AT&T will lose its exclusive hold on the iPhone in June 2010, analyst Brian Marshall said recently. In a television interview, the AmTech analyst also said Apple will receive $300 per iPhone AT&T and other carriers sell, down from the current $450 subsidy from the U.S. carrier.
Talking to Bloomberg TV, Marshall said iPhone owners, who comprise just 4 percent of AT&T subscribers, use 40 percent of network bandwidth.
The phrase “putting a genie into the bottle” comes to mind as reports surfaced Monday of a malicious offspring of a prank aimed at owners of unsecure jailbroken iPhones. Dubbed the “Duh” worm, the latest security threat targets the financial data of customers using online bank ING Direct.
The worm redirects ING Direct users to a phishing site. Those phones also come under the control of a botnet in Lithuania, reports said. The attack searches for iPhones that use the default secure shell (SSH) root password of “alpine.” The jailbreaking process often requires a person to install SSH, but many fail to change the default – opening the door wide for malicious hacks.
Update: A new Apple Store Black Friday “ad” leaked again to Boy Genius Report – this time from what the site described as a “pretty credible” source bearing “more reasonable” sale prices. Among the items, iMacs and MacBook Pros starting at $1098, iPod nanos for $138 and iPod touch for $178. Apple TV reportedly going for $208, Airport Express for $88 and the Magic Mouse and wireless keyboard for $64 each.
Apple today unveiled a teaser ad on its U.S. and UK online stores, offering no details on what bargains could be available for Mac fans. The official announcement comes just days after a purported flyer (later shot down) indicating up to a 30 percent discount on items.
“Come back to the Apple Online Store this Friday for a special one-day-only shopping event,” the ad urges. “You’ll find lots of iPod, iPhone and Mac gift ideas – all with free shipping.” Unlike the UK, where the upcoming holiday is not commonly observed, the U.S. online store mentions “the day after Thanksgiving.”
We close out the week and prepare for the long flights, long waits and long lines as Thanksgiving rears its head. To get you ready (maybe even point out a stocking-stuffer or two), we offer our top trio of deals. First up, nothing beats a good set of in-ear “headphones.” This deal features ‘phones from Apple that slice $6 from other offers. Next up: more and more of us take the office wherever we travel. To make work-at-home easier, there is a $50 deal on Apple’s iWork ’09 suite of applications. To relax, there is always the iPhone or iPod touch – and what are they without some apps. Apple has unveiled another batch of apps that’ll cost you nada – the perfect price as you compare this year’s shopping list with your always shrinking budget.
For details on these bargains and more (like a Samsung Luxia HDTV), check out CoM’s “Daily Deals” page after the jump.
In a sign of the iPhone’s power to attract, China Unicom Friday said it expects to have 10 percent of the nation’s 3G users by 2012. The comments by an unnamed executive of the country’s second-largest wireless carrier to China Daily echo those made publicly earlier this week.
China Unicom Chairman Chang Xiaobing told reporters recently he expects the iPhone will be the best-selling smartphone in the country. China Unicom sales of iPhones coincided with the introduction of the carrier’s 3G network. Although much was made of China Unicom adding only 5,000 when the iPhone launched in late October, the carrier said the iconic smartphone boosted 3G subscribers to over 1 million in just one month.
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer fielded heated questions from the software giant’s shareholders Thursday concerned about losing younger consumers to Apple. Responding to a question on how best to market to the “next generation” of computer users, Ballmer remarked that there “is a group of people with whom our market share is less.”
Although Apple CEO Steve Jobs was recently voted the “most admired entrepreneur” among the 12 to 17 year-old age group, Ballmer told the audience “it is important to remember that 96 times out of 100 worldwide, people choose a PC with Windows – that’s a good thing,” according to Seattle, Wash.-based TechFlash.
Hackers have bypassed Apple’s desire to remove support for Intel’s Atom processor from Mac OS X 10.6.2, allowing the increasingly popular netbooks to run Cupertino’s latest operating system. The complicated hack replaces the Mac OS X kernal, according to reports.
The low-powered Atom processor from Intel is often used by low-cost netbooks. Apple currently offers no hardware officially supporting the Atom chip.
Here’s a guide for finding the best bargains on Apple-related gear during the infamous Black Friday sales on November 27. We’ve compiled a comprehensive list of gear from leaked photos of sales flyers and descriptions of sales.
