InformationWeek Apple Unvarnished Weblog

New iPhone App Gives 24x7 Swine Flu Coverage

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:45:34 -0500

Swine flu is permeating everywhere these days--not just the virus, but news about it. But if you're still not getting your fill of H1N1, Harvard Medical School has released a new iPhone app that provides real-time updates while you're on the move.

The Apple Tablet Hype Isn't Right

Thomas Claburn — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 19:31:03 -0500

Apple's rumored tablet computer, widely believed to be coming next year, deserves the hype it has received and will usher in a golden age of journalism, argues Newsweek's Daniel Lyons.

Tweetie 2: A Great iPhone Twitter Client Gets Better

Mitch Wagner — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 10:50:34 -0500

Tweetie is a favorite client for Twitter power-users on the iPhone, because of its simple interface, versatility, and ease-of-use. Now, the highly anticipated new version is out, with features that make the great Twitter client for the iPhone even better, without cluttering it up.

Bean, A Free Mac Word Processor That Does Less

Mitch Wagner — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 13:20:35 -0500

Writing tools are intensely personal choices -- for some people. Most people make do with the corporate standard, Microsoft Word, and many are even happy with it. But some of us have to be different, we're unhappy with Word and seek productivity elsewhere.

Is Apple Getting Ready To Re-Invent The Mouse?

Mitch Wagner — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 12:40:58 -0500

Apple is the company that introduced the world to mouse computing; could it now be planning to re-invent the mouse, maybe introducing a new kind of input device that combines the mouse and keyboard? That's the speculation buzzing on the Apple blogs today, fueled by a patent out of Cupertino.

Snow Leopard Could Be Apple's Vista

Mitch Wagner — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 11:10:50 -0500

Apple's Snow Leopard has some serious bugs. So what? Every major operating system upgrade has bugs. However, it's possible that Snow Leopard is buggier than that, that it will prove to be a lemon and a drag on the company as Vista was for Microsoft.

Video: iPhone Tips And Tricks

Mitch Wagner — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 13:20:39 -0500

Even if you didn't get a new iPhone recently, you did. In addition to rolling out new the new iPhone 3GS hardware last month, Apple introduced its iPhone 3.0 firmware update for free for all iPhone users, and at a nominal cost for users of the iPod Touch. Version 3.0 has so many new features, it's like getting a new iPhone. Watch this video for some tips and tricks on getting the most from the new software.

Apple's Snow Leopard: Bigger Than The iPhone 3GS?

Mitch Wagner — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:31:04 -0500

While all the Apple buzz is about the iPhone 3GS, Snow Leopard is looking like much more important announcement for Apple. Both were announced at the company's Worldwide Developers Conference a few weeks ago, they're both significant steps forward for existing products. While the 3GS is sexier, Snow Leopard has under-the-hood improvements in the operating system that will help carry Apple into the future.

China Should Hire Apple To Police Porn

Thomas Claburn — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 18:49:20 -0500

The Chinese government has been having a rough month. The authorities there have been dialing back already limited Internet freedoms to discourage disruptive remembrance of the 20th anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. In early June, authorities let slip that starting in July PCs shipped in China would have to include Web filtering software called Green Dam.

Steve Jobs Reportedly Had Liver Transplant

Mitch Wagner — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 15:24:27 -0500

Steve Jobs, who went on medical leave in January because of an undisclosed medical condition, had a liver transplant in Tennessee two months ago, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal. He's on the mend and will be back at work at the end of this month -- which is to say, within 10 days.

Apple, AT&T Kick Loyal Customers Where It Hurts

Mitch Wagner — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 01:10:33 -0500

I don't expect special treatment when I've been doing business with a company for a while, I'm generally content to be treated the same as anyone else. But I don't expect to be treated worse than other customers, to get the small half of the pie, the ice cream cone that somebody dropped on the ground. And yet that's what AT&T and Apple are doing with loyal iPhone customers.

Steve Jobs' Amazon Account Hacked? I Doubt It.

Thomas Claburn — Thu, 14 May 2009 19:13:36 -0500

Leander Kahney on the Cult of Mac blog reports that that a hacker claims to have phished Steve Jobs, obtained his Amazon.com account login information, and snooped through his purchases.

Plan B: Affordable Tech Alternatives

Fredric Paul — Wed, 13 May 2009 15:02:00 -0500

Every IT person has dreams about the technologies they really want for their business. In current economic conditions, however, you may need to downsize your expectations.

