End User

Windows 7 VPC vs. VMware Unity

Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise and Ultimate editions will support Virtual PC XP Mode (XPM), for backward compatibility with older applications that run on Windows XP but won’t work on Windows 7. XPM has gotten a lot of publicity, but what many people may not realize is that the free download includes two different components: the new version of Virtual PC (the successor to VPC 2007, called Windows Virtual PC) and the Windows XP VM. You can download them at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtual-pc/download.aspx

Although these come as a “set,” they are installed separately. First you install Virtual PC (the file named Windows6.1-KB958559-x64.msu for the 64 bit version) and then restart the computer. Then you install the file VirtualWindowsXP.msi, which is the XP SP3 virtual machine.

The really cool thing about VPC XPM, and the thing that sets it apart from other VM solutions that let you run virtualized applications on your Windows 7 desktop, such as VMware Workstation 6.5.2 with Unity mode, is the degree to which it integrates with the host OS. The programs that you install on the guest OS show up in your Windows 7 Programs menu, as shown here:

 
Click to enlarge

Unity also integrates with the Windows 7 desktop, but not quite as seamlessly. Instead of putting the virtual apps in the Win7 Start menu, it creates its own menu for the VM.

But it’s not just XP applications that you can integrate into your Windows 7 host. Windows VPC is a full fledged desktop virtualization program and you can create more VMs in addition to the XP VM that’s installed by the .msi file. To create a new VM, just go to All Programs | Windows Virtual PC | Virtual Machines and click Create new virtual machine.

The wizard will lead you through the process of creating and naming the new VM. You can allocate the amount of memory and disk space you want it to use. Then you can install the OS of your choice. As shown, below, I created a new VM and installed Windows 7 in it:

  
Click to enlarge

Why is this useful?  If you want to install a program but you don’t trust it – for instance, a beta version of software that might not be stable – you can install it in the VM and if it crashes, your host OS is safe and sound. Or if you want to visit web sites that might not be safe, go to them using the virtualized web browser instead of the “real” one in your host OS.

After you install the OS, you’ll need to install the integration components in order to get that seamless integration with your Windows 7 host. To do this, click Tools and then Install integration components. Then you have to restart the VM.

Click to enlarge

You can, in fact, run multiple virtual applications that are in installed in different VMs on your Windows 7 host desktop at the same time. Below, I have Microsoft Streets & Trips (installed on a Windows 7 VM) and Outlook Express (installed on the XP VM) both running simultaneously.

Click to enlarge

There is one drawback – Windows VPC apparently only supports 32 bit guest operating systems. If you want to install a 64 bit guest, you’ll still have to go with VMware Workstation. Otherwise, you’ll probably find the tight integration of the virtual apps and the way they “automagically” appear in your Windows 7 host Start menu (as long as you have the VM settings configured to automatically publish, as shown below) to be a big advantage.

Click to enlarge

As for performance, when I first installed VPC XPM on my Dell XPS (a two year old dual core with 4 GB RAM), the virtual app I installed (Corel PhotoPaint 10) ran a little slowly. I reconfigured the XP settings to optimize for performance and then it ran like a local application. I then installed VPC XPM on my new Core i7 and it is snappy as can be. No difference between the host and VM applications, including when running them on a Windows 7 VM.

All in all, I’m pretty happy with Windows VPC, both in XP Mode and running other VMs. I just wish I could install a 64 bit guest. It does have one very big advantage over VMware Workstation: it’s free! I’ll be working with it more and reporting on anything interesting I find out.

DEBRA LITTLEJOHN SHINDER, MVP (Enterprise Security)
deb@shinder.net      www.debshinder.com
Editor, WXPnews and VistaNews

Stuff to know before jumping from Windows XP to Windows 7

Budget-conscious PC users contemplating a move to Microsoft's Windows 7 might be tempted to upgrade their existing machines, rather than spend money on new PCs that come with Windows 7 installed. With large swaths of the population having avoided Windows Vista, that means many would be making the upgrade on PCs now running the older Windows XP.

And those tech-savvy cheapskates would appear to be in luck. For a limited time (until July 11 in the U.S. and Canada) Microsoft is  offering reduced prices to people who pre-order upgrade versions of Windows 7 Home Premium ($49.99) and Windows 7 Professional ($99.99). The discounted upgrade prices are available not just to Windows Vista users but to people running Windows XP machines.

So it's a no-brainer, right? Well, maybe. There are a number of important issues to consider before making the jump to Windows 7 on an existing Windows XP machine. Here's what we've learned from questions we posed to Microsoft and independent PC experts.

First of all, the upgrade from Windows XP to Windows 7 requires a clean installation, which mean PC users must back up their data before installing Windows 7, then restore their data and reinstall their applications afterward. In contrast, in many situations, the shift from Windows Vista to Windows 7 can be done "in place," which preserves data, applications and settings.

[Related post: Microsoft's Windows 7 price cuts, upgrade promotions]

A clean install can be a pain in the butt, but think of it like a visit to the gym. The process is generally good for the computer, basically giving the machine a fresh start, said Jon Bach, president of custom computer maker Puget Systems Inc. in Auburn, Wash.

"Regardless of what’s required, I think it’s best practice to do a clean wipe," Bach said.

If you're comfortable with a clean installation, the next issue to consider is whether your Windows XP machine is up to the task of running Windows 7. As a baseline, Microsoft's minimum Windows 7 system requirements call for a 1 GHz or faster processor, with at least 1 GB of RAM, 16 GB of free hard-disk space and a modern graphics device (DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0).

If technical stuff isn't your thing, there's another way to get a sense for whether your PC will run the new operating system smoothly. Microsoft offers an automated Windows 7 Upgrade Adviser program that can be downloaded and run on an existing Windows XP machine to figure out whether it's up to par for Windows 7.

One category of Windows XP users who might be fine making the upgrade are people who bought machines in 2007 or later but avoided Windows Vista in favor of the older operating system, said Ed Bott, a technology blogger and one of the authors of the upcoming book Windows 7 Inside Out. Some people opted against Vista on newer machines because of its negative reputation.

But if the hardware is older, it may pose problems for Windows 7.

For example, Bott said, people may have problems running Windows 7 on older notebook computers, purchased in 2006 and before, that use integrated graphics, which share the main system memory rather than having dedicated memory of their own. Newer machines with integrated graphics should be fine, but one big red flag is Intel's older 915 chipset, which doesn't support the fancy Windows Aero interface. (A fact that led to a consumer lawsuit against Microsoft over Windows Vista, but that's another story.)

Another big consideration is whether Windows 7 will run existing applications and devices. Microsoft will be offering a free add-on program for Windows 7, called Windows XP Mode, that works with virtualization technologies to help with compatibility problems. However, it's expected to be offered for use with Windows 7 Professional, Ultimate and Enterprise, not Home Premium.

[Related post: Windows 7 vs. Apple Snow Leopard in upgrade wars]

To get a sense of whether your devices and applications will run natively in Windows 7, one trick is to check Microsoft's Windows Vista Compatibility Center. The similar compatibility site for Windows 7 isn't yet available, but the company says it's working to ensure application and device compatibility between Windows Vista and Windows 7, so the Vista site is worth a look for now.

In addition, the aforementioned Windows 7 Upgrade Adviser, available now in preliminary form, will help assess the compatibility of existing devices and programs with the new operating system.

 I've been using Windows Vista and testing Windows 7, but I ran the Upgrade Adviser this morning on an older ThinkPad notebook, running Windows XP, and it worked well. Among other things, the Upgrade Adviser told me that I'll need to run Windows Update after installing Windows 7 to make the ThinkPad's fingerprint-reading technology and my older HP printer work smoothly with the new operating system.