The bargains include a 2.26 GHz MacBook + $150 gift card at Best Buy for $999.99 ; a 32GB iPod Touch + $30 Gift Card for $295.00 at Target; and a Sony Speaker Dock Clock Radio For iPod/iPhone for $79.99 at Office Depot.
We’ll continue to update this guide as more retailers announce their Black Friday offerings in the run up to the big day.
We have an eclectic group of deals to head today’s list of bargains. Insignia has a clock radio alarm for your iPod priced at just $13. There is the usual clock radio alarm specs, plus a remote. The Groove Silicone Skin for your iPhone 3G or iPhone 3GS will brighten your day – and at just 99 cents, it won’t lighten your wallet. We see all sorts of iPhone apps pass through here, but here’s something unique: a barcode reader for your iPhone or iPod touch. Just scan a product’s barcode and you’ll receive information from local or online merchants.
As always, details on all these items and more are available at CoM’s “Daily Deals” page after the jump.
Apple’s iPod touch will play an even greater role within the Cupertino, Calif. company’s chain of retail stores. Along with dumping Pocket PC-based checkouts, the touch will now be seen more in the hands of employees working on the floor and in the stockroom, a report said Thursday.
The increased exposure comes as Apple readies distribution of three exclusive iPod touch applications designed to make life easier for Apple Store employees during the expected hectic holiday season, according to AppleInsider. One application will allow any employees to exchange iPhones or iPod while on the store floor, rather than only at a Genius Bar tech support area.
After losing an initial court request to pull Verizon’s “Map” commercials, AT&T has created its own ad and website claiming the carrier offers a better “3G experience” than its rival. The new ads and website featuring actor Luke Wilson tout “When you compare, there’s no comparison. AT&T.”
The website, TruthAbout3G.com, follows the denial by a federal judge of AT&T’s request that Verizon’s ads be yanked because they are ‘misleading.’ In Wednesday’s ruling from Atlanta, GA., U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Batten, Sr., wrote that some viewers might “misunderstand” the ads, “but that doesn’t mean they are misleading.”
Apple’s mythical tablet computer reportedly will be delayed because the Cupertino, Calif. company has added a second model with an OLED display, pushing an expected March 2010 launch date to later next year. The report by a Tiawan hardware news site cites anonymous Apple partners.
The company “has decided to switch some components and plans to launch a model using a 9.7-inch OLED panel from LG Display,” according to Digitimes. The OLED panel would be in addition to a 10.6-inch TFT LCD display. LG Display reportedly has a $500 million panel purchasing contract with Apple.
Does your digital camera take extreme photographs? Ever wish you had a camera that could take more punishment than falling off a coffee table? Maybe Casio’s EX-G1 is the camera for you. Introduced Wednesday, the brightly-colored EX-G1 is more than just another flashy digital camera. Casio bills the EX-G1 as the world’s first waterproof and shockproof digital camera.
The EX-G1 is part of the company’s Exilim G line of “endurance” cameras aimed at athletic and adventuresome photographers. As such, the $300 EX-G1 is 0.78-inches thick and able to withstand drops from 7 feet. Casio also claims the camera can withstand being 10-feet underwater for up to a full hour.
We’ve reached mid-week and the Mac deals are arriving fast and furious. Today we have bargains for anyone looking for hardware. The Mac mini with Intel’s Core 2 Duo running at 2.53 GHz is selling for $769. A great stocking-stuffer for that up-and-coming MP3 fan on your list: an 8GB iPod nano for $110. Last on the top trio is the iPod touch. Several are selling for as low as $199.
For details on these and other Mac-related bargains (such as the Chocolate Bar Silicone iPhone case), check out CoM’s “Daily Deals” page following this jump.
Microsoft Wednesday introduced discounts for the Mac version of its flagship Office 2008. The offer reduces the price of the Home and Student Edition, Business Edition and Business Edition Upgrade between $20-$50.
The discounts are available through Jan. 5, 2010.
South Korea regulators have given iPhone sales a green light in this gadget-hungry Asian nation. The move by the Korea Communications Commission clears the way for the country’s second-largest carrier to offer service plans for the popular handset.
While recent interest has been focused on China, Apple has long wanted into the South Korean market, where young tech-saavy consumers might flock to the iconic cell phone. South Korea’s government, however, has had long-standing barriers to foreign competition with home-grown handset makers, such as Samsung and LG Electronics, the world’s second and third-largest cell phone makers. Reports say 93 percent of South Koreans subscribe to cell phone services.
