illa romza

BETA! We no GET

Yeah BETA sounds like we won't be getting it for a while :(

6hrs 33 minutes.

what is it about 3 am in the states. I wonder what steve would be dreaming about

That may be true of the huge American diesel truck engines, but go examine a new VW, BMW or Mercedes diesel and you'll see that this is just not the case anymore.

That could be true, but I can't verify it - simply because I don't really see any of those around here....

You can barely even smell the exhaust - if at all - even from the new truck engines with DPFs.

...This, on the other hand, has not been my experience at all.

I live out in the country (horse and cattle farms), and about half the pickups out here are 3/4 ton and 1 ton diesels, mostly Chevys and Fords. Following one down the highway it's hard to hear them, but if you're behind one you can damn sure smell it - and yes, I'm talking about the new ones, too.

Caveat - you specifically mentioned a Dodge, and I don't recall seeing (or smelling) any of those around here lately.

Bought this today on a whim. I ****ing love it!:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4131/5209638998_fe2eaf5b2c.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4089/5209659858_9e4b8ab4af.jpg

Took advantage of Amazon's DVD sales and bought these:
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51%2By8xib7UL._SL500_AA300_.jpg
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51Ak7iiEAlL._SL500_AA300_.jpghttp://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41EDIanxpWL._SL500_AA300_.jpghttp://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41DsibIifuL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

The existence of this data has been known for some time now.

Further, some googling suggests that Apple had already responded to some congressmen's inquiries on the subject, again, well before it got this level of publicity.

From what I've read, they apparently collect locations, WiFi MAC addresses, etc, _anonymously_ (not retaining information that would track any particular person or phone, unless you _choose_ to track a lost or stolen iPhone).

Now...why would they do that? I just thought of one reason.

Geolocation by WiFi MAC address (the only way iPod touch or non-3G iPad can geolocate, if they can't use cell towers and don't include GPS) depends on a database of locations and WiFi MAC addresses. Apple probably has previously used one licensed from Skyhook or Google. I imagine that was built with equipment carried in delivery vans, or in the same vehicles that take Google's "street view" panoramic photos. Licensing access to that database must cost Apple something.

Now...what happens? Somebody says "duh, an iPhone has WiFi and a GPS, that means we've got a fleet of surveying equipment already deployed." Doesn't matter that they can't schedule the coverage; sooner or later, someone is likely to drive near just about every fixed WiFi AP on the planet with an iPhone. Now...the data quality wouldn't be as good...but even whoever did the earlier database must've had that problem (people with mobile access points would confuse the heck out of things, for instance). So maybe it takes multiple hits to confirm something as fixed, or to improve the accuracy. But eventually you still get to the same end result - a WiFi MAC address vs location database that Apple owns free and clear.

They might even be able to do some work with cell tower location data, and perhaps produce data good enough to compete with the existing geolocation database providers. After all, Apple does have to maintain some infrastructure for various functions: their notification servers, software update servers, etc. Anything they can get as a side-effect of the normal operation of iDevices and their infrastructure, that helps pay for it, lets them make a bigger profit and/or be more competitive (remember, for all Apple's rep for high prices, the iPad 2 supposedly is as well or better priced compared to competing devices with similar specs).

The question here probably isn't whether the data is being abused; and raising that question is IMO _pandering_, not surprising for a liberal, who after all must have idiots for constituents, or they wouldn't have been elected. (I mean, really, Heinlein summarized economics concisely with TANSTAAFL, and there _is_ something usually ignored called the Tenth Amendment, which basically says the states can be socialist if they want, but the federal government can't.)

The _real_ question is what safeguards are in effect to minimize the potential for abuse. Ok, we theoretically need a warrant for this sort of thing (although I wouldn't put it past individual states to play fast and loose). But what about foreign governments, already inclined towards police state behavior? What about people _knowing_ what risk they're putting themselves at in case of some civil suit?

IMO, Apple needs to provide and prominently _document_ a way to clear the saved data, and/or document the degree to which disabling location services prevents its retention (let alone anonymous reporting) in the first place. (For jailbreakers, I gather there's already a Cydia app that once installed, will automatically delete data older than a few minutes.) People need to understand that encrypted backups would make the information sync'd back to their Mac or PC safer. And so on.

Generating hysteria is perhaps a useful political tool, for those inclined to address themselves to the least common denominator. But asking the more specific questions which would lead to real answers takes more than PR, it takes a functional brain, or at least the sense to hire a staffer who has one or can consult one.

That way, I can stream my music from iPod to Airport Express directly.

I would rather have it the other way around a cheap 512 mb iPod with a screen that can use my music on my mac via wifi. that would be sweet. I have over 100gb of music and want to have access to all of it from everywhere in my house. now a 30 gb or so iPod with wifi would be sweet. load all your favorite music for car rides and stuff and still listen to the rest at home.