The processor speed, memory and graphics on the older ThinkPad were all up to snuff for Windows 7, according to the program, but I'll need to free up more space on my hard disk before upgrading.

Of course, the way many people will get Windows 7 is not by upgrading but by purchasing a new computer.

"If there was anything marginal about my hardware, if there was anything there that had been nagging me, I’d replace it," Bott said.

But as inexpensive as computers have become, that's still a bigger purchase, particularly when factoring in the limited-time pre-sale upgrade discounts Microsoft is offering on Windows 7 Home Premium and Professional. If you're determined to make the move to the new Windows version, it's at least worth exploring the possibility of an upgrade, even on an existing Windows XP machine.

Read more of Todd Bishop's posts at TechFlash.com

Living in the Libraries

After spending most of my computing time (6 to 12 hours per day, 6 days per week) using Windows 7 for the last several months, one of the things that I really miss badly when I have to go back to Vista or XP is the Libraries feature in Explorer. I was a bit wary of it at first. Like many long-time computer users, I'm a bit of a control freak. I didn't like the idea of accessing my data without having to know exactly where it was physically located. I guess I thought there was something noble about trekking through the file system structure to get to it.

Now I'm thoroughly indoctrinated in the new way of doing things. I absolutely love having one-click access to all my pictures, for instance, regardless of whether they're stored in my Pictures folder under my user account name, on a second partition on my hard drive, on the server, or on my other workstation upstairs. It doesn't matter - they're all there in the Pictures Library. Adding a folder to a library couldn't be easier. Just right click the library name, click the Include A Folder button and navigate in Explorer to the folder you want to add, on the local computer or on another computer on the network.

One problem you might run into when adding folders to a library occurs if the folder isn't indexed. This most often happens when you try to add a folder that's on a different computer across the network. The easiest way to deal with this is to make that folder available offline. Then offline versions of the folder's files will be created on your hard disk and added to the index on your computer. To make a folder available offline, navigate to it, right click it and select Always Available Offline. Now you should be able to add it to your library using the steps described above.

Libraries - along with other Explorer enhancements in Windows 7 - make it far easier to find the files you want without wasting precious time navigating through the file system. And I still know exactly where those files in my library really live, as the path for each folder is clearly shown in the library. Libraries don't take away any information or control from me; instead, they give me new options for getting to my destination faster.

DEBRA LITTLEJOHN SHINDER, MVP (Enterprise Security)
deb@shinder.net    www.debshinder.com

Greetings from the Future of Filmmaking!

I’m in Portland, Oregon, shooting an episode of TNT’s prime time drama, Leverage.

Just about every night after we wrap I meet up with my friend John Rogers, who is the co-executive producer and head writer for the show, to have a beer and decompress after a long day on the set. Whether we talk about filmmaking, comic books, nerdy geeky gaming stuff, or technology, a common thread runs through our conversations: it’s pretty awesome to live here in the future, we sure are lucky to get paid to make stuff up and entertain people, and holy crap has the industry changed since we first entered it.

Leverage is totally shot in the future. We use the Red One digital camera, we watch takes right after we finish them to make sure nothing went wrong, and we get our dailies via secure internet connection anywhere we have computers and WiFi. John told me that at least once, they realized they didn’t shoot a single or needed a tighter angle to make something work, and were able to create coverage in post-production, which is done entirely on Final Cut Pro. During production, we could send pictures and updates from the set to Twitter and our blogs, and engage the audience in a direct and intimate way that is unlike anything I’ve ever done before.

The Red One camera--relatively affordable, studio-quality, and used to produce many shows and short films

Evolution

I’ve worked in television and movies for so long, I have a hard time remembering a time in my life where I wasn’t going to auditions and spending most of my days on the set. I started acting in the mid-70s, and over the course of a three decade career, I’ve seen several subtle changes and a few paradigm shifts in how we get ideas out of a script, bring them to life on the set, and deliver them to the audience.

When I was a kid, everything was shot on 35mm film, which came in in magazines ranging from a few hundred to a thousand feet, and always produced a certain amount of noise. There were two main cameras back in those days: Panaflex and Arriflex. Everybody loved shooting the Panaflex, mostly because it’s a great camera. Arris were usually less expensive to rent, but were always louder. Even when they’d wrap the magazine in a baffle, I can remember some Arris being so loud, the sound of the film spinning through the camera would blast right out of the lens at us during a scene. There’s a certain romance to the sound of film churning past the gate, but as an actor, it was distracting and usually meant that we were going to have to re-record our dialog once the film was cut together.

Because film stock was a nontrivial production expense, if anything went wrong during a take, from an actor flubbing a line to a technical problem with camera or sound, we’d cut, reset, and start over to conserve film. Because developing film was a nontrivial production expense, depending on the show’s budget, a director could only pick a handful of takes to print and possibly include in the final cut.

Shooting digitally on the Red One means the camera is silent, and because there isn’t any film to load or run out of, shooting a scene is more like doing a little bit of a play. It’s so quiet, the director can stand right next to the camera and talk to us, and since we’re not burning film, we can quickly reset and keep rolling if something goes awry, and there’s no reason to stop rolling if something awesome or unexpected happens during a take.

How did we get here? I think it all started with the advent of video tape in the 1980s. Because video tape was so cheap and didn’t require a developing process, it lead to the home video revolution (and that unfortunate incident where Roller Girl stomped on that one guy’s face) but very few serious filmmakers liked shooting on video because it looked and felt so different from film. There was inherently less control over the entire process, and old habits died hard, you know. Video never really replaced film, but I think digital will finally provide an acceptable, game-changing alternative.

I think it was inevitable that we would get where we are today, and I think it’s only a matter of time before more shows (and networks who are scared shitless of anything new) catch up to where Leverage has been for over a year. This show is truly at the tip of the spear, and every day they rewrite the rules for television production.

 

Revolution

In the early 90s, emboldened by the type of unwavering certainty that only a twenty year-old can have, I went to work for NewTek, as a tiny part of the team that brought the Video Toaster 4000 to life. The Video Toaster was an absolutely magnificent bit of technology that took everything you’d expect from a television studio, and crammed it into an Amiga computer. (Kids, ask your parents ... unless they are Amiga fanboys, because it’s just too painful to talk about.) In these days of iMovie and Final Cut, it may not seem like such a big deal, but about 25 years ago, being able to do real-time digital video effects, 3D computer graphics and animation, and titles for less than $10,000 was unheard of. Also, there was Toaster Paint (Robert Blackwell, I hope you read this, because that one was for you.)

If video was an incremental shift for filmmakers, the Toaster was a paradigm shift, because we made it affordable for just about anyone to produce high-quality video television, eliminating one of the biggest barriers to entry for a lot of hopeful filmmakers.

Despite all the magic NewTek brought to the world with the Toaster, we could never cross two vast chasms: What we didn’t have back then, that we all take for granted now, was digital, nonlinear editing. Hard drives were simply too expensive and computers weren’t fast enough to make that sort of thing anywhere close to affordable for average people, so filmmakers had to invest in additional editing equipment that was cool at the time, but seems as elegant as a Civil War field hospital today.

There was also a significant problem with distribution, which was still controlled entirely by the same moguls who controlled the networks. Today, a filmmaker can pick from dozens of different online options to put their work in front of the audience, but in the early 90s, it was a different world. We were still waiting for the Real Player to even start buffering, 56k dial-up was considered screaming fast, and our online porn arrived in ASCII art or .gif files that took an hour to download. (Er, I heard from some guy, because I never would have even dreamed of looking at Kimberly Conrad online in 1992.)

 

Get Excited and Make Things

Every day I work on Leverage, I can’t help but think about how much the entertainment industry has changed in my lifetime, and how what we did at NewTek fits into that.

