We’d heard just under a month ago that Apple was mulling the possibility of adding matte display options to more than just its flagship 17-inch MacBook Pro, and lo and behold, it seems the anti-glare revolution has begun. Starting now (like, right now), those in the market for a new unibody 15-inch MacBook Pro can order one directly from Apple with an anti-glare widescreen display, packing 1,440 x 900 pixels and a LED backlight. Sadly, the privilege will run you an extra $50 over the traditional (mirrored) glossy panel, and it will replace that svelte borderless look present on glossy MBPs with a silver frame bezel. A brief look around Apple’s international sites also shows it available elsewhere in the world for similar amounts, though we’re still curious as to what machine will be next in line for the upgrade, er, “option.”
Category: Apple
On Verizon
I know Apple has a sweetheart deal with AT&T, and that the notorious wireless provider pays handsomely for the privilege. However, it’s been over two years, and I think it’s time for Apple to give the public the option of a choice of wireless providers.
If that day ever comes, the iPhone is going to destroy a lot of competitors that are currently safe simply due to being on a different network.
Ice-T, The Apple Technician
On Upgrading to a New OS
Microsoft has produced a chart outlining the different options available to users who are looking to upgrade to Windows 7. Gizmodo has a nice big version of it here.
It’s unbelievably confusing. Just looking at it gives me a headache. With so many different versions of Vista and 7 in the mix, the possibilities are almost endless, but many users will have to take the “Custom Install” path, which Microsoft describes as basically a clean install.
Apple Repsonds to Ninjawords Issue
Phil Schiller of Apple responded to John Gruber after Gruber’s piece about Apple censoring Ninjawords — an iPhone dictionary app — made the rounds Tuesday.
Schiller:
You are correct that the Ninjawords application should not have needed to be censored while also receiving a 17+ rating, but that was a result of the developers’ actions, not Apple’s. I believe that the Apple app review team’s original recommendation to the developer to submit the Ninjawords application, without censoring it, to the App Store once parental controls was implemented would have been the best course of action for all; Wiktionary.org is an open, ever-changing resource and filtering the content does not seem reasonable or necessary.
The iTab Mini
I stumbled across this set on Flickr today of a tablet Mac created from remnants of a 12-inch PowerBook and a MacBook. It’s pretty impressive.
10.5.8 Released
‘Apple censored an English dictionary’
Gruber, on Ninjawords, a iPhone dictionary app that Apple has censored:
In other words, not only must the dictionary be censored — a dictionary — but even after being purged of “objectionable” words it would only be considered with a 17+ rating. Even after agreeing to these terms, it took another two weeks for Ninjawords to appear in the App Store.
[…]
Every time I think I’ve seen the most outrageous App Store rejection, I’m soon proven wrong. I can’t imagine what it will take to top this one.
iProd
When the iPhone OS 3.0 SDK beta was first seeded to developers, an entry inside the USBConfiguration.plist indicated that a device identified only as iProd0,1 existed inside of Apple. The .plist item was nested among the usual iPhone and iPod Touch identifiers, as well as iPhone3,1, which turned out to be the iPhone 3GS that was released this past June. As shipping products from Apple don’t have a leading zero in the identifier, we speculated then that it was a prototype device that was in active testing.
Schmidt Steps Down From Apple Board
Apple today announced that Dr. Eric Schmidt, chief executive officer of Google, is resigning from Apple’s Board of Directors, a position he has held since August 2006.
“Eric has been an excellent Board member for Apple, investing his valuable time, talent, passion and wisdom to help make Apple successful,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “Unfortunately, as Google enters more of Apple’s core businesses, with Android and now Chrome OS, Eric’s effectiveness as an Apple Board member will be significantly diminished, since he will have to recuse himself from even larger portions of our meetings due to potential conflicts of interest. Therefore, we have mutually decided that now is the right time for Eric to resign his position on Apple’s Board.”
App Brings Handwriting to iPhone
Macworld’s Brian Beam has posted a review of SpeedText, an iPhone app that allows users to create notes using handwriting as opposed to the iPhone’s software keyboard.
Of course, this type of app stirs up memories of the Newton. Beam:
So yes — SpeedText doesn’t approach the nerdy-coolness of the Newton. Then again, most people don’t have a Newton lying around the back of their closet. In that case then, the app is a solid note-taker, particularly if you’d prefer scribbling to the built-in keyboard of the iPhone or iPod touch and so long as your note needs remain simple. SpeedText can certainly handle simple notes — at least until something better comes along.