Amazon Acquires Stanza E-Book Reader: Superior Selection Meets Superior Software

Mitch Wagner — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 12:02:33 -0500

The other day, I tweeted that it would be awesome if the Amazon Kindle store sold books through the Stanza iPhone app. Yesterday, Amazon acquired Lexcycle, the company behind Stanza. I must never use this power for evil.

Mac Sales - Not As Bad As They Could Have Been

Mitch Wagner — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 11:50:13 -0500

First of all: I want to know what they're smoking in Cupertino -- and where I can get a duffel bag full of the stuff? The famous Steve Jobs Reality Distortion Field is apparently strong enough to enclose the company in an economic boom, even as the rest of the world is going through the toughest times in at least a generation.

A Modest Proposal On How Microsoft Can Clobber Apple

Mitch Wagner — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 11:09:44 -0500

I've been watching the tech news and shocked by how Mac market share is receding due to the recession. Apple executives are putting on a not-worried public face -- in the company's last quarterly earnings call, CEO Steve Jobs said that Mac users are loyal. They'll postpone buying, but they won't switch to Windows. That was true during the last recession -- but is it still true today?

More Details Emerge On Reported Apple Netbook

Mitch Wagner — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 16:22:04 -0500

Another reputable news organization is reporting independent confirmation that Apple plans to launch a netbook with a touchscreen as early as the second half of this year, while a prominent tech blogger shares some interesting analysis that the device will be a keyboardless tablet.

Apple's Trouble Handling Success

Thomas Claburn — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 13:46:55 -0500

Apple's role as benevolent dictator of the iPhone ecosystem has pluses and minuses. Lately, however, it has become apparent that the company can't manage the control it insists upon. It risks becoming an incompetent dictator, and that's the kind of regime that's prone to collapse.

Apple Refreshes Desktops: Is The iMac Irrelevant?

Mitch Wagner — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 10:39:51 -0500

Apple this week upgraded its desktop line, boosting the speed and power of its Mac Mini, iMac, and Mac Pro. The Mini is once again a nice low-end system for someone looking for a second Mac. The company added even more power to the Mac Pro, its high-end desktop for people who need a lot of power and are willing to spend a lot of money for it. That leaves the all-in-one iMac stuck in the middle. In an era when desktop PC sales are being eroded by netbooks, notebook computers, and the floundering economy, how long will the iMac survive?

Shareholders Criticize Apple Over Steve Jobs' Health Disclosures

Mitch Wagner — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 10:38:04 -0500

Apple shareholders are taking the company to task over how it handled disclosures about Steve Jobs's health, saying the company needs to be more forthcoming about the CEO's condition. But Apple directors say they've done nothing wrong -- and that nothing has changed since Jobs announced last month that he was withdrawing from day-to-day operations, and the ailing CEO plans a June return.

As American As Apple Mac

J. Nicholas Hoover — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 15:24:23 -0500

Apple OS X may have been approved for government sale since 2003, but the company has recently ramped up its pursuit of government customers, according to a source.

An Apple Netbook Won't Just Be A Notebook For 'Cheapskates'

Mitch Wagner — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 15:17:17 -0500

ZDNet's Adrian Kinglsey-Hughes writes a blog I would have agreed with 100% a few weeks ago, ridiculing the idea of Apple shipping a netbook. A netbook is a machine for the budget market, he argues. Apple makes devices for people willing to spend more to get the best, and isn't going to compromise quality to cut costs. "If I was going to go down that line I'd also want a cheap yacht, a cheap Rolex, and a cheap Ferrari," he argues.

Health Concerns Rise Again As Steve Jobs Skips Apple Shareholder Meeting

Mitch Wagner — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 16:48:06 -0500

Steve Jobs won't be at this week's Apple annual meeting, the first he's missed since he returned to the company more than 10 years ago, according to reports. Jobs, who was successfully treated for pancreatic cancer in 2004, stepped aside from day-to-day responsibilities for six months starting in January, citing uncontrolled weight loss.

Woz To Compete On 'Dancing With The Stars'

Mitch Wagner — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 00:37:57 -0500

It took fancy footwork for Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs to invent the Apple computer. Now, Woz will get a chance to display fancy footwork of a different kind when he competes on Dancing With The Stars on TV this year, which premieres Monday, March 9.

New iPhone 3G Due In June: Reports

Mitch Wagner — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 13:24:49 -0500

Apple is planning to release the next version of the iPhone in June, with support for running apps in the background and a brand new, more powerful hardware architecture, according to reports on the buzzing Apple blogs.