Just months after releasing its latest Mac OS X 10.6 operating system, Apple began work on its successor, 10.7, according to reports. Indications of a new build number in an OS component and a new error message lead some to believe the Cupertino, Calif. company has begun development.
A database for Mac OS X’s boot software “launchd” mentions “11A47,” causing some to feel the Cupertino, Calif. company is at work on a new version of its operating system. MacRumors, which first reported on the hints, suggested the “11A” portion means Apple is working on an early version of the OS. The “47” portion indicates the company has been working on the new version “for at least the last month or two.”
We have an on-the-go extravaganza today, with items everyone needs to keep their iPhone or iPod powered, give them a voice and protect them with style. First up is a travel charger that usually cost $3.95, but when you use the code, the price drops to 99 cents. Likewise, we have an FM transmitter for your iPhone or iPod that normally costs $20, but is offered for just $15. The final top three is a clear shell case for your 2nd or 3rd generation iPod touch for $3 (usually costs $8). Along the way we have deals on software, iPhone apps — even 90 percent off on other cases.
As always, for details on these or other bargains, check out CoM’s “Daily Deals” page right after the jump.
When a Belgium carrier had trouble keeping iPhones in stock, local thieves took matters into their own hands, stealing up to 4,000 of the popular Apple handsets worth $3 million from a warehouse. Investigators suspect the theft, which happened over the weekend, might be an inside job.
The thieves climbed a fire ladder to the roof of a warehouse owned by CEVA Logistics, a Netherlands-based logistics company in Willebroek. The unknown number of participants then cut a hole in the roof directly above where the iPhones were located, taking between 3,000 and 4,000 devices, according to local reports.
Apple’s App Store is a big hit with China’s iPhone owners, despite a series of issues that might hobble sales. The China App Store is set to earn $1 million in sales this year with a potential $6 million by 2010, according to a report. Popular apps include a Chinese-to-English translator and dating software.
While the figures seem promising, Apple’s main App Store sells $200 million each month, according to AdMob, a mobile advertising company.
Verizon Wireless has shot back in court at rival AT&T’s attempt to stop it’s ‘There’s A Map For That’ ad campaign. In court documents, Verizon lawyers wrote their company’s ads are true “and the truth hurts.”
“AT&T did not file this lawsuit because Verizon’s ‘There’s A Map For That’ advertisements are untrue; AT&T sued because Verizon’s ads are true and the truth hurts,” the New York-based company responded. The language was sure to inspire a few headlines and continue the battle between the two carriers.
We kick off another week with more bargains from Apple and others. MacBook Pro laptops are always a popular item and this time the Apple Store has nearly two-dozen factory-refurbished units. The MacBook Pros start at $999 for the 2.26 GHz 13.3-inch item. Others MacBook Pro laptops range from 2.53 GHz to 2.66 GHz and are priced between $1,299 and $1,949. Also on tap is Logitech’s Pure-Fi Express Plus speaker dock and a new round of iPhone freebies.
For details on these and other bargains (such as the PocketCPR) check out CoM’s “Daily Deals” page after the jump.
Apple’s much-awaited tablet device may include graphics capable of “stunning resolution” able to outshine the iPod, iPhone and possibly sound a death-knell for Amazon’s Kindle. The device, which many expect to see during the first quarter of 2010, may also offer a Webcam for mobile video conferencing, according to a survey of analyst speculation.
Analyst Laura DiDio of ITIC told CNNMoney.com the device will include a “high-end graphics card” for its 10- to 12-inch screen. “The tablet will change the game, because Apple will throw down the gauntlet at the competitors, and force them to follow along,” DiDio told the Web site.
Currently, the only Apple-made game listed in the Cupertino, Calif. company’s App Store is Texas Hold’em. That may change as Apple reportedly begins searching for “a passionate” gamer able to help design for the iPhone and iPod touch. The job search would fit Apple’s vision of gaming as the next arena for its handheld devices.
In September, Apple unveiled two new iPod touchs, each with beefier hardware for gaming. To reinforce the importance of gaming, the company labels the iPod touch as the “funnest iPod ever.”
Be careful what you wish for. That may be the lesson Florida-based Psystar received after a judge issued a summary judgement in favor of Apple. “Psystar infringed Apple’s exclusive right to create derivative works of Mac OS X,” the court ruled.
Judge William Alsup denied Psystar’s motion for a summary judgement alleging Apple’s End User License Agreement was a form of copyright abuse. Alsup also ruled Psystar violated the Digital Millennium Copyright Act by installing a version of Apple’s OS that would run on the company’s computers.
