Published: 09:00 AM EST
Backtracking on its report from last week, the Chinese-language Economic Daily News now claims that it's Foxconn, not Quanta, who has secured a contract with the Mac maker to manufacturer its new all-in-one desktops.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Contract-free iPhones on sale in France for $1100
Published: 01:00 PM EST
Following a recent ruling by local regulators, French consumers can now purchase an iPhone 3G without signing a service contract with Apple-sanctioned wireless carrier Orange, assuming they're willing to digest a considerable markup.
MacNN notes that French retailer FNAC is now selling a contract-free version of the black 8GB iPhone for �799 ($1,123), while black or white 16GB models are fetching �899 ($1,263).
That's more than five times the �149 in-contract cost for the 8GB model announced by Orange back in July, and considerably more than similar contract-free offerings in Belgium priced at �529 and �619.
The iPhones on sale at FNAC are believed to be the result of a ruling earlier this month by the French competition counsel, which ordered Apple to immediately cease its exclusive relationship with France Telecom's Orange and allow other local carriers to offer the iPhone to their subscribers.
The counsel's ruling came following a September complaint from France's third largest mobile operator, Bouygues Telecom, which alleged the deal between Apple and its larger rival violated local freedom of competition and pricing laws.
France Telecom has appealed the decision, which is said to be a temporary measure instated by the counsel while it continues to investigate the merits of Bouygues' claims.
MacNN notes that French retailer FNAC is now selling a contract-free version of the black 8GB iPhone for �799 ($1,123), while black or white 16GB models are fetching �899 ($1,263).
That's more than five times the �149 in-contract cost for the 8GB model announced by Orange back in July, and considerably more than similar contract-free offerings in Belgium priced at �529 and �619.
The iPhones on sale at FNAC are believed to be the result of a ruling earlier this month by the French competition counsel, which ordered Apple to immediately cease its exclusive relationship with France Telecom's Orange and allow other local carriers to offer the iPhone to their subscribers.
The counsel's ruling came following a September complaint from France's third largest mobile operator, Bouygues Telecom, which alleged the deal between Apple and its larger rival violated local freedom of competition and pricing laws.
France Telecom has appealed the decision, which is said to be a temporary measure instated by the counsel while it continues to investigate the merits of Bouygues' claims.
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The 4-page complaint filed this month by Arizon-based Cygnus Systems, Inc charges all three companies with infringing on its March 2008 US patent No. 7,346,850, titled "System and Method for Iconic Software Environment Management."
"The [patent] generally relates to methods of and systems for accessing one or more computer files via a graphical icon, wherein the graphical icon includes an image of a selected portion or portions of the one or more computer files," the suit says.
In particular, Cygnus takes issue with Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard's use of icon previews in traditional Finder windows, as well as more detailed views presented by QuickLook icons that are accessible when viewing Finder windows in Cover Flow mode.
"Apple has further infringed one or more claims of [the patent] at least by making, using, selling, and offering for sale its iPhone and iPhone�s accompanying iconic file preview and access functionality, including but not limit to the iconic file preview and access functionality of iPhone�s main menu and Safari Internet browser applications," the complaint adds.
Similarly, Microsoft is charged for its use of iconic file previews in Vista and Internet Explorer, while Google is accused of treading on the patented concept via iconic file previews present in its relatively new Chrome web browser.
Cygnus, which bills itself as a provider of "unique computing, networking and application needs of small to midsized businesses" in the state of Michigan, is seeking a damages in addition to an injunction prohibiting the three companies from further infringement.
Well-known case designer Vaja has joined XSKN with an update to its web catalog implying that it plans to deliver protective garments for an Apple-developed iPhone nano in the near future.
The single reference to the product links customers to a web form where they can "sign up for the upcoming release" of its "iPhone nano cases."
As MacRumors points out, it's unlikely that case makers are privy to advanced information on future Apple products, and hence Vaja may simply be attempting to jump in on the recent hype surrounding the matter.
That said, case makers with contacts at Apple's off-shore manufacturing facilities may be able to obtain specifications for the company's future handheld products through unconventional means.
XSKN is one example of a case maker that was recognized earlier this year (1, 2) when it began selling protective holders for both the iPhone 3G and fourth-generation iPod nano before the specifications for those products were made public by Apple.
Piper sees dull Macworld, new form factor iPhone by spring
Published: 09:15 AM EST
"Predicting product announcements for this year's Macworld has been difficult with new iPods and Macs released in the fall and the relatively new iPhone 3G," analyst Gene Munster told his clients. "With [Apple marketing chief] Phil Schiller delivering the keynote, we believe it suggests there will not be any revolutionary products at this year's event."
Still, the analyst believes a couple of existing products could see a refresh at the annual conference, namely the iMac and Mac mini. Meanwhile, his hopes for a new iPhone -- at one time seen as having an outside chance of appearing at the show -- have been dashed with word that Jobs would not be delivering his traditional keynote presentation.
"While we believe it is unlikely that a new iPhone will be released at Macworld, we continue to expect a new model by the end of the March quarter," Munster wrote. "Specifically, we believe Apple could introduce a lower-end model that is slightly thicker due to the inclusion of a slider keyboard for students (texting) and business use (email) between $99 and $149."
Another alternative for a new iPhone could see Apple alter the value proposition of the $199 model by using a different material than plastic for the casing, or giving it a slightly thinner form factor, he added.
Munster, who maintains a Buy rating and $235 price target on shares of Apple, said his 45 million iPhone unit sales estimate for 2009 is largely predicated on his belief that the company will expand its iPhone lineup to include a lower-end model early in the year.
"Predicting product announcements for this year's Macworld has been difficult with new iPods and Macs released in the fall and the relatively new iPhone 3G," analyst Gene Munster told his clients. "With [Apple marketing chief] Phil Schiller delivering the keynote, we believe it suggests there will not be any revolutionary products at this year's event."
Still, the analyst believes a couple of existing products could see a refresh at the annual conference, namely the iMac and Mac mini. Meanwhile, his hopes for a new iPhone -- at one time seen as having an outside chance of appearing at the show -- have been dashed with word that Jobs would not be delivering his traditional keynote presentation.
"While we believe it is unlikely that a new iPhone will be released at Macworld, we continue to expect a new model by the end of the March quarter," Munster wrote. "Specifically, we believe Apple could introduce a lower-end model that is slightly thicker due to the inclusion of a slider keyboard for students (texting) and business use (email) between $99 and $149."
Another alternative for a new iPhone could see Apple alter the value proposition of the $199 model by using a different material than plastic for the casing, or giving it a slightly thinner form factor, he added.
Munster, who maintains a Buy rating and $235 price target on shares of Apple, said his 45 million iPhone unit sales estimate for 2009 is largely predicated on his belief that the company will expand its iPhone lineup to include a lower-end model early in the year.
The Cupertino-based company acquired a building in the historic Georgetown district more than a year ago with the intention of demolishing the structure and replacing it with a flashy high-profile Apple store.
Although it's since been cleared to raze the building at 1229 Wisconsin Ave., Apple has been unable to pass its design proposals for the new store through a review process governed by a pair of local preservationist bodies, according to the Georgetown Current [PDF].
