMix?

Several people have asked me about iMixes on iTunes

It is public playlist sharing in iTunes. Kinda like creating mix tapes.

An iMix is a "playlist" submitted by users to iTunes. And made available in a special iMix section on the iTunes Store. In the "Music" section under "More in Music" category on the left.

To make your own iMix

Create a playlist in iTunes 6.0 or higher.

Click the arrow next to the playlist name or select "Create an iMix..." from the File menu (note you can also give your playlist as a Gift).

Enter a title and description for your iMix. Many people "theme" their iMixes. You also have the option to make it a "Sport iMix" for use with the Nike+iPod

Publish.

Once in iTunes others can view and rate your iMix.

You can also use the tell a friend (email) and Publish to Web features to share the iMix. Publish to web gives you code you can place on your web site. mySpace, etc. It also has an RSS link if you want to track your own or other iMixes and get updates if they change.

You can access and manage your iMixes from your account area (click on your email address at the top of the iTunes Store interface).

Walmart digital download service thoughts

Walmart launch a "preview" of it's movie download service, but they have a twist.

The downloads are tied to DVD sales. Starting with Superman Returns when you buy DVDs in-store you can downloads for $2 for a portable-quality edition or $4 for a hybrid download that includes both the portable version and a full-quality copy for computers.

The "portable format" will use PlayForSure.

You can't transfer the videos between computers.
There's no Mac, iPod or Zune support whatsoever.

Playback depends on Windows Media Player 10 or higher.

They still don't get it. The price is good, but they would generate more DVD sales (obviously the goal) if they just included the digital downloads as a bonus. Then drive web sales for other items when you are on the site downloading.

The smart kids know how-to RIP their own DRM free copies.

I maybe willing to pay more if the digital version was included on the DVD without the download hassle.

The Studios still don't "get it"

Universal, 20th Century Fox, Paramount and Warner Bros – are in talks with Apple, but demand that Apple limit the number of devices that can use a film downloaded from iTunes. (iPod, Mac, PC, iTV)

Current PC services like Movielink limit playback to one computer (more in some cases) and often offer no portable playback.

Fairplay currently limits to 5 computers (will iTV be considered a computer if it streams?) and unlimited iPods.

I can "hack" a DVD in a matter of hours to be 100% free from copy protection. That has yet to be done on an iTunes video.

So they are worried about me putting it on my friends iPod, which would have to authorized to my iTunes library? De-authorizing his own content? Are they high?

Universal also wants the Zune extortion fee from Apple when their contract expires next year. Thanks M$.