Right now, if you have a creative idea, you can produce it and get it to an audience for under a thousand dollars. Right now, you can get your very own HD video camera for about the cost of feeding one of those kids in Africa for two months. Right now, if you have a Mac, it ships with everything you need to cut and finish your story. Right now, you can have a screening for more people, more easily, than at any other time in history, and they don’t even have to be in the same room.

In the 1960s, film stock, sound equipment, and cameras became (relatively) cheap and affordable. This put advanced tools into the hands of creative people, and lead to the greatest decade of filmmaking in history: 1970s. I think we’re poised for a similar revolution.

See you at the barricades.

Microsoft Drops Prices for Windows 7, Offers Upgrade Deals

Microsoft, trying to revive its flagship PC operating system in the middle of a recession, said today that it will price the primary edition of Windows 7 for home users 17 percent below the retail price of its predecessor.

The unusual move was one of a series of Windows 7 pricing announcements made by the company Thursday morning in preparation for the scheduled Oct. 22 launch. Under the plan, Windows 7 Home Premium will be available for $199.99 in stores, $40 less than Windows Vista Home Premium.

Even before adjusting for inflation, that matches the original price of Windows XP Home -- which was released in 2001.

Microsoft also will offer current Windows XP and Windows Vista users an upgrade to Windows 7 Home Premium for $119.99, or $10 less than the comparable Windows Vista upgrade price.

In addition, the company is rolling out a promotion designed to spur early Windows 7 sales, saying it will offer Windows 7 Home Premium upgrades for $49.99 and Windows 7 Professional upgrades for $99.99 to people who place pre-orders during the next two weeks in the U.S. and Canada, with different offers and time frames in several other countries around the world.

The maneuvers reflect the extraordinary circumstances surrounding the Windows 7 release. In addition to the economic turmoil affecting companies around the world, Microsoft is trying to overcome the troubled tenure of Windows Vista -- which never regained its luster after hardware and software compatibility problems plagued its January 2007 retail release.

[Related post: Big Windows breakthrough: Now you can actually open the box.]

Windows chief Steven Sinofsky, who took over after Vista's development, is looking to make the Windows 7 release more smooth. Among other things, the company is being more deliberate in its communications with PC makers and other key industry players, making sure that Microsoft is confident in its timing and plans before going public.

Preliminary versions of Windows 7 have been greeted favorably. Reviewers cite new features such as simpler home networking and a "snap" functionality that lets users quickly adjust open windows to half the size of the screen by dragging them against the side. Software and hardware vendors are looking to take advantage of Windows 7's touch-screen technologies and other new features.

Now, with the Home Premium price reductions, Windows 7 appears to be "off to a good start," said Richard Shim, an industry analyst with the IDC research firm.

However, Microsoft isn't going as low as Apple is with its OS pricing. The Mac maker has said it will offer users of its existing Mac OS X Leopard the ability to upgrade to its upcoming Snow Leopard update for $29. Users of the older Mac OS X Tiger operating system will be able to move Snow Leopard through a $169 package that includes the operating system and the latest versions of Apple's iLife and iWork suites. Snow Leopard is due out in September.

Starting Friday, Microsoft will offer a "technology guarantee" program to people who buy new Windows Vista-based PCs from participating retailers or PC makers. That program, running through January, will give those PC buyers free upgrades to Windows 7 when it comes out. Microsoft says the offer applies to PCs purchased with Windows Vista Home Premium, Business or Ultimate.

Upgrade pricing for Windows 7 is available to current users of Windows XP and Vista, although people on the older operating system will need to conduct a "clean install," which doesn't preserve existing data or programs as a standard upgrade process does.

Apart from the lower Windows 7 Home Premium prices, and the pre-sale promotion for it and Windows 7 Professional, the upgrade and retail prices for Windows 7 are the same as they were for Windows Vista -- continuing Microsoft's practice of essentially holding the line on Windows pricing for consumers.

Here's a rundown of the Windows 7 retail pricing details announced today

Home Premium: $119.99 upgrade; $199.99 retail; $49.99 pre-sale promotion. Microsoft is positioning this Windows 7 edition as the primary one for home PC users. Includes Media Center PC functionality and new features such as Home Group, which simplifies the process of networking computers and devices.

Professional: $199.99 upgrade; $299.99 retail; $99.99 pre-sale promotion. This version is targeted to small businesses, with all the features of Home Premium plus others designed forworkers

Windows 7 Ultimate: $219.99 upgrade; $319.99 retail. The big enchilada -- with corporate-oriented features from Windows 7 Enterprise edition, such as BitLocker file encryption, as well as features from Home Premium and Professional.

Read more of Todd Bishop's posts at TechFlash.com.

The Three iPhone Applications That Are Keeping Me From Buying a Palm Pre

The Palm Pre debuted to a series of mixed reviews, but I have to admit I still want one.  The full keyboard, the multitasking functionality, and Linux-based OS are just too much for a gadget nerd like me to resist.

But I still didn't stand in line for one when it was released, and I have to admit it's because the iPhone has its hooks in me good and proper.  Or, specifically the App Store.  I know it's not fair to compare a software library that's been around a year to one that's been around a few weeks.  But it's close to time for me to re-up my phone contract and between the Pre and the new iPhone 3GS, I'll probably end up going with the iPhone.  Here are three applications that are swinging my decision--note that I'm not saying that these are the "best" iPhone apps, just the ones that don't yet have an equivalent on the Pre and I would be sore to have to go without.

	1) Stanza--This eBook reader that supports both eBook purchases through Fictionwise and a huge library of free books through sites like Project Gutenburg is pretty much essential for me.  It's rich in features including page resume, Coverflow for book covers, full settings for changing orientation, font size and more, and even the ability to download eBooks from your PC and share them with friends (using a matching desktop app).  While there's been talk about porting Lexcycle's Stanza to the Pre, there's no definitive timeline (as far as I know).
	2) imeem Mobile--Both the iPhone and the Pre have Pandora, which is a great application, but the recently-released imeem app takes it a step further with the ability to upload your entire music collection to imeem and stream it to the app, so you don't have to take up storage space on your iPhone.  It also has other features from the imeem.com site, such as Spotlight artists, recommended music, and featured stations.  And if you find new music you can't live without, you can click in the app to go straight to that artist's iTunes page.  Pandora's fantastic, but the ability to jump within one app between new music and my own uploaded favorite tunes makes this one a winner for me.
	3) The Quest--There are a lot (a lot) of casual games for the iPhone, but The Quest is one of my favorites.  I'm a huge fan of old-school RPGs, and this is a classic dungeon-crawler with surprising depth.  I may be dating myself by saying it's the closest you'll ever get to a portable version of The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall, but needless to say The Quest has chewed up time on many a plane and bus ride.  The game is actually a port of the original game for Pocket PCs so the sprite-based graphics aren't cutting-edge but serve well enough and evoke serious nostalgia for old-school gamers.  You can choose from a wide array of custom race/class combinations and there's plenty of gear and magic to pick up along the way in order to overcome the baddies.  The huge game world has day/night and weather cycles, you can enchant your own gear and brew your own potions, and the main story plot is well-written along with plenty of side quests, with multiple ways to solve most quests.  Plus, there's even a miniature card game you can play in the inns that's simple but fun.  Highly recommended if you're looking for a portable game that's a little deeper than Sudoku.

--Aric A.

ASUS to Release a Disney Themed Netbook in July

In case there is anyone out there who isn't yet aware, kiddies today love them some technology. By kiddies, I don't mean you and me, but instead the Hannah Montana crowd. Of course, they also love Play-Doh too, but there is no way--at least I hope there's not--that any parent is going to pay $350 for that, so hence we shall soon have the Disney Netpal.