The paper reported last week that the Georgetown advisory neighborhood commission rejected the third consecutive proposal from the electronics company at a December 2nd meeting, and that the Old Georgetown Board did the same at its own meeting two days later.
Concern that Apple's design may be too radical for the surrounding neighborhood appears to be the primary issue. Its most recent proposal calls for a glass first story "with a solid-stone upper facade punctuated by a large window shaped like Apple�s logo."
"The board felt that the design turned the building into a billboard," said Tom Luebke, a spokesman for the Old Georgetown Board tasked with approving new building designs for the historic district.
Apple's first design proposal in September of 2007 included an a glass lower story and a second floor that featured punched windows. When that design was rejected, it returned this summer with an all-glass proposal, which was similarly shot down.
"That first time, like every time after, it was a question of scale,� said Luebke, who noted that the board was not keen on the sprawling glass facades. "The board wanted something less autonomous, something that supports the historic district."
Apple must now return to the drawing board and come up with yet another proposal should it wish to proceed with plans for the Wisconsin Ave. shop.
In its struggle to pass a proposal for the Georgetown store, it was recently reported that Apple has failed to pay the $70,162.17 in taxes it owes since purchasing the property. The more than year-long delay has led the city's government to issue two penalties that have now boosted the company's taxes owed to $84,545.42.
After recovering to $100 per share earlier this month, Apple's stock again came under downward pressure last week when the company announced that next month's Macworld Expo would be its last and that Jobs would not delivering his traditional keynote presentation.
Apple attributed the decision to end its near 25-year commitment to the annual Mac conference to a move away from trade shows in general, saying the increasing popularity of its retail stores and website enable the company to "directly reach more than a hundred million customers around the world in innovative new ways."
Some industry watchers poked fun at the decision, mocking the company in a parody press release titled "Apple Announces Last Year of Christmas," joking that while the Cupertino-based firm has been honored to work with the North Pole for the last several years, it has decided "that this is the last year for Christmas."
"Apple has been steadily scaling back on holidays in recent years, including Valentine's Day, Columbus Day, President's Day and Grandparents Day in Japan," the mock release said.
Others didn't take the announcement so lightly, like those within the Apple community who feel an exit from Macworld serves as a slap in the face to an industry that has supported the Mac maker for more than two decades, arguing that the decision could ultimately prove detrimental to the Apple ecosystem going forward.
The biggest concerns came from Apple investors, however, some of which couldn't help but wonder if the move had anything to do with the health of Jobs, which has been a topic of public scrutiny ever since the cancer surviver appeared overly gaunt at this year's Apple Worldwide Developers Conference. They also question why the company waited until just three weeks before the conference to make its plans known.
In a note to clients, Kaufman Bros. analyst Shaw Wu offered his own thoughts and perspective on the situation, arguing against the notion that Apple is one man show but rather a vast family of enthusiastic professionals who share Jobs' leadership skills and penchant for innovation.
"While CEO Steve Jobs deserves a lot of credit for the revival and success of Apple and, as one of the founding fathers of technology, helping revolutionize the world with the Apple I, Apple II, Lisa, Macintosh, NeXT, Pixar, Mac OS X, the Apple Store, iTunes, iPod, and iPhone, we believe Apple today has a deep bench and its culture of innovation and execution or 'spirit' has more or less been institutionalized," he wrote.
Wu said that, in his view, Apple has an uncanny ability to attract and hire "fanatics" who are "entrepreneurial, work hard, and are looking to change the world." He believes that unlike years past, the Apple of today is not only innovative but a company with world-class operations and execution, driven by many people other than Jobs, from its senior management team down to its 32,000 individual employees.
"We believe Apple has always been an innovative company and we would like to note that most overlook that the company actually had some hit products while Mr. Jobs was not there that defined the computer industry, including the Macintosh Quadra, QuickTime, PowerMac and PowerBook, and Apple IIgs," the analyst added.
Wu maintained his Buy rating and $120 price target on shares of Apple, saying the most recent pull back in shares makes the risk-to-reward more favorable for long term investors.
If the iPhone maker sustains the download rate of 70 million apps per month achieved in August and the estimated $70 million in revenue that would accompany it from paid apps, the company would reach the one billion app mark and a corresponding $1 billion in sales sometime during 2009. By contrast, the iTunes Store's music section took over two years to reach one billion songs, cresting at the symbolic figure by early 2006.
This also assumes that Apple doesn't increase its download rate over time, which is seen as likely: the company's emphasis on the App Store as a vehicle for iPhone and iPod sales, rather than a profit engine of its own, may encourage more customers and developers to use the store. Sales of iPhone 3G also have yet to see the holiday shopping surge or deployments to other major countries, such as Russia.
For comparison, iTunes' music sales rate has also increased rapidly over time. After the first billion songs, it took just one year to double that figure.
Competitors may also face a struggle uphill to attract their own audiences, the report mentions. As neither Google's Android Market nor Microsoft's upcoming Skymarket for Windows Mobile will have the luxury of using self-made device sales to offset any costs, either of the phone operating system designers will have to dip into other resources. Those that do operate both the hardware and stores, such as Nokia and its Music Store, may also have to accept Apple's business model even if they would like their services to be independently profitable.
And while Nokia and a handful of other rivals either already run stores or expect to open them soon, Apple may create an advantage simply through being early. Google's store for Android apps isn't anticipated until the November launch of the first Android phone with T-Mobile, while Microsoft's Skymarket isn't due until the launch of Windows Mobile 7 sometime in 2009.
The combination will allow unsigned third-party code to run on iPhone and iPhone 3G as well as the first-generation iPod touch; the second-generation iPod touch isn't yet known to work, in part because none of the Dev Team has an example to verify the status of the jailbreak.
The solution comes in spite of new, significant measures reportedly discovered in iTunes 8 to thwart more direct attempts at loading modified firmware on to untouched devices. Just before the new jailbreak, the Dev Team said it had discovered apparent security measures in Apple's software that pops up an error as long as the rogue firmware is loaded into iTunes, refusing to sync with iPhones or iPods if the device is still running official code.
Members of the modding group initially thought they might need to patch iTunes 8 to allow the altered firmware and had even developed an early version of the patch before it became clear that one wasn't necessary.
While no one has yet claimed to successfully unlock an iPhone 3G purely through software, the current hack suggests Apple has yet to find a definitive trick to winning the "cat and mouse" game between itself and those groups bent on loosening the phone's limitations, many of which now have a long-established history of overturning any new controls Apple might put in place.
"We�re waiting to see what Apple tries next," the iPhone Dev Team says. "But we think they might want to rethink their priorities. �They probably won�t though."