Ben

Very humorous. :)

I don't quite get your comment. What was humourous about my age exactly ?

Unless you're driving a ...Honda... gear shifters on modern cars either are too "notchy" or overly-vague in terms of finding a gear, and the result is not very pleasant, especially in city driving.

Wait what ? Hondas are some of the worst offenders. Their last great shifters hail from the late 90s. Everything ever since has been downhill, at least here in North America.

We haven't even gotten a Civic Hatchback in the last few years. :( Honda is really turning into Toyota these days, dropping any kind of sporty feel and making point A to B cars and it shows in the driving feeling of those bread boxes. I think it's one of the reasons I switched to Subaru for my last 2 cars.

Anyway, the Kia my GF bought seems to have very well defined gates. I don't know if it's because the shifter assembly bushings are still brand new (only time will tell) or if it's because the Koreans are trying to pick up the segment Honda/Mazda left behind (young kids that want "sporty" compacts).

well i'm finally in the top 10 for our team. just gotta keep it goin

Way to go!

Phew. Killing the Classic would be a terrible mistake. The death of an icon right there.

Basically, Apple needs to snap out of it and realize that there is a market for a headless and integrated machines at EVERY PRICE... I want a prosumer iMac, personally.

Apple used to have all-in-ones, consumer towers, pro towers, etc. Remember the PowerMac 6400? Too many products is too confusing for the consumer. If that means that a couple of people can't get the exact configuration they want, so be it.

I think there already are online download rental sites, presumably for WMP a la Windows.

Rental makes more sense if the quality is comparable to the current shows they offer. Plus if you buy a movie, with the restrictions the way they are, you most likely won't be able to burn it to a DVD to watch on the plasmas everyone seems to be getting.

And if this truly is a service for some sort of iPod, then they won't be offering HD movies unless of course by some miracle they have an HD screen in the iPod (although HD at any conceivably sized iPod screen would be a waste).

I actually would like a subscription service for both movies and TV shows. I have spent way more than I care to think about on TV series, and honestly I can only watch them but so many times. What do I do with them now? I "own" them, but as we all know, I can't sell them. I just have them forever.

8-Core Mac Pro! :eek:

***drool*** :D :cool:

Yes, but probably not as good as one who drives them on a daily basic.

The App has been pulled because it is not in compliance with developer guidelines.


http://www.cultofmac.com/apple-pulls-gay-cure-app-over-dev-guidelines/87815

Apple spokesman Tom Neumayr said Wednesday:

�We removed the Exodus International app from the App Store because it violates our developer guidelines by being offensive to large groups of people.�

there is a destinct difference between 'sharing' and 'synching'.

Exactly! Now maybe you see my first point.

And, your "solution" to fingerprinting libs could, very well I believe, impact this other distinct feature.

It makes no sense to "share" from an iPod (or to one for that matter) - costs are too high as pointed out ad nauseum (see above posts yet to be refuted).

Making it an iPod w/ AirTunes would cannibalize sales of ATEs and also - again - be too expensive from a power standpoint unless you tether your iPod to a charger defeating one of the great bonus points of wireless. Or get a dock for the TV - oh wait, you've again made the "wireless" not so wireless - and redundant...

We've all been crying for a new cube since the mini came out... is the mini an awesome machine? Absolutely, I love mine. But there is a market for a headless iMac/Cube/MacPro mini... people like me. I don't need a quad core computer. I don't need 16gb of RAM. I don't need 4 harddrive bays, or even two optical drive slots.

I do want a fast CPU, an upgradable GPU, a couple of full size HDDs and a full size optical drive. I also want something quiet, relatively affordable (something a bit less than an iMac would be idea), and stylish.

I don't think that Apple would lose Mac Pro sales to something like this - they might lose iMac sales but if the margins are the same for them who cares, and any loss of mini sales would be upsells, so it'd be a good thing.

I think a lot PC types, especially gamers, would be interested, bringing in new markets... None of my gamer friends would be satisfied by an iMac, but neither would they shell out $2-3k for a Mac Pro.

Let's see, the mini is 6.5x6.5x2 inches, would anyone even notice if it went to 8.5x8.5x4? Even better would be 8x8x8, just for the cube dimensions, done in iPod white (or black), would look stellar on a desktop. Core 2 Duo 1.83ghz, 4 RAM slots for an 8gb max with 512mb installed stock, 1 16x PCIe w/ 7300GT base (BTO options), 1 PCI slot, 2 3.5" drive bays w/ 160gb standard, 1 5.25" bay w/ SD, AE, BT2, 6 USB2 (4 back, 2 front), 1 FW 400, 1 eSATA (in place of FW800)... $999 anyone? BTO options for slower/fast CPUs and GPUs, more RAM, bigger HDD and a $200 TV tuner/video encoder breakout box... :DThat is the machine that Apple needs, at the moment its still the marketeers at Apple who seem to rule their product offerings with mini vs All in one vs workstation..

congrats to whiterabbit for 7 million points!