Billed as the "safe, easy and fun" way to get your 6 to 12-year-old kids online, the Netpal comes in two flavors Magic Blue and Princess Pink and will feature a variety of Disney specific options including customizable Disney desktops, Disney Mix for music, Disney Pix for photo customization and organization and the Disney Magic gadget tray. Kid-proofing features include a liquid-proof keyboard and ShockShield data protection guards for when this box gets dropped, and oh, it will be dropped. This is a real Netbook, so there are also a few features that parents will want to know about including, 40+ robust parental control options, an 8.9-inch LCD display, Wi-Fi capabilities, Windows XP Home and browser and email filters designed to allow limit and monitor kid's usage. So, if are a parent apt to introduce your child to technology at an early age and are willing to do it to the tune of $350, look for the Disney Netpal in late July 09.

Who knows, if this sort of thing catches on, maybe soon enough we'll be seeing character camouflaged flash drives in Happy Meals as well. Now that would be cool and creepy at the same time. See the specs are below and the full press release here.

Complete Specs

• OS: Genuine Windows® XP Home
• Display: 8.9” LED-backlit WSVGA screen (1024x600)
• CPU: Intel® ATOM N270
• WLAN: 802.11 b/g/n
• RAM: DDR2 SO-DIMM 1GB
• Storage: 160GB HDD
• Interface: 1 x VGA port (D-sub 15-pin for external monitor); 3 x USB 2.0 ports; 1 x LAN RJ-45;
  2 x audio jacks: Headphone / Mic-in
• Camera: 0.3 M Pixel
• Reader: MMC and SD (SDHC supported)
• Audio: Hi-definition audio CODEC; Built-in stereo speakers; Analog Mic
• Battery: 4200mAh Polymer, 5hrs
• weight: 1.2kg with battery
• Casing colors: Princess Pink, Magic Blue

--Tom Milnes

Apple Puts the Kibosh on the Palm Pre’s iTunes Synch

The Palm Pre has been riding fairly high on a wave of publicity since its launch just a few weeks ago, so much so that Apple seems to have decided that it might be prudent to take a little wind out of the smartphone's sails by announcing that, although the new device's claim to be able to seamlessly synch with Apple's iTunes store may be true at the moment, that may not be the case for very much longer. Sound a little draconian? Sure enough, but business is business and anyway, this move is built into Apple's existing company line, which says that,

"Apple does not provide support for, or test for compatibility with, non-Apple digital media players and, because software changes over time, newer versions of Apple's iTunes software may no longer provide syncing functionality with non-Apple digital media players."

So, be forewarned new and potential Palm Pre owners. Apple is a jealous guardian of its markets. If you were hoping to be able to download music and movies to your heart's content via iTunes, think again, or at least do it quickly. No doubt Palm will be ratcheting up its plans for its own apps store for the Pre, the App Catalog, but that's a good way off and there's pretty much no chance that it will feature anything to match the entertainment media of iTunes. So, although it is definitely premature to write off the Palm Pre, it is probably not too early to remove its equally premature mantle of iPhone killer.

--Tom Milnes

The Pen, Again

If forum debates are any indication, there are few loves as strong as those of a camera brand loyalist, and one way to stoke those flames is to compare current camera lines to beloved film cameras of yesteryear. Pentax naming convention still draws a parallel back to the ubiquitous K1000, Rolleiflex has a couple miniature models that look like their famous TLRs without being anything like them, but Olympus may have scored a coup by tying their new E-P1 in look and feel to the old, beloved half-frame Olympus Pen. If nothing else, just having a miniature-sized digital camera that actually looks professional and sleek has a surprisingly high effect on sales, as anyone scouring for in-stock black Panasonic LX3's can attest.

But the EP-1 is no simple historical curiosity. It comes packed with the latest Olympus tech, including a 12.3 megapixel sensor and two new lenses, the compact 14-42mm pictured above and the extremely compact 17mm f/2.8 pancake. It can also take any lens designed for the micro-4/3s format, so you can give up the portability by putting a fast telephoto lens on it if you need.

The proof will be in the pictures and hands-on experience, but with a sensor much larger than most other cameras in its size class (though smaller than the fixed-lens Sigma DP2's sensor), it should more than hold its own.

One possible worry for casual users -- the camera has no built-in flash, just a hot-shoe for external flashes. So if you don't plan on spending all of your time in good lighting, you will lose some of its portability. Also, there is no viewfinder, rangefinder, or EVF -- all photos must be composed on the back LCD. In the US, this will start at around $750. DPReview has a hands-on preview of this little guy.

Easiest Hack Ever: Make Windows XP Look Like Windows 7 in Three Steps

Not quite ready to take the plunge of the free release candidate of Windows 7, but still dig on its snazzy new look?  If you're one of the millions who are sticking by the tried-and-true Windows XP until the grass is proven greener, here's an easy way to get a bit of Windows 7's spruced-up look and features with just three free downloads.

1) ViGlance--There've been several XP themes designed to mimic Windows 7's appearance, but ViGlance does that AND brings you some of the actual functionality of the new taskbar--you can group processes and even get some sliding transition effects.

2) Desk Topmost--Here's a nice substitute for the Aero Peek feature.  Instead of using the Ctrl+D shortcut to minimize all windows, Desk Topmost lets you use Ctrl+Alt+D to fade all open windows to show the desktop, and you can either click on the desktop icons as normal or right-click anywhere on the screen to return to your open windows.

3) Power Resizer--One of the hyped features of Windows 7 is Window Snap, where you drag a window to the top or side of the screen and it will automatically resize the window to take up half or all of the screen.  Power Resizer lets you do this in XP, but even takes it a step further by automatically resizing open windows in relation to a window that you actively resize.  Which means that if you resize an open window, the other open windows will resize themselves automatically in relation to it to fit the screen.

--Aric A.

Norhtec's $199 Gecko EduBook to Run on 8 AA Batteries

Yo, a Netbook that runs on AA batteries, what a concept, well maybe. News was floating around last month that Norhtec was working on the Gecko EduBook, a Netbook primarily designed for kids or at least pre-high school educational purposes, that would do just that by means of an internal modular design and its efficient Xcore86 chip which contains all the processing guts necessary on a single small motherboard that only uses 1.2 watts. Oh yeah, the other main point in this is that the box was to sell for $200. Well, the video below shows that this is more or less true all true. Check out the key specs below:

• Processor -- Fanless Xcore 86 (Vortex86MX SoC) clocked at 1.0GHz
• OS -- Windows XP, Ubuntu Linux
• Memory -- 256MB, 512MB, or 1Gb of DDR2 RAM, soldered on CPU module
• Display -- 8.9-inch LED backlit display with 1024 x 600 resolution
• Storage -- 1 internal SD, 1 external SD, optional 2.5 inch IDE hard disk
• Networking -- 10/100 Ethernet port
• Other I/O:
  • 4 x USB 2.0 (3 external, 1 internal)
  • VGA
  • Audio -- line in and line out
• Expansion -- SD slot, or 2.5 inch IDE hard disk
• Battery -- Accepts 8 NiMH AA cells, or lithium-ion battery packs, with run times approximately four or six hours, respectively
• AC Power -- Standard power cord instead of AC adapter

As the EduBook name relates, Norhtec is aiming at bulk school orders with this model. In the video the speaker says that they are shopping the model around to "developing markets" and according to Engadget are offering $150-160/unit pricing on bulk orders, and according to other sources for as little as $110 assuming a bare bones configuration running Linux. That still sounds like it might be a little pricey for the developing world, but maybe not for the daughter or son of a rich kid here in the States or elsewhere. Now, for all us adult spoiled rich kids in the first world, although I like the more inexpensive replacement option of the AA NiMH batteries, I can't really see going with this model over one of the more powerful standard Netbooks available, at least not for $200. It is good to see some differentiation between models in the market though. Also, with a focus on this inexpensive pricepoint it's intriguing to read, via the Engadget posting, that Norhtec may have a Nettop in the works. If they came out with a decent one of these that was equally inexpensive, modular and had HDMI, well that might get them some attention outside the school yard.