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Blog. He is relatively new to developing in Cocoa, but his understanding of both platforms gives him the unique ability to compare the two side by side. At last year's WWDC, Hoffman presented
a comparison of .NET vs. Cocoa. The session was so popular that he was invited back this
year to talk about the mobile versions of both: Microsoft's .NET Compact Framework and Apple's Cocoa Touch, used in the iPhone and iPod touch. Hoffman's presentation shed some light on the
productivity and market potential programmers can expect when targeting iPhone development, and subsequently the code quality and quantity users can expect from mobile developers. .NET CF vs
iPhone SDK For Windows Mobile development, Microsoft provides Visual Studio 2008 .NET CE 3.5 for development frameworks and SQLServer 2005 for database storage. Apple provides the UIKit for
building graphical applications and includes SQLite on the iPhone. Database Storage Hoffman noted that Microsoft's SQLServer "requires less hands on coding than SQLite," and that there's "more
going on behind the scenes." On the iPhone, SQLite uses SQL query syntax and leaves "object relational mapping up to you. There's no CoreData" on the iPhone as there is in the Mac desktop
environment. Development Frameworks On the other hand, Hoffman points out that while Cocoa Touch presents a consistent view-based controls hierarchy, the Compact Framework "steers you down the
wrong path." Its "double click and code" design results in spaghetti that's hard to reuse, because form and form code are merged together. Last year, Hoffman described the same principle with
regard to their desktop equivalents: Microsoft's Visual Studio does not encourage MVC (Model-view-controller). It's too easy to
stick code in views, for example, making development �spaghetti-friendly.� In contrast, Apple's Xcode �bakes in� MVC principles. There is no real choice in doing things in sloppy ways, and
�that's a good thing.� Graphics & Animation Compact Framework includes DirectX Mobile, a 2D programmable graphics engine that is not easily available to controls. The iPhone uses Quartz 2D,
which is available to controls. CF's Direct3D is extremely low level and not hardware accelerated. Developers must write their own game loop. There is "no compromise between static forms and
DirectX." In contrast, the iPhone uses OpenGL ES. As with Core Animation, everything is a view on OpenGL, and graphics are hardware accelerated on the iPhone. Different goals for WinCE and the
iPhone The differences between the two reflect different design goals at Apple and Microsoft, Hoffman pointed out. Compact Framework supports tall, wide, and small displays. Windows Mobile
devices typically use a stylus and hard buttons versus the iPhone's touch screen. CF controls don't even have a double-click handler, while the iPhone doesn't have or need menus. Layers of
abstraction Talking about hardware abstraction, Hoffman said, "people assume that low level is bad," but described that you "can be close to the metal and write little code." The iPhone presents
a choice of layers to develop at, based on developers' needs, while with Microsoft's Compact Framework, there's "often no choice in layer available." "If lower layers are bad, adding more layers
on top won't help," Hoffman said. "Compact Framework is built on Windows Mobile, and shares too much in common with Win32." He described the design as a "palace on a trash heap." Application
deployment Even once a project is finished, Hoffman pointed out that another big difference between the iPhone and Windows Mobile relates to how developers get their apps in the hands of users.
With Windows Mobile, you build an MSI (Microsoft Installer file) and distribute it to the customer yourself. They register the MSI with desktop ActiveSync, plug in the device and sync over the
app. In most cases, they also need to perform an SQL 2005 install, along with an Compact Framework 3.5 install, as that software may not be up to date on the device. Afterward, there are
additional steps on device itself required to install it. The scaled-down computer environment of Windows Mobile devices means users can easily delete components of your apps, breaking them, and
requiring extra support to figure out how to reinstall the missing components. On the iPhone, developers simply build their app and send it to Apple. The iPhone has "one source for deployment and
shopping," so users are far more likely to find your app. Apple handles the financials, presents users with automatic access to the App Store, provides piracy protection using FairPlay DRM, and
manages your marketing. "Best mobile development platform ever" Hoffman summed things up by contrasting Windows Mobile using a "crushed down version of Win32" with an "inconstant user
experience," while the "iPhone is the single best mobile development platform ever." He also noted that "writing Mac applications has made my Windows apps better."
Briefly: shots of Nike+ touch app not the real deal
Published: 11:00 AM EST
A series of images making the rounds on the Internet this week as 'leaked' screenshots of an upcoming Nike+ application for the iPhone and iPod touch are not authentic, AppleInsider has learned.
The application depicted in the shots, which shows off touch-based interface for managing runs and workouts tied to Nike's $30 Nike+iPod Sport Kit, is neither the work of Apple nor the athletic shoe maker, several people familiar with Nike+ initiative say.
The application depicted in the shots, which shows off touch-based interface for managing runs and workouts tied to Nike's $30 Nike+iPod Sport Kit, is neither the work of Apple nor the athletic shoe maker, several people familiar with Nike+ initiative say.
Retail sources say its closing time for current iPod line
Published: 04:00 PM EST
Resellers both near and afar are reporting signs that Apple's current line of iPod digital music players are on their way out the door, just as one prominent Wall Street analyst restates his claim that a $199 iPod touch is likely to be among the new models that will fill the void.
Those handhelds, however, aren't capable of displaying set dates for new planogram refreshes, as that information is said to be available only through the retailer's web-based intranet systems.
Separately, big-box retailer Argos in the UK is preparing to clear out its remaining iPod inventory in anticipation of new models in the coming weeks. A person familiar with the plans says the company recently took receipt of new point-of-sale displays promoting "price cuts" that should hit the retail floor during the last week of August or first week of September.
The displays include a "giant wall graphic" which is the "biggest poster" displayed by the retailer, that person said.
These initial signs of inventory ramp down come amid calls from some of the more prominent Wall Street analysts regarding the steps that will be necessary for Apple to maintain its current momentum in the digital media player business.
In a note to clients last week, Lehman Brothers analyst Ben Reitzes noted that availability of the 16GB iPod touch at speciality electronics retailer Best Buy has trailed all other members of the iPod family for several weeks.
"We continue to believe Apple will need to reposition the iPod touch line in conjunction with its anticipated new product announcement in early to mid-September now that the iPhone acquisition price is lower," he said.
On Tuesday, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster issued his own note to clients where he voiced a similar view to that of Reitzes, adding that he expects iPod refreshes across the board with a sub-$200 iPod touch to boot.
"Specifically, we believe Apple will increase the capacity of the iPod shuffles as well as the iPod nanos (but maintain current price points); redesigned form factors for the shuffles and nanos are unlikely," the analyst wrote. "We believe the iPod touch may be redesigned and may enter the $199 price point, in line with the iPhone."
Resellers both near and afar are reporting signs that Apple's current line of iPod digital music players are on their way out the door, just as one prominent Wall Street analyst restates his claim that a $199 iPod touch is likely to be among the new models that will fill the void.
Those handhelds, however, aren't capable of displaying set dates for new planogram refreshes, as that information is said to be available only through the retailer's web-based intranet systems.
Separately, big-box retailer Argos in the UK is preparing to clear out its remaining iPod inventory in anticipation of new models in the coming weeks. A person familiar with the plans says the company recently took receipt of new point-of-sale displays promoting "price cuts" that should hit the retail floor during the last week of August or first week of September.
The displays include a "giant wall graphic" which is the "biggest poster" displayed by the retailer, that person said.
These initial signs of inventory ramp down come amid calls from some of the more prominent Wall Street analysts regarding the steps that will be necessary for Apple to maintain its current momentum in the digital media player business.
In a note to clients last week, Lehman Brothers analyst Ben Reitzes noted that availability of the 16GB iPod touch at speciality electronics retailer Best Buy has trailed all other members of the iPod family for several weeks.
"We continue to believe Apple will need to reposition the iPod touch line in conjunction with its anticipated new product announcement in early to mid-September now that the iPhone acquisition price is lower," he said.