Tuesday Release!!!!

oh guys, don't you understand what is going on here?

the iPhone and iPad is very sucessful therefore apple wants to bring all the user interface elements to the Mac too. and this actually makes sense. the only problem: we are used to the Mac os and don't want to give up our habits.

but there is no way around: it's time to melt iOS and Mac OS x. and apple is going to bring so many things to the os x that will confuse so many people. they have to solve so many problems like deletion of programs or the fullscreen dilemma.

I am very sure that they want the Mac os to behave like iOS. but iOS is based on the home screen and this terrible multitasking bar (double-click on home button) no trashcan (oho!) and no finder.

but there is also a good side to it. maybe the iOS is getting the "widget screen" too, because if apple is totally logical, the have to introduce this too (and mission control).

(written on an iPad)

Why not make a 30inch macbook pro.:cool: how hard can it be.

My JCW is light, at 2600 lbs. :)

That's about 700 pounds too much!
;)

Woke up to this for the commute - decent image from the iPhone, IMHO.

Consumer Reports is making five mistakes:

1. Not doing full-scale testing of the kind antenna engineers have called them out on. They’ve done informal testing—quick and easy, but not the full useful facts their readers deserve. Yes, that kind of testing would need some really expensive facilities and lots of time. So they should at least point out that their tests are very limited and may be misleading.

2. Not publishing stats on how many users actually lose calls over this. They do surveys all the time—how about one comparing the iPhone 4 to other phones in actual use? (Most of the iPhone 4 antenna complaints seem to come from people who don’t own one!)

3. Criticizing only the iPhone, not other phones, for losing signal when gripped wrong. (Which all phones clearly do. Some more, some less. Many of them tell you right in the manual not to “hold it that way!")

4. Exaggerating the problem. Putting a very rare and minor issue, that affects so few, ahead of so many positives that affect everyone: benefits no other phone can touch. How are their flaws (which no case can fix) vs. the iPhone acceptable? And does CR clearly state that they DO recommend the iPhone for case users—which is a huge (maybe the largest) group of phone users?

5. Standing on their ego (or worrying misguidedly about their reputation) and not refining their position when that is clearly called for. Black-and-white controversial simplicity sells mindshare and magazines. But it doesn’t reflect reality, and CR readers deserve better. CR should be willing to back down when they’ve gone too far. Example: “The iPhone 4’s antenna flaws are rarely an issue and it’s the best smartphone we reviewed. But because we don’t know what each buyer will experience, we are only able to fully recommend the iPhone 4 if you also use a case. Luckily, Apple will continue to supply one free of charge on request, so this antenna issue need not affect your calls nor your wallet."

I only trust CR’s large-scale survey data (they seem to be good at that) not their editorial content. They’ve consitently failed to note Apple’s legitimate strengths over the years (ever see an article helping the everyday buyer choose between OS X and Windows?) but never fail to make something out the negatives. That’s not helping an uninformed reader become informed. And it really does seem like an anti-Apple bias sometimes.

That is precisely what auto manufacturers do. They send a letter to every owner, and fix the problem, whether or not the owner has reported it.

And that kind of preventive mass action makes sense for a product that holds peoples’ lives in its hands every moment of use.

It’s absurd to suggest that Apple should “fix” a problem as though it were widespread, when it’s not. Fixing it when it IS a problem is all that is necessary. And then let the non-iPhone users continue to moan about how bad Apple is treating us contented iPhone users :D They believe a blog wildfire over actual user experience—or at least they enjoy fanning the wildfire?

This would be a really great release hope it is true. I am also sure that many including myself would be willing to pay a slight premium for a 17" Apple widescreen display....

ShadoW

i highly highly doubt they are calling it the "macbook air." that's borderline laughable. i am willing to bet the phase "there's something in the air" is referring to the soon to be announced rental service, not a piece of hardware. apple is making an obvious attempt to eliminate physical mediums altogether, first cds with mp3s and now dvds with downloadable vids (both via the itunes music store). everything will be available "in the air" or "up in the cloud," if you will. i'll be damned if they name their next product the "macbook air." c'mon people...
Aperture 2.0 via iTunes... or maybe it just reefers to iPhone/iPod Touch apps.

Or maybe it referes to a notebook that doesnt have a replaceable battery, though the new macbooks will be used as frisbees.