Check out the video below for details on both the Gecko EduBook and the Xcore86 chipset. (video is a little choppy in places)

--Tom Milnes

PC Sellers to Offer Varying Windows 7 Upgrade Offers

The official launch of Windows 7 is still 4+ months away, but Microsoft and the PC makers, vendors and sellers that owe their livelihood to a healthy PC market today are not remaining idle. According to a PC World posting today, beginning June 26th vendors and sellers will embark on a program designed to lure potential buyers of new PCs who might be holding off on making a purchases until Windows 7 is released in October, into brick and mortars and online stores sooner with a coupon program that will allow for a subsidized downloadable upgrade with disc to follow, to Windows 7 at launch. But as always, there is a catch or two.

The first of these is a no-brainer. The upgrades will only apply to new laptops and desktops packaged with Vista Home Premium, Vista Ultimate or Vista Business purchased between June 26 and launch. No upgrades from XP since from a new purchase standpoint, this is primarily the realm of Netbooks. No, the main caveat here is that the cost of the update will definitely vary. According to the PC World piece, vendors and sellers will be paying Microsoft between $9-$15 for each PC upgraded and it is entirely up to them as to how much they pass on to customers. Hopefully at its worst this additional amount would be no more than that $9-15 range, so don't be a sucker and bite when the $50 upgrade option flashes on to the screen when you are customizing your box.

The good news for consumers is that, again according to PC World, at least a few PC makers--three unnamed Tiwanese outfits to be exact--plan to eat the cost and offer the upgrade free of charge with purchase. Microsoft's final plans for the overall program have yet to be announced, so the three initial firms remain anonymous, but I bet we might be able to venture a few guesses, say Acer, Asustek, Gigabyte Technology, Micro-Star (MSI), etc...Historically I've tended to think Netbook when I've thought of Tiawan, but this fall could mark a change in that assumption. We'll see. Regardless if you are in the market for a new PC or OS for that matter, Windows 7 releases October 22 and could play a part in any purchase decisions you have. Keep an eye open for news.

--Tom Milnes

Favorite Bluetooth Headsets

My beloved Plantronics 925 Bluetooth headset (see this post from last year) went through my washing machine this week and didn't make it out alive. The one complaint I've had about the 925 was how tiny and weightless it was, and thusly could be easily lost in a pocket--hence, I always placed it in its charging case when not in use. But I don't have that excuse as it remained safely ensconced in its case during the watery trip through the spin cycle--I'm just getting old and forgetful.

Now, I could easily go back to the well and get another 925, but I thought I'd put this out to our End User readers to hear about your favorite headsets before I pulled the 1-Click trigger. Let us (and, well, me) know in the comments, and I'll let you know what I decide.

--Agen G.N. Schmitz

Bites from the Apple, Part 2: Snow Leopard, MacBooks and More

In the second part to this week's Bites from the Apple news wrap-up, we'll take a look at the many (believe it or not) non-iPhone bits from the WWDC conference, including new details and release plans for the new Snow Leopard Mac OS X operating system and new MacBook family releases as well as some stray items of note (here's the first iPhone-y part).

On the Snow Leopard front, the OS successor to the current 10.5 Leopard will get released in September for an upgrade price of just $29 (current users of Mac OS X Tiger will need to purchase a Snow Leopard Box Set that also includes the iLife software, which is estimated to cost $169). While Apple is playing down how big an upgrade this is--going so far as to use the term "refinements" instead of new features--there's a lot that is being refined. Rob Griffiths over at Macworld took a look at the main Snow Leopard refinements page as well as its companion list of additional tweaks and comes away thinking that $29 is quite a bargain. Highlights range big to small--from 64-bit versions of main system applications (like Finder, Mail, Safari, and iCal) and enhanced utilization of multiple-core processors (called Grand Central Dispatch) to Expose built into the Dock and signal strength icons added to the Wi-Fi dropdown menu (seen below from one of many Snow Leopard screenshots posted by Michael Flux; via TUAW).

On the more tangible hardware front, Apple also revised its MacBook family lineup with new MacBook Pro models that take advantage of the built-in, long-life battery that was first introduced by the 17-inch MacBook Pro earlier this year. And the Pro lineup now includes the 13-inch aluminum unibody model, leaving the white polycarbonate MacBook as the entry level model. As noted in our keynote wrap-up from earlier this week, the 13- and 15-inch MacBook Pros have dumped the ExpressCard slot (Phil Schiller noted that the user base for this feature was in the single digits) and replaced it with a vastly more usable Secure Digital memory card slot (though the 17-inch Pro keeps the ExpressCard slot). In addition to easier access to SD cards with pictures from your digital camera as well as MicroSD cards from your phone (using an adapter), the SD slot also enables you to boot your system from an SD card formatted as Mac OS Extended and loaded with a bootable version of Mac OS X.

Additionally, as previously noted, the MacBook Air got a bump in processor specs (for both the hard disk drive and solid-state drive versions), and both the Airs and Pros received price cuts in an effort to answer Microsoft's Laptop Hunters ads (which have been putting a dent in consumers' perception of value for Apple products).

• Reviews of the new MacBook Pros are already coming in, with CNet chiming in separately on the 13-inch and 15-inch models, PCMag also doing separate reviews of the 13-inch and 15-inch, and Gizmodo wrapping the two together and providing some handy benchmark graphs for eyecandy consumption (photo below via Gizmodo).

  

• If you didn't see this on End User's Twitter feed, here are 10 Snow Leopard features that weren't mentioned during the WWDC keynote, including lower iChat bandwidth as well as higher resolution video chats in iChat and multi-touch gestures for older MacBooks.

• With the assimilation of the 13-inch unibody MacBook into the MacBook Pro line, Gizmodo also speculates on the future of the MacBook name and wonder whether the much-speculated, long-rumored iTablet might take over that naming convention.

• According to Wired's Gadget Lab, the long-life batteries found in the new 13- and 15-inch MacBook Pros (which provide up to 7 hours of life) are user replaceable, based on discoveries made during iFixit's tear-down of the laptops.

• The Safari 4 web browser went from beta version to public as of the WWDC keynote, and the browser tabs have been returned to their more expected placed below the bookmarks bar rather than placed in the title bar. Apple claims that over 11 million copies of Safari 4 have been downloaded since Monday, but Robert Strohmeyer of PC World (via Macworld) notes that it was pushed out as an automatic update to previous downloaders, so the numbers don't necessarily tell the story of a wild success.

• Head on over to The Apple Blog for some really good in-depth looks at the new QuickTime X and Exchange support in Snow Leopard.

• There's likely to be one more update to the current Mac OS X Leopard operating system before Snow Leopard pounces in September, bringing it to version 10.5.8 (via AppleInsider).

• Now that Safari 4 is for reals, your favorite plug-ins will start to filter out with support for the official version and 1Password is one of the first out of the gate (via Macworld).

• At some point this summer, I'll be unboxing a shload of CDs that have been in storage while my home has been under the hammer and I'll get back to digitizing the 300-odd remaining discs to my iTunes library. Macworld has two articles this week with tips on quickly ripping CDs as well as the basics on using iTunes to rip and burn discs.

• My pal/colleague Jeff Carlson takes a look at the new hidden features (including Ken Burns Effect for video) in the recently updated iMovie '09 update.