On Tuesday, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster issued his own note to clients where he voiced a similar view to that of Reitzes, adding that he expects iPod refreshes across the board with a sub-$200 iPod touch to boot.
"Specifically, we believe Apple will increase the capacity of the iPod shuffles as well as the iPod nanos (but maintain current price points); redesigned form factors for the shuffles and nanos are unlikely," the analyst wrote. "We believe the iPod touch may be redesigned and may enter the $199 price point, in line with the iPhone."
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The report also cited Jupitermedia's vice president for mobile strategy Michael Gartenberg, who said the reports of iPhone 3G problems may be overblown. "We've seen these isolated reports about people having connectivity issues with 3G and Edge, and frankly I have those issues on a variety of phones. Cellphone coverage is tricky."
The 2.0.2 update apparently addresses complex issues that control how quickly the iPhone 3G will drop a weak 3G signal in order to use a stronger EDGE signal when it is available. In the US, much of AT&T's cellular network is built out using cell towers optimized to deliver "2.75 G" GSM/EDGE service. Sources familiar with the matter say 3G networks require closer tower spacing to provide the same level of coverage with the more modern 3G UMTS.
There is nothing Apple can do in software to fill in spotty coverage in AT&T's 3G network, but software updates can adjust how the phone hardware works to allow it find and maintain a link with a less than optimal 3G signal. Independent tests have suggested that at least some versions of the iPhone 3G are too quick to drop a marginal 3G signal that other UMTS phones can use without problems.
A CNet report on iPhone 3G issues cited Andrew Seybold, an independent industry analyst, as saying, "My belief is that because AT&T's network is not built out to every cell site, people are getting frustrated because they're finding places where the 3G signal isn't available or is weak."
The dizzying array of complexity exposed in the iPhone's Field Test mode (below), entered by dialing *3001#12345#* and exited by hitting the home key, illustrates that signal reception is not a simple matter.
Change you can retrieve 3G in
For some users, adjustments in how the iPhone 3G's low level radios are configured may provide a usable improvement in 3G reception, while for users in other areas with more signal problems, it may result in futile attempts to cling to a terrible 3G signal that reduces the overall call quality and may be more likely to result in a dropped call.
In Japan and parts of Europe, EDGE network upgrades were skipped entirely and providers simply jumped from 2G to full 3G networks. This may impact how much improvement iPhone 3G users see there, as the challenges of finding a strong 3G signal and the firmware's decisions on when to drop down to a 2G signal will simply be different. In the US, AT&T users' experiences with the update may also fluctuate due to the quality and coverage of the 3G network in their area.
Steve Jobs separately emailed one user with a tersely worded intent to fix unrelated problems in the iPhone's higher level software that concern instability and crashing in third party apps, writing, "This is a known iPhone bug that is being fixed in the next software update in September."
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Always referring to the device as the "Defective iPhone 3G," Smith and her legal team assert that e-mail, text, and most other downloads were considerably slower than what Apple promised. This in no small part stemmed from the reliability of the connection: the device would connect to 3G less than a quarter of the time to 3G even in areas AT however, Apple has confirmed that its recent iPhone 2.0.2 update addresses some of the problems.
Inside MobileMe: Secrets of the Cloud and Mobile Push (Friday)
Inside MobileMe: Mac and PC cloud sync and mobile push (Saturday)
Inside MobileMe: Apple's Push vs Exchange, BlackBerry, Google (Monday)
Inside MobileMe: iPhone Mail (Tuesday)
Inside MobileMe: iPhone's Exchange alternative for contacts and calendar�(Wednesday)
Inside MobileMe: Web 3 and Web Client-Server Apps (Today)
Before Web Apps: The Document Driven Web
In the era before web apps, the web was a relatively simple system of hyperlinked documents written in HTML. Click a link on a page and your browser would load a new page based on the referenced URL address. The web was brilliantly simple.
However, that simplicity resulted in a number of problems if you wanted to do more than just look at a series of hyper-connected documents. In order to exchange sophisticated transactions with a simple 'fill in the blanks on a form page and submit it,' you'd end up having to reload virtual pages repeatedly.
This is particularly problematic for something like web mail, where the user waits for updates while interactively sending new messages. Just over a decade ago, the concept of web email was entirely new. Unlike an actual desktop email application, handling email over the web meant loading a new web page, entering your email content, and reloading the page every time you wanted to see updates.
Web 2.0: the arrival of Ajax
In the mid 90s, Microsoft helped to pioneer technologies to improve upon the tedious loading of a series of web pages to do transactional web applications. The company was particularly interested in enhancing web-based email, as it was working to develop both its new mail server (Exchange) and its web browser (Internet Explorer) as critical elements of its overall Internet strategy.
The company first developed IFrames for allowing one page to be embedded in another (like picture-in-picture on TV), so the IFrame region could be independently refreshed and redrawn without reloading the entire page.
It later developed XMLHttpRequest, a method for using a web browser scripting language (often JavaScript) to package up XML data to send to the remote web server. The server then responds with new data which the script can use to interactively update part of the page, rather than reloading and redrawing an entire new page from the server. Because the user does not have to wait for the server to respond before continuing to use the web page, this type of interactivity is referred to as Asynchronous JavaScript with XML, or AJAX.
Microsoft introduced this concept to support richer functionality in Outlook Web Access, a web app it first bundled with Exchange Server 2000. It delivered Ajax functionally via an ActiveX control in IE 5; since then, the mechanism has been copied by Mozilla, Safari, Opera, and most other web browsers, making it a de facto standard for adding richer desktop-like behavior to web apps.
Web 3: HTML5 and Web Client-Server
While Ajax's frequent server updates provide richer interactivity than static web pages, they are rarely capable of being used offline and have other limitations that marginalize them in the minds of many users, who commonly view web email as being a distant runner-up to using a desktop email client. To work around these limitations, Microsoft's own OWA makes heavy use of proprietary extensions to Internet Explorer; few of these have been cloned in Firefox or Safari, nor can they really be because they are not documented standards. That leaves many OWA features tied exclusively to the IE browser; in other browsers it presents a simpler interface.
To foster real interoperability among the next generation of rich web applications, Apple, Microsoft, Mozilla, and Opera have been working on a new HTML5 standard that codifies how features should work so that all browsers can operate the same, and so web developers can make use of more sophisticated interactions on the web, knowing how their apps will behave across all browsers.
There are already web standards in place to define presentation, such as CSS; HTML5 focuses more on behavior, targeting features such as drag and drop, offline editing, local storage, and media playback. Just as Microsoft was motivated to rapidly develop Ajax in the 90s in order to enhance its email presentation on the web, Apple is leading the development of HTML5 to put its rich media client apps on the web, starting with the iLife-connected Web Gallery in .Mac, and broadening to the suite of apps in MobileMe, which will continue to develop in the coming months.
JSON Lives
Apple is building its MobileMe "Web Client-Server" apps using the SproutCore JavaScript application framework, which was designed around the concept of making web apps that are more than just a thin layer of Ajax lubricating interactivity on the web. A Web Client-Server app is loaded by the browser's JavaScript interpreter and runs as a self-contained application, making Ajax-like calls to the server while offering an even richer and deeper level of local user interaction, delivering a more immediate response to the user and offering the potential for client-side storage and offline operation.
Web Client-Server apps are entirely HTML pages driven by JavaScript code and presented via CSS. Rather than using the relatively heavyweight XML, they typically use JSON (JavaScript Object Notation), a lighter, simpler object representation that not only carries a data payload like XML, but is also executable by the JavaScript interpreter. This makes JSON faster in both data exchange with the server and in processing on the client side compared to XML.
With that power comes accountability. Being able to inject executable code into a system from malicious sources is a primary security problem. For that reason, web apps that transmit data using JSON have to authenticate with the server and regularly perform security handshakes to ensure that the data being sent back and forth is indeed coming from and going to a trusted source.
On
First Google Android phone sighting reveals awkward iPhone rival
Published: 12:00 PM EST
The first smartphone based on Google's Android mobile platform could hit the U.S. market as early as October, according to new reports, but a video of the handset leaked on the Internet reveals a device which lacks the elegance that's already drawn millions to Apple's iPhone.
People briefed on the search giant's plans tell the New York Times that the HTC-manufacturered handset, know amongst Internet circles as the "Dream," will go on sale by the holidays -- possibly even earlier depending on how long it takes the Federal Communications Commission to weigh in with approval.
It's expected to be the only Android phone available in the U.S. this year and will be sold exclusively through T-Mobile, the nation�s No. 4 wireless carrier. A video (below) of the supposed device making the rounds on the Internet is said to match the one seen by the Times' sources, confirming its authenticity.
Like the iPhone, the Dream has a full touch-screen and will be able to run a slew of applications written by third-party developers for the open-source Android operating system. Conversely, it will also feature a physical "full five-row keyboard" that's exposed by sliding the display component upwards, mimicking the functionality of T-Mobile's Sidekick handset.
While the Dream is "apparently a hot item to show off in Google's cafeterias these days," those familiar with the device describe it as "big and bulky," and nowhere near as sleek as iPhone that's forever altered the landscape of the mobile industry. The Android software itself is similarly not up to par with standards set by Apple, leaving it feeling "less-elegant, less-user-friendly" just months before its slated to be unleashed into the wild.
Still, the Dream is just one of "several devices" Google is testing with its new mobile software, offering hope that other smartphone makers will be able to compensate for the inadequacies of the initial HTC handset when they begin rolling out their Android phones sometime next year. The more pressing issue appears to be whether Google is adequately prepared to provide its ring of developers with the support and expertise they need to go head-to-head with an already thriving fleet of software makers that have hitched onto Apple's mobile platform.
Some early Android supporters have already expressed frustration with the company for favoring a small subset of developers with advance releases of Android's Software Developer Kit, exposing them to newer features and bug fixes ahead of the general community. Meanwhile, those carriers and hardware manufacturers that do have access to the latest Android codebase haven't experienced a clear path to success either.
Among their complaints have been language translation problems with software and an overall lack of support from Google, whose emphasis on the anticipated launch of the Dream through T-Mobile has crowded out other carrier's attempts to get help launching their own array of Android devices.
The first smartphone based on Google's Android mobile platform could hit the U.S. market as early as October, according to new reports, but a video of the handset leaked on the Internet reveals a device which lacks the elegance that's already drawn millions to Apple's iPhone.
It's expected to be the only Android phone available in the U.S. this year and will be sold exclusively through T-Mobile, the nation�s No. 4 wireless carrier. A video (below) of the supposed device making the rounds on the Internet is said to match the one seen by the Times' sources, confirming its authenticity.
Like the iPhone, the Dream has a full touch-screen and will be able to run a slew of applications written by third-party developers for the open-source Android operating system. Conversely, it will also feature a physical "full five-row keyboard" that's exposed by sliding the display component upwards, mimicking the functionality of T-Mobile's Sidekick handset.
While the Dream is "apparently a hot item to show off in Google's cafeterias these days," those familiar with the device describe it as "big and bulky," and nowhere near as sleek as iPhone that's forever altered the landscape of the mobile industry. The Android software itself is similarly not up to par with standards set by Apple, leaving it feeling "less-elegant, less-user-friendly" just months before its slated to be unleashed into the wild.
Still, the Dream is just one of "several devices" Google is testing with its new mobile software, offering hope that other smartphone makers will be able to compensate for the inadequacies of the initial HTC handset when they begin rolling out their Android phones sometime next year. The more pressing issue appears to be whether Google is adequately prepared to provide its ring of developers with the support and expertise they need to go head-to-head with an already thriving fleet of software makers that have hitched onto Apple's mobile platform.
Some early Android supporters have already expressed frustration with the company for favoring a small subset of developers with advance releases of Android's Software Developer Kit, exposing them to newer features and bug fixes ahead of the general community. Meanwhile, those carriers and hardware manufacturers that do have access to the latest Android codebase haven't experienced a clear path to success either.
Among their complaints have been language translation problems with software and an overall lack of support from Google, whose emphasis on the anticipated launch of the Dream through T-Mobile has crowded out other carrier's attempts to get help launching their own array of Android devices.
SingTel is now understood to have registered over 50,000 interested users ahead of its nationwide rollout for the handset, suggesting a high level of demand in a city state whose total population is just nearing 4.6 million. However, people aware of the plans say the telecom provider has already been taking shipments of the phones and has enough supply to match this number of potential customers when the doors open to iPhone sales in one week's time.
The large berth of iPhones reflects how well Apple will stock at least some carriers with its fast-selling device and is a stark contrast to the problems encountered with pre-order campaigns for the original July 11th launch. O2's advance ordering system, although biased towards existing customers, suffered a near-total shutdown within minutes and ultimately sold out within hours. Customers locked out of this system were asked to wait in line with others for retail iPhones.
These and many other retailers worldwide quickly sold out and ultimately forced Apple to devise solutions at its own stores to cope with demand, going so far as to extend store hours on a semi-permanent basis and issue rainchecks to prevent day-long queues.
Whether or not this future round of carriers will truly match demand more easily than O2, AT&T, and others is unknown and may be affected by the prices themselves. Many of these remain unpublished and, in some cases, won't be available until just before the official debut in a respective time zone. Singapore and others are expected to give the iPhone away for free for customers of certain plans, according to AppleInsider's sources.
Apple, however, has expressed little concern over its long-term supply and told investors in July that it was "very confident" that it was ramping up production quickly enough to handle additional countries' iPhone 3G demand without a significant impact on those already cleared to sell the touchscreen device.
The feature has been present from beta 1 onwards and is still poised to supply directional GPS data as part of its upgrades.
Apple provides little explanation for the removal and says only that the notification code has been pulled for "further development" inside the company -- with no mention of whether it will reappear in a future beta.
Taking the service out of the beta version puts non-Apple developers at a temporary loss, making it impractical for them to further development of new apps and updates that will depend on live, always-on data until the feature is returned to these handsets.
The final version of iPhone 2.1 is nonetheless planned for an appearance sometime in September.
While nobody has formally studied the problem, lots of iPhone 3G users are complaining that they can't find 3G service, can't maintain 3G service in areas where other 3G phones can, witness wildly fluctuating signal strength bars on the phone, or conversely can't use 3G because it consumes battery life too rapidly.
Many articles on the subject are referencing Apple's support forums, where some discussions have gotten so long that forum moderators have had to lock the original thread and create a new overflow discussion.