• Gizmodo has put together a 3-minute highlight reel of the WWDC keynote, but if you want the full experience you can either stream it in QuickTime from Apple or download it in podcast form from the iTunes store (while the WWDC keynote isn't appearing in the list of podcasts as of Friday afternoon, it will start downloading if you subscribe to the Apple Keynotes podcast).

• And finally... this Mac moment story over at Cult of Mac where the writer gets to introduce a PC user to the wonders of a MacBook Pro has a great punchline.

--Agen G.N. Schmitz

Bites from the Apple, Part 1: iPhone 3GS (or 3G S) Aftermath

There's really so much to cover in the aftermath of this week's WWDC announcements that I'm going to split this week's blog post into two parts so that the post doesn't feel too overwhelming. This first part will be devoted to the new iPhone, while the second part will cover developments in Snow Leopard, the new MacBook family, and other odds and ends.

Much to no one's surprise (save for maybe Apple commentator Rob Enderle and stock analyst Gene Munster), new iPhone hardware was announced at the WWDC keynote with few eye-openers after the many leaks of the last few weeks. The iPhone 3GS (or is it 3G S?) delivered the goods with a higher megapixel camera (featuring auto and selective focus, as seen at right), video recording capabilities, a digital compass (which can help re-orient maps according to your heading), and a one-two combo of faster processor and more RAM for a snappier feel. They also threw in a few extra goodies, including voice controls and a voice recorder. And with the new iPhone 3.0 software, it's also got copy and paste, MMS picture messaging, and tethering for acting as a modem for your laptop (more on those last two a little later). I'm sure that all Apple fanboys/fangirls are pleased as punch, even though it didn't include a matte black backing, right?

Wrong. But hey, it wouldn't be a major Apple release party without a kerfuffle, complete with online petitions and threats of class action lawsuits.

The focus of all the angst this time around is AT&T's upgrade policy for current owners of the iPhone 3G, who won't get the subsidized price for the iPhone 3G S (or is it 3GS?) that's being offered to new customers ($199 for the 16 GB, $299 for the 32 GB) right off the bat. Current customers can get an early upgrade price break only after they've owned their first handset for about 18 months. (As an EDGEy OG iPhone owner, I'm on my way to subsidized iPhone 3GS bliss.) Now there's something to be said for going the extra mile to make the rabid hordes of tweeting/blogging Apple fans happy, as that helps avoid the flurry of online fury. But there's also some understandable business math that AT&T has to do, which is summed up neatly by The Macalope in his weekly column:

Both sides are getting it wrong. And the reason they’re getting it wrong is they’re both calling it the wrong thing. In a standard telecommunications industry shell game, AT&T fronts part of the hardware cost to Apple to make the phone look cheaper to get you in the door

That isn't a "subsidy" by the traditional definition. It's a loan. AT&T is loaning you the money to buy an iPhone and you're signing a contract to pay it off over the next 18 months. If you decide you want out of your loan, you have to pay a buyout.

If you don't want to sign a contract, you can buy a no-commitment phone, but they start at $599 for an iPhone 3G S. See, AT&T gets its money one way or the other. Nobody's "subsidizing" anything.

Dr. Macenstein makes the case that it's Apple that's really at fault with its inflated pricing, but AT&T sure isn't winning many friends with its delay in offering MMS and tethering (said to be ready later in the summer)--both of which are being offered by most of Apple's other global cell carrier partners. Should be interesting when Apple and AT&T get together to renegotiate their contract. As always, leave your thoughts in the comments--will you be upgrading? are you mad as heck about the upgrade policy? etc.--but there's a lot more to cover so let's move along...

• Get ready for an early wake-up call on June 19, the first day that iPhone hit the stores: many Apple Stores will open at 8am while AT&T will open at 7am for customers who pre-order the 3GS. For a sneak preview, check out some of the unboxing photos of the 3GS over at MacRumors (originally posted to Engadget's Chinese site).

• If you're feeling bitter about the upgrade kerfuffle, Farhad Manjoo should help talk you down by arguing in Slate that you can live without the new iPhone 3GS since it's the App Store that's really the key element of the handset.

• If you're at all worried about AT&T, Advertising Age offers some suggestions on how it can weather the backlash

• If you've got an existing iPhone or iPhone 3G, mark June 17 on your calendar, as that's the date that the iPhone OS 3.0 gets released as a free upgrade to iPhone users.

• However, what's free for iPhone users isn't free for iPod touch users--who will have to pay $10 for the upgrade. Not all of the features built into iPhone 3.0 will transfer over to the iPod touch, but it will be able to access such new features as copy/paste, upgrades to the iTunes Store, and the landscape keyboard.

• While Apple has been rather mum about the specifics of its iPhone 3GS (I'm going with this nomenclature) specs, T-Mobile Netherlands has quantified what the "S for speed" really means--a 600 MHz processor and 256 MB of RAM (compared to a 400 MHz processor and 128 MB of RAM for the old iPhone 3G).

• Michael Jones over at TUAW has a good rundown of the new features of both the hardware (3GS) and the software (3.0 OS) that shows what functionality is found across the iPhone family and what's exclusive to the iPhone 3GS.

• This would have been something to see down at WWDC--a hyperwall of the App Store (made up of twenty 30-inch Apple Cinema Displays) showing live (well, slightly delayed) sales of 20,000 of the most popular iPhone apps (they ripple and pulse when a purchase is made).

• With turn-by-turn directions now available in the iPhone 3.0 software, Consumer Reports that major GPS companies like Tom Tom and Navigon (though no Garmin) will be jumping into the App Store with their navigation wares.

• O'Reilly's Radar blog also notes some of the location features that application developers can take advantage of, including taking advantage of Google Maps (instead of building out a mapping system), the ability better read barcodes, and geocontent sharing.

• The iPhone 3GS has an oleophobic screen coating that should help prevent smudgy fingerprints (via MacRumors).

• My pal/colleague Glenn Fleishman writes in Macworld that the iPhone 3GS includes compatibility with the next step in 3G connectivity--HSPA with 7.2 Mbps of download speed. However, AT&T won't be supporting the 7.2 speeds until later this year in select markets (it currently provides 3.6 Mbps 3G speeds).

  

• CNet's Webware blog contemplates whether Apple's MobileMe service is now worth the $99 annual subscription thanks to the iPhone 3.0's new Find My iPhone feature coupled with the upcoming iDisk app (for accessing content stored
• For more on the iPhone 3GS features, check out the guided tour video posted at Apple.

• And finally... I love this T-shirt design of the iPhone's Settings app exploded into individual components (seen at right; via Cult of Mac). Artist Sebastiaan de With only printed a few for special giveaway at WWDC, but I'm hoping he uploads the design to a online T-shirt repository like Cafe Press or Zazzle.

--Agen G.N. Schmitz

Free Microsoft Antivirus Software Heading to Beta Soon

Pretty much every PC owner knows and relishes that 1-3 month period after they've laid down their cash and first fired up their new computer during which they can surf the Web with more or less impunity. The reason? Something for free, that near standard introductory antivirus offer, care of McAfee, Symantec, et. al. But over the long run, there just isn't any free lunch. Or is there?

Last November Microsoft announced that it would be dropping its less than well-received OneCare antivirus subscription service, with an eye towards replacing the for purchase software with the free Morro antivirus product. Yup, free stuff. And although the service won't launch until late 2009, and there is no telling at this point how comprehensive the software will be, there would also not seem to be an expiration date attached to this freebie. I know that an antivirus subscription is only $30-40, but nothing sells like something that doesn't cost. Although I'm sure that the Internet security segment of the software industry is less than happy about this development, they knew it was coming and there is one bright spot from their perspective. Because of Microsoft's well-know entanglements in anti-trust litigation, they will not be bundling Morro with PCs. Consumers will have to download it. That's a pretty small victory, but a victory nonetheless I suppose. Regardless, look for Microsoft servers to be very busy come beta time.