Clearly, there are real problems. How widespread and common those problems are is more difficult to pinpoint. Apple said it sold a million iPhone 3G units on its opening weekend, and Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster reported that each of the company's US retail stores are now selling an average of 95 iPhone 3G sales per day. He expects the company to sell 4.47 million this quarter. That indicates that well over two million iPhone 3G units have already been sold to users.
Even if the 3G issues were only affecting one percent of the phones sold, that would leave twenty thousand users with problems. If only a tenth of those users posted comments online, that would easily account for the two thousand messages on Apple's discussion boards.
Blame the provider?
In the US, AT&T has been fingered in the iPhone 3G's reception problems due to the telco's relatively new and limited service coverage of its 3G network. Even in urban areas where AT&T's service maps indicate there should be 3G service, the iPhone 3G frequently fails to find it or maintain a strong enough signal to complete a call.
Compared to Sprint and Verizon Wireless, which both have wider 3G service coverage in their more mature 3G EVDO networks, AT&T is building out its 3G network using UMTS, a worldwide standard. AT&T is also forced to use different radio frequencies than other UMTS providers, which results in less technical maturity for AT&T's 3G network than those overseas.
AT&T primarily uses the 1900MHz band in the US, but is working to expand its use of its 850MHz band, a lower frequency that allows radio signals to spread farther and penetrate walls easier. Europe uses the even higher 2100MHz band for 3G, but there is also more dense network coverage there.
While AT&T's network is still experiencing some growing pains, the iPhone 3G's reception issues are also being reported in other countries too, even in Europe where 3G UMTS networks have been built out for some time. In those locations, the iPhone's dual band 3G radio uses the standard UMTS frequencies, making it hard to blame AT&T for more than just its limited coverage.
Dropped calls by provider
An article on the iPhone 3G by BusinessWeek cited unnamed sources to report, "the problem is affecting 2% to 3% of iPhone traffic, the people say. That compares with a dropped-call rate of around 1% for all traffic for AT&T." A source for the dropped call rate at AT&T wasn't given.
Studies on dropped calls are difficult because users don't report their dropped calls, and providers would be challenged to know whether phones on their networks ended a call on purpose or not. Further, calls may be dropped for a number of reasons, from poor service coverage or intermittent signal interference to phone set problems to users walking into a elevator or bank vault.
Apple Enterprise sending thousands of Macs into hotels, cruise ships
Published: 11:00 AM EST
Apple's Enterprise Sales Group has been quietly installing thousands of iMacs, Mac minis, Mac Pros, and Xserves in hotels and cruise ships in a new push to bring the media rich experience of Apple's retail stores to the hospitality industry, where hoteliers are seeking to deliver personalized, unique experiences that will impress guests and bring them back for more.
Ten thousand Macs in front of luxury customers
In June, Fontainebleau Resorts announced plans to install 24" iMacs in all 1,400 rooms of its Miami Beach property now undergoing a $500 million renovation, as well as the 3,889 rooms of its new $2.9 billion, 63-story luxury resort in Las Vegas opening next year. The UK City Inn Group unveiled similar services for its hotels in Birmingham, Bristol, Glasgow, Manchester, and London, noting on its website, "you get what you should always expect: iMac computers, free wi-fi and Sky in every bedroom."
Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines began installing Mac minis in its floating hotels three years ago, starting with two of its 3,600 passenger "Freedom Class" ships. That includes the "Freedom of the Seas," the world's largest passenger ship ever built. Royal Caribbean is also building an IT infrastructure from Apple's hardware on its Solstice Class ships for Celebrity Cruises, as well as two of its own new $1.24 billion Oasis Class ships, which will accommodate at least 5,400 passengers each and assume the title of the world's largest passenger ships when completed a year from now.
Those massive infrastructure deployments, involving up to 16,150 Ethernet drops per ship, a 10 gigabit network backbone, thousands of client Macs and racks of Xserves, are adopting Apple's hardware for the same reasons the luxury hotels on land are: Mac hardware and software offers a differentiating end user polish while being easy to manage.
Not a hard sell
Hotels have actually asked for Apple's help in bringing iTunes-style simplicity to their luxury accommodations. Many hoteliers are "struggling to reach the digital demographic" and "to differentiate themselves," explained Bradley Walker of Nanonation in a seminar on Macs in the hospitality industry. "You've been to the Apple Store," Walker said. "If you could recreate that in a hotel, that would be a very attractive place to stay."
Nanonation is working with Apple to bring its technology to cruise ships, casinos, convention centers, and both large and boutique hotels. The initial applications have involved digital signage and display walls, which typically provide large format, one-to-many information services. Nanonation has also begun leveraging the unique software features of Mac OS X to build interactive solutions for lobby or pool side concierge service as well.
Installations in public locations can remind a guest of a spa appointment, allow them to order drinks, or make a service or restaurant reservation. Personalized services for the iPod touch and iPhone are also in development. "We're really excited about what Apple's done with the enterprise SDK," Walker added.
Scratching the Surface
Last summer, Microsoft floated its Surface product concept as a way to deliver attention-grabbing interactive kiosk services in hotels and retail stores. Some appeared in AT&T retail stores this spring, and earlier this week, Surface installations were announced for five Sheraton hotels in the US.
However, the 30" Surface form factor (a YouTube parody of the Surface advertisement called it the "big ass table") uses an expensive combination of video projectors and scanners to deliver its kiosk services, making it too expensive (around $10,000) to install outside of a few public areas.
Apple is working to install its computers everywhere in the hospitality industry. In addition to freestanding iMacs in rooms, the smaller Mac mini is being promoted for installation in public kiosks and for use with standard flat screen televisions as a sophisticated set top box. The Mac Pro is used to drive larger display walls and digital signage, using Quartz Compositor to create programatically designed visuals that interact with feeds from external data sources and respond to input devices or music. The iPhone and iPod touch are also being used to deliver personalized customer-facing services.
Differentiated by Apple
In addition to public kiosk information services, Nanonation has also worked with Apple to develop its customizable Nanopoint software to enable hotel properties to tailor in-room virtual concierge services built around an iMac in every room. For example, the systems can provide walking directions to attractions, details on local nightlife, weather reports based on updated feeds, and offer local services such as spa appointments.
While most competing systems are based around a web browser, Nanopoint on the Mac moves away from the browser to deliver a richer media experience. Leveraging Mac OS X's graphics compositing tools, the software can present video with interactive controls and animated elements to deliver an impressive experience. Hotels typically just provide guests with a remote control to flick through cable channels and sometimes a custom video on demand service, but digital and HD TV tuners frequently take a moment to present each channel.
Apple's server technologies can support HD content with fast channel changing and an elegant presentation with video previews (below top), integrating episodic TV with video on demand as well as customized music services that remember guests' preferences and present player controls right on the screen, composited over full motion video with drop shadows and reflections. Nanonation also demonstrated Chat services between hotel guests (below bottom), such as those traveling together or attending the same convention or other event.
On
Apple's Enterprise Sales Group has been quietly installing thousands of iMacs, Mac minis, Mac Pros, and Xserves in hotels and cruise ships in a new push to bring the media rich experience of Apple's retail stores to the hospitality industry, where hoteliers are seeking to deliver personalized, unique experiences that will impress guests and bring them back for more.
In June, Fontainebleau Resorts announced plans to install 24" iMacs in all 1,400 rooms of its Miami Beach property now undergoing a $500 million renovation, as well as the 3,889 rooms of its new $2.9 billion, 63-story luxury resort in Las Vegas opening next year. The UK City Inn Group unveiled similar services for its hotels in Birmingham, Bristol, Glasgow, Manchester, and London, noting on its website, "you get what you should always expect: iMac computers, free wi-fi and Sky in every bedroom."
Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines began installing Mac minis in its floating hotels three years ago, starting with two of its 3,600 passenger "Freedom Class" ships. That includes the "Freedom of the Seas," the world's largest passenger ship ever built. Royal Caribbean is also building an IT infrastructure from Apple's hardware on its Solstice Class ships for Celebrity Cruises, as well as two of its own new $1.24 billion Oasis Class ships, which will accommodate at least 5,400 passengers each and assume the title of the world's largest passenger ships when completed a year from now.
Those massive infrastructure deployments, involving up to 16,150 Ethernet drops per ship, a 10 gigabit network backbone, thousands of client Macs and racks of Xserves, are adopting Apple's hardware for the same reasons the luxury hotels on land are: Mac hardware and software offers a differentiating end user polish while being easy to manage.
Not a hard sell
Hotels have actually asked for Apple's help in bringing iTunes-style simplicity to their luxury accommodations. Many hoteliers are "struggling to reach the digital demographic" and "to differentiate themselves," explained Bradley Walker of Nanonation in a seminar on Macs in the hospitality industry. "You've been to the Apple Store," Walker said. "If you could recreate that in a hotel, that would be a very attractive place to stay."
Nanonation is working with Apple to bring its technology to cruise ships, casinos, convention centers, and both large and boutique hotels. The initial applications have involved digital signage and display walls, which typically provide large format, one-to-many information services. Nanonation has also begun leveraging the unique software features of Mac OS X to build interactive solutions for lobby or pool side concierge service as well.
Installations in public locations can remind a guest of a spa appointment, allow them to order drinks, or make a service or restaurant reservation. Personalized services for the iPod touch and iPhone are also in development. "We're really excited about what Apple's done with the enterprise SDK," Walker added.
Scratching the Surface
Last summer, Microsoft floated its Surface product concept as a way to deliver attention-grabbing interactive kiosk services in hotels and retail stores. Some appeared in AT&T retail stores this spring, and earlier this week, Surface installations were announced for five Sheraton hotels in the US.
However, the 30" Surface form factor (a YouTube parody of the Surface advertisement called it the "big ass table") uses an expensive combination of video projectors and scanners to deliver its kiosk services, making it too expensive (around $10,000) to install outside of a few public areas.
Apple is working to install its computers everywhere in the hospitality industry. In addition to freestanding iMacs in rooms, the smaller Mac mini is being promoted for installation in public kiosks and for use with standard flat screen televisions as a sophisticated set top box. The Mac Pro is used to drive larger display walls and digital signage, using Quartz Compositor to create programatically designed visuals that interact with feeds from external data sources and respond to input devices or music. The iPhone and iPod touch are also being used to deliver personalized customer-facing services.
Differentiated by Apple
In addition to public kiosk information services, Nanonation has also worked with Apple to develop its customizable Nanopoint software to enable hotel properties to tailor in-room virtual concierge services built around an iMac in every room. For example, the systems can provide walking directions to attractions, details on local nightlife, weather reports based on updated feeds, and offer local services such as spa appointments.
While most competing systems are based around a web browser, Nanopoint on the Mac moves away from the browser to deliver a richer media experience. Leveraging Mac OS X's graphics compositing tools, the software can present video with interactive controls and animated elements to deliver an impressive experience. Hotels typically just provide guests with a remote control to flick through cable channels and sometimes a custom video on demand service, but digital and HD TV tuners frequently take a moment to present each channel.
Apple's server technologies can support HD content with fast channel changing and an elegant presentation with video previews (below top), integrating episodic TV with video on demand as well as customized music services that remember guests' preferences and present player controls right on the screen, composited over full motion video with drop shadows and reflections. Nanonation also demonstrated Chat services between hotel guests (below bottom), such as those traveling together or attending the same convention or other event.
On
Apple launches iPhone 2.0.2 update
Published: 05:15 PM EST
In a quick turnaround from 2.0.1, Apple on Monday evening released version 2.0.2 firmware for iPhone and iPod touch.
The 248.7MB update is available only through iTunes and comes just two weeks after version 2.0.1.
In traditional Apple form, no specific issues are identified in the current release notes, which only indicate "bug fixes" for the mobile operating system.
Past claims by alleged insiders and users have suggested that the update may fix connectivity problems causing dropped calls and unintended switches from 3G to the 2G EDGE network. AppleInsider will update if this or other new features are confirmed with the release.
Notes on the release follow:
* No new settings appear to have been included.
* Some users report faster browsing, though this may be due to cleared cache.
* Typing lag may be reduced.
* Apps don't require updates; NetShare still works.
* Transition from music list to Coverflow has changed.
In a quick turnaround from 2.0.1, Apple on Monday evening released version 2.0.2 firmware for iPhone and iPod touch.
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In traditional Apple form, no specific issues are identified in the current release notes, which only indicate "bug fixes" for the mobile operating system.
Past claims by alleged insiders and users have suggested that the update may fix connectivity problems causing dropped calls and unintended switches from 3G to the 2G EDGE network. AppleInsider will update if this or other new features are confirmed with the release.
Notes on the release follow:
* No new settings appear to have been included.
* Some users report faster browsing, though this may be due to cleared cache.
* Typing lag may be reduced.
* Apps don't require updates; NetShare still works.
* Transition from music list to Coverflow has changed.
Turkey's largest locally-owned carrier, Turkcell, announced on Monday that it would carry iPhone 3G for its subscribers and has posted a registration page for customers that want more information regarding the device.
In characteristic fashion for advance iPhone announcements, Turkcell hasn't disclosed its phone plans or launch date, and says only that it will release the iPhone "later this year." Turkey isn't part of the 21 countries so far selected as part of iPhone 3G's second wave on August 22nd.
Earlier this year, Turkey was already highlighted as a future recipient as part of a multi-nation Vodafone deal.
Russian carriers nearing iPhone deal?
Apple may soon end the absence of iPhones in one of its largest unserved countries, according to one claim.
Russian business paper Vedomosti on Monday cited unnamed sources asserting that the country's second- and third-largest carriers, VimpelCom and MegaFon, were in talks with Apple to offer the iPhone.
Bulk ordering requirements from the American carrier, however, are said to be complicating the matter. Carriers are allegedly being asked to purchase between 1 million and 1.5 million iPhones each -- enough that the top three carriers would have to sell as many as 4.5 million devices over the life of the contract. That's as much as 12 percent of all Russian phone sales and nearly one third of the money involved, according to one local analyst.
By contrast, no one phone owns more than 2 percent of the market in Russia.
Apple hasn't commented on the claim, though company chief Steve Jobs in June said he hoped to have iPhone agreements in place for both China and Russia by the end of 2008.