Microsoft is scheduled to stop selling OneCare on June 30 and all paid subscriptions will be honored. Morro will be compatible with Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7 operating systems and is designed to work hand in hand with the ongoing security improvements to Windows and IE. No definite date has been given for the start of the beta, but I'm sure that there will be enough hype for us all to know when it is available. Read more about Morro at the Microsoft press site.

--Tom Milnes

Sony's Considers PSPgo a Bridge to a True Download Only Device

There have been rumors for at least a year that Sony had a successor in the works to the PlayStation Portable (PSP). In true Sony fashion these were first vehemently denied, then dismissed with a wink, and finally confirmed. That confirmation came last week with the official announcement of the PSPgo at E3. In the end the device is looking a lot like both a fan-created mock up that made the rounds on the blogs late last year, as well as last year's Sony Mylo. (good catch on Gizmodo's part on that). Anyway, if Sony can save a few bucks on the design side by going the Mylo route then more power to them, especially since the PSPgo will list, at least initially, at $249. This could make it something of a hard sell in some quarters.   

The basic rundown of the device is that, as was predicted, it has dumped the UMD drive and will instead rely on a download only content model. We are talking games, movies, TV and almost certainly music here. With the new model's 16GB of memory and inexpensive external memory available, that shouldn't be a problem. What is though is the rumor that existing accessories might not be compatible, and much more importantly all the existing games and movies out there on UMD discs. Regarding the later, Sony has made statements that they are working toward having all of these available digitally at launch, but the rub is how not to turn off current PSP owners who have an existing library of games and movies. According to Sony they are working on a content transfer workaround that is a "short term good will program that would continue for years afterward." There are no concrete details yet on what that actually means, but we'll definitely hear more soon since the PSPgo is scheduled to launch in October of '09.

None of this is to say that Sony is completely abandoning the existing content model. According to an interview of John Koller, director of hardware marketing for Sony Computer Entertainment of America on Kotaku.com earlier in the week, Sony thinks,

"The PSPgo will be a good way to bridge to a next generation download only device," which will no doubt lean heavily on the PlayStation Network. He also added, "Our consumer research shows that many people still continue to prefer purchasing games on tangible disc-based media, and we'll continue to serve this segment of the market, while also providing digital content to the growing segment demanding this format."

This strategy of phasing out the original content model also helps Sony with their relations with retailers wary of losing a software market. They will need this help when it come to selling the new hardware. If Sony can propose a workable backwards compatibility solution, keep retailers from revolting and perhaps manage a price break not too far into the hardware life cycle, the PSPgo may do well and perhaps give iTunes a little more competition, especially considering the pull Sony has in the motion picture and recording industry and the reasonable assumption that Sony has considered the download only model for the PlayStation 3. Granted that's a whole lot of ifs, but assuming they happen don't be surprised to see credible rumors in 2010 of a new hardware version of the PSPgo that has touchscreen and telephone technology built in. If that happens, the game will definitely be on. For now though take a look at an overview of the PSPgo's specs, or see them in full here.

Key Specifications:

• Approx. 128 x 16.5 x 69 mm (width x height x depth)
• Weight: 5.6 ounces (including batter)
• CPU: 333MHz
• 64MB memory
• 3.8-inch display (480 x 272 resolution)
• Built-in stereo speakers and microphone
• 802.11b WiFi
• Bluetooth 2.0+EDR
• USB 2.0
• Memory Stick Micro slot
• Analog video out
• 16GB storage

--Tom Milnes

Mac Pro... Gamers? - The EVGA GTX 285 Mac Edition

In an interesting move, and timed quite well I might add, EVGA announced their GeForce GTX 285 Mac Edition card this week.  It sports 1GB of DDR3 memory, 240 processing cores, and memory/core frequencies that match the PC version of the card. This beast will have an msrp of $449, and is available now. More info here.

Apple WWDC Keynote: New iPhone and MacBook Pros plus Snow Leopard Release Date

As seems to happen with big Apple events, I found myself cut off from the digital world on a familial excursion (exploring the Portand, OR zoo with my toddler and his Grandmother) while the WWDC keynote played out. (At least I wasn't on a secluded island as I was when the original iPhone launched.) I'm playing catch-up after getting my over-exhausted child off to a nap, and it's looking like the goods delivered by Phil Schiller and company at the keynote were hardly humdrum. True, there was no Steve Jobs emerging from frozen carbonite as a "one more thing..." (in fact, no sighting of the man at all, as was pretty much promised) and no front-facing camera on the new iPhone hardware as had been making the rounds in supposed "leaks" over the weekend. But this was far from the underwhelming keynote that some stock analysts had been predicting.

iPhone 3GS
As highlighted in its introductory ad for the iPhone 3GS, the case hasn't changed, and thusly it's all about what's under the hood. First off, John Gruber's prognostication over the weekend that the new iPhone would be dubbed the iPhone 3GS was spot on, and now we know what the S is for: speed. Apple is being coy about exactly what processor is powering the new model, but Apple claims its performance is up to twice as fast as the iPhone 3G and it's compatible with AT&T's faster 3G network (7.2 Mbps HSDPA), which will start rolling out at the end of the year.

The iPhone 3G lives on, however, and it will sell for $99 with 8 GB of storage for bargain hunters. While that model is still pretty sweet, you'll miss out on the increased speeds as well as some new features found in the iPhone 3GS (Gizmodo and Engadget provide some a handy comparison tables), including:

• 3-megapixel autofocus camera (up from 2 MP) with video recording (up to 640 x 480 pixels at 30 fps)
• Digital compass that automatically orients any map to the direction you are facing
• Voice commands for dialing as well as controlling music playback
• Built-in hardware encryption
• 3D graphics support for improved gaming
• Improved battery life (though the rating for talk time on 3G networks hasn't changed, there's a slight boost for using on 2G networks as well as audio playback and data usage via Wi-Fi)

The iPhone 3GS comes in either black or white in two storage sizes--16 GB ($199) and 32 GB ($299)--and they'll be released starting on June 19. I've been using a 4 GB original (OG) iPhone and I'm ready for an upgrade--the dial-up speed of EDGE has become more and more frustrating and I'm finally coming around to wanting real GPS. I think I'll be going with the new 16 GB model.

iPhone 3.0 Software
The next version of the iPhone/iPod touch operating system gets released two days earlier on June 17, and it will incorporate MMS (i.e., picture messaging) and tethering (i.e., using your phone as a 3G modem for your laptop)... although they won't be supported initially by AT&T. The Boy Genius Report believes that the former is due to some opt-out codes for MMS that were built in during iPhone 3.0 beta testing while the latter is due to AT&T not having their tethering plan ready (a $70 per month unlimited data plan is thought to be in the works). The other big reveal of iPhone 3.0 is the new Find My iPhone feature, which works in conjunction with a MobileMe subscription to map out where your iPhone is as well as play an alert sound (perfect for those with an iPhone-crazed toddler who likes to hide said iPhone under pillows). And if your iPhone is stolen, you can wipe its contents remotely.

Other features of the iPhone 3.0 update include copy and paste, Bluetooth stereo music streaming, better JavaScript performance in the Safari browser, download video (movies, TV shows) from the iTunes store, shake to shuffle music playback, and synchronization of notes (still missing is the ability to sync to-dos... sigh). It's a free upgrade for current iPhone owners, but of course iPod touch owners get the shaft and have to pay $10 for the update.