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In an email to subscribers, Apple said "We have already made many improvements to MobileMe, but we still have many more to make. We are working very hard to make MobileMe a great service we can all be proud of. We know that MobileMe's launch has not been our finest hour, and we truly appreciate your patience as we turn this around."
"The transition from .Mac to MobileMe was rockier than we had hoped." Apple notes on its MobileMe website. "While we are making a lot of improvements, the MobileMe service is still not up to our standards. We are extending subscriptions 60-days free of charge to express appreciation for our members� patience as we continue to improve the service."
The 60-day extension also applies to any purchased upgrades, such as additional storage or a Family Pack upgrade.
Those familiar with the software say the new seed, labeled Mac OS X 10.5.5 build 9F17, introduces five new fixes, bringing the total number of code corrections expected as part of the release to 120.
Specifically, Apple is said to have addressed issues with iCal Invitations and read-only local calendars, Back to My Mac, Mail syncing, and CoreAnimation.
As was the case with build 9F13, released last Wednesday, the new pre-release seed is reported to contain no known issues. Apple also made no changes to a list of two dozen core focus areas, which continue to include components such as AirPort, graphics drivers, iCal, iChat, networking, screen sharing, and Time Machine.
Mac OS X 10.5.5 is expected for release sometime in the coming weeks.
The primary problem with today's IPv4 is that its 32-bit addressing scheme (those IP numbers that look like 192.168.0.1) can only accommodate four billion (4,294,967,296) uniquely addressed devices, minus all the specially reserved numbers. IP addresses aren't handed out per device as needed; they're allocated in sequential blocks to companies.
For example, Apple owns the entire 17.x.x.x "Class A" subnet, which gives the company 16 million addresses to use. HP owns two: 15.x.x.x and 16.x.x.x., while Xerox owns 13.x.x.x; AT and IBM 9.x.x.x; Many blocks are reserved for special purposes, including 10.x.x.x. By the time Microsoft got in line for IP addresses, it only got a class B subnet of 65,536 addresses from 207.46.0.0 - 207.46.255.255.
The world's IPv4 numbers run out at 255.255.255.255. The only two options: create a new addressing scheme with more numbers (which IPv6 does, using ten billion billion billion times as many possible numbers as IPv4), or simply hide most devices from public addressing on the Internet, which is what today's NAT (Network Address Translation) does.
The problem with NAT
NAT allows a router to set up a dummy network of addresses, usually using the reserved 10.x.x.x or 192.168.x.x subnets. These reserved numbers aren't valid on the wide open Internet. In consumer settings, the router typically uses one public outside address and then does address translation for all outside traffic between that public IP number and all of the devices inside. The 192.168.x.x subnet allows for over 65,000 devices to be hidden in your home behind a single address assigned to you by your ISP.
NAT dramatically limits the number of public addresses each site needs, but it creates its own problems. The point of an addressing system is to allow devices to find each other. With NAT, and particularly with multiple layers of NAT, it becomes difficult for one device to find another and start a conversation, say to initiate a web conference, trade files, or stream music. The inside address is no good for outside hosts, and the public IP address is often subject to change.
Additionally, each hidden system on the inside needs some way to map the ports it uses to the ports of the outside, public address. If the NAT forwards public port 80 web traffic to one internal machine acting as a web server, it can't also forward traffic on port 80 to another machine. This causes problems for any service that wants to use specific ports, including video conferencing, torrent downloads, media streaming, file transfers, screen sharing, and so on, blocking multiple machines hidden behind NAT from being accessible at once over the same customary port.
NAT as a refuge for the insecure
NAT has also become an important part of the external security diapers that are used to protect Microsoft's Windows. Without a layer of NAT in the router's firewall, a Windows PC would expose all number of unsecured ports to public tampering. A remotely addressable Windows PC on the Internet will almost instantly become infected by malicious probes looking for its wide-open back doors.
Neither NAT nor an external firewall is really required when a computing system is property secured. The security crisis resulting from putting Microsoft's software, which was only ever originally designed to operate within an "assumed to be secure" LAN environment, on the open Internet has resulted in people thinking that PCs shouldn't be publicly addressable for their own good.
This is unfortunate, because there are a lot of good reasons for wanting to be able to talk to your own devices over the Internet. Finding and setting up connections with other devices hiding behind the existing layers of NAT can require some tricky technology. That's the task of Apple's Back To My Mac: allowing mobile systems anywhere on the Internet to talk to home systems to handle file sharing, screen sharing, or other tasks.
The promise of IPv6
IPv6's 128-bit addressing not only brings a virtually unlimited number of available IP addresses for everyone to use (billions of numbers for each person on Earth), but also introduces solutions that solve many of the other problems in today's Internet Protocol, including the barriers erected by layers of NAT.
One big feature is security: all IPv6 traffic can be encrypted via a built-in component of the protocol. There's no need to wrap the old FTP protocol with a layer of encryption or use SSH, no need to turn on SSL to secure the web, no need to encrypt each email or each IM conversation and each video conference. Everything can be encrypted at the network layer in IPv6 using IPSec. This can be automatic and invisible to applications; existing, higher level security protocols such as SSL or TLS require applications to be specifically designed to support them. With IPv6, apps get network encryption "for free."
Rather than relying on Windows' NAT diapers for "security through obscurity," IPv6 makes every device on the Internet routable and securely contactable. If IPv6 is beginning to sound a lot like Back to My Mac, Bonjour, and related technologies Apple is already using, then it might be interesting to note that Apple is already using IPv6.
While most vendors have released IPv6 support for their operating systems, having that support doesn't make it useful without a killer application that demonstrates its usefulness. Microsoft delivered a technology preview of IPv6 support in Windows 2000. In 2002 Windows XP SP1 got official, optional support for it. Apple enabled IPv6 by default in Mac OS X 10.3 Panther in 2003, and it is now enabled by default in Windows Vista, too.
However, a real barrier to wide adoption of IPv6 lies with the routers everyone uses; if they are unable to accommodate IPv6 traffic, they will prevent users inside from accessing IPv6 traffic outside, even if their OS supports it. Many commercial routers are just now adding support for IPv6, and many consumer routers don't support it at all.
A killer app for IPv6
The advantages of IPv6 are both obvious and largely invisible. Most users won't even notice the move to IPv6, as DNS handles the IP addressing details in the background. The paradox is that while the Internet desperately needs IPv6, few see any reason to rush toward it. There's no obvious killer application of IPv6 to offset the considerable expense of upgrading all of the critical routers and other equipment that makes up the Internet.
Routers typically run BSD or Linux; Microsoft's software dominance on the desktop isn't even relevant in the world of routers. However, Apple's AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule devices are in widespread use among consumers. Earlier this year, NPD reported that Apple now has greater than ten percent market share among retail sales of WiFi N routers.
Apple's WiFi N routers support acting as an IPv6 node or tunneling through the IPv4 Internet to access IPv6 services (below). They also include an IPv6 firewall supporting incoming IPSec authentication and Teredo tunnels (used to get through NAT on the other end). Apple's nearly silent support for IPv6 is interesting in itself, but what's more interesting is that Apple also has two killer apps in hand for promoting IPv6, the market power to engage uptake, and a strong business model for benefitting from IPv6 adoption.
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