MacBooks
Slightly surprising, but very welcome, was an update to the MacBook Pro family of laptops, which now brings the 13-inch unibody MacBook into the Pro family to join its new 15- and 17-inch siblings. And both the 13- and 15-inch models feature a new non-removable battery (like that of the unibody 17-inch model that was released in January), which is rated up to 7 hours of battery life and should last up to 5 years. The 15-inch model sheds the ExpressCard slot, while the 13-inch model gains a FireWire 800 port. Additionally, both the 17-inch MacBook Pro and the MacBook Airs dropped a bit in price with some performance enhancements.

The new lineup is as follows:

• 13-inch MacBook Pro (MB990LL/A): 2.26 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 160 GB hard drive, 2 GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce 9400M shared graphics, 8x SuperDrive
• 13-inch MacBook Pro (MB991LL/A): 2.53 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 250 GB hard drive, 4 GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce 9400M shared graphics, 8x SuperDrive

• 15-inch MacBook Pro (MC118LL/A): 2.53 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor (3 MB L2 cache), 250 GB hard drive, 4 GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce 9400M shared graphics, 8x SuperDrive
• 15-inch MacBook Pro (MB985LL/A): 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor (3 MB L2 cache), 320 GB hard drive, 4 GB RAM, dual graphics processing with 9600M GT (256 MB GDDR3 discrete) and NVIDIA GeForce 9400M, 8x SuperDrive
• 15-inch MacBook Pro (MB986LL/A): 2.80 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor (6 MB L2 cache), 500 GB hard drive, 4 GB RAM, dual graphics processing with 9600M GT (512 MB GDDR3 discrete) and NVIDIA GeForce 9400M, 8x SuperDrive

• 17-inch MacBook Pro (MC226LL/A): 2.80 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor (6 MB L2 cache), 500 GB hard drive, 4 GB RAM, dual graphics processing with 9600M GT (512 MB GDDR3 discrete) and NVIDIA GeForce 9400M, 8x SuperDrive

• MacBook Air (MC233LL/A): 1.86 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 120 GB hard disk drive, 2 GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce 9400M shared graphics
• MacBook Air (MC234LL/A): 2.13 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 128 GB solid-state drive, 2 GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce 9400M shared graphics

My only question is, do I buy the middle 15-inch MacBook Pro or spend an extra $500 for more screen and better processing with the 17-inch? (Looks like I'm offering my own stimulus package to Apple with this and a new iPhone... and potentially a new iPhone for my wife, if I can convince her to ditch her 6-year-old Motorola clamshell phone.) If you've got any thoughts to help sway me to either side, leave them in the comments.

Snow Leopard
And finally, the release of the Mac OS X 10.6 operating system (aka, Snow Leopard) was firmed up with a release date of September 29 with a price tag of just $29 if upgrading from 10.5 Leopard (if upgrading from 10.4 Tiger, it'll cost you $169 for a single license, but you also get the updated iLife '09 suite of applications). If you do happen to purchase one of the new MacBooks (which include the 10.5 Leopard operating system) before Snow Leopard is released, you'll be able to request an upgrade package for just $10.

We'll have more coverage of the new iPhone and Snow Leopard releases later this week in Friday's Bites from the Apple posting.

--Agen G.N. Schmitz

Bites from the Apple: The Final Countdown

Time to cue that old 80s chestnut from hair metal band Europe (or perhaps you prefer the faithful remake by Leif Garrett... yes, Leif Garrett) as we dive into the final weekend of conjecture, rumor mongering and dreaming of the new iPhone hardware that everyone knows will be announced on Monday at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). Despite the fact that some stock analysts think that Apple might not intro new iPhone hardware, lest the rollout of the Snow Leopard Mac OS X 10.6 and iPhone 3.0 software get upstaged, signs are pointing to hardware on the horizon with new model numbers entering into inventory systems and even AT&T's support site. (Heck, even Uncle Walt pretty much let the cat out of the bag.) And the new rumor flying around today, offered by the Financial Times newspaper, is that Apple will be introducing a cheaper iPhone on Monday--perhaps as low as $99 with AT&T service contract.

There's been a lot of rumors about what might be showing up in the new hardware--from improved camera megapixels and video capture to a digital compass and support for 802.11n Wi-Fi support--that it's a little hard to sift through it all. Happily, The Green Room blog has put together a very handy info-graphic that rounds up the bulk of the rumors along with the probability that they'll make the final cut (it's even been translated into Spanish).

While I think it's a safe bet that new hardware will be announced on Monday, I don't think we'll actually see the hardware in stores until sometime in July (with July 17 being the focus of most bloggers) as the new iPhone hardware will need to pass some system tests with AT&T in addition to Apple releasing some features to developers that haven't been unleashed yet (such as the in-app commerce feature as noted by Wired's Gadget Lab). Check back on Monday afternoon when we'll have a wrap-up of what happened and didn't happen at WWDC.

• Many have been hoping for an appearance by Steve Jobs at the Phil Schiller-hosted WWDC keynote, but the Wall Street Journal (by way of Cult of Mac) reports that Jobs most likely won't appear... but will "host a product presentation or other special event later in June."

• If you're heading to San Francisco for WWDC and aren't familiar with the city, Lonely Planet is offering its SF City Guide iPhone app (link opens iTunes software) for free for a limited time (via iPhone Central).

• The new white MacBook that was quietly released two weeks back has been benchmarked by Macworld, and it actually outperformed the entry-level 2.4 GHz MacBook Pro--with "an 8 percent boost in Photoshop times and iTunes MP3 encoding scores." As John Gruber ponders at Daring Fireball, "Almost makes you think that Apple is going to announce a refreshed lineup of aluminum MacBooks, with the 13-inch one gaining the "Pro" designation, at WWDC next week."

• If you're frustrated by the lack of controls on the latest iPod shuffle, Scosche has released the TapStick case, which adds three button controls that mimic those on the headphone remote (via CNet's Crave)

• Rumor Roundup: Based on a patent application, we could be seeing the iPod clickwheel transform into multi-touch scroll wheel (via The Apple Blog).

• Macworld reviews the Birdhouse iPhone app, which is yet another Twitter app... but then again not. It functions as a notepad where you can elegantly compose tweets and save them until you feel they're ready to publish. To learn more about it, check out this developer introduction--one of the funniest demo vids I've seen in a long time:

• John Paczkowski reports at All Things Digital über-analyst Gene Muster is hyping the very speculative idea that Apple could release an SDK (software developers kit) somewhere down the line for the Apple TV that would be aimed at making it an app-friendly platform like the iPhone--complete with Wii-like gaming with your iPhone or iPod touch as the controller. Gizmodo likes this idea and so do I--a slightly frustrated owner of an Apple TV who yearns for it to be more than just a dumb box that is essentially just a gateway to making purchases and rentals from the iTunes store (though these days I'm using it more to access video podcasts, from Rachel Maddow to Geekbrief.tv).

• My pal/colleague Jeff Carlson over at TidBITS offers a good survey of Mac software that can help you recover photos that you might have been accidentally erased from a memory card before transferring them over to iPhoto or Aperture.

• Wow. I haven't seen an iPhone peripheral as wacky or tacky as the Ozaki iMini Pet--an iPod dock with an animatronic frog that dances on the back of the dock (seen at right and covered in great detail over at iLounge)--in some time.

• Belkin's already touting a new accessory (available in the fall) that's specifically compatible with the upcoming iPhone 3.0 software--the TuneCast Auto Live FM Transmitter, which transmits audio from your iPhone to your car stereo. But it adds a twist of GPS, where it's able to access your iPhone's location services to determine the best "known" clear frequencies on your FM dial (via Macworld and Engadget).

• And finally... find out if you're a true Mac Geek by seeing if you match up with these 10 signs at The Apple Blog.

--Agen G.N. Schmitz