Nothing like a customer service tale with a mostly happy ending: Nathan switched computers and lost everything he bought from iTunes (music, ringtones, movies) as a result.

So he wrote to Apple ([email protected]) and they agreed to let him re-download all the music he bought at no extra charge:

I understand the titles you purchased from the iTunes Store with account [redacted] were lost. I know how upsetting that can be. My name is Jesse and I would be more than happy to help you with this today.
Seeing that you have been a loyal customer since September, 2004, the iTunes Store would like to give you the opportunity to re-download (at no charge) all the titles you purchased on this account that are still available. This does not include any item that has been modified or removed from the store since you purchased it. Please note that you may download your purchases only once, so this is an exception. Also note that Apple does not offer protection for the loss of data from your hard disk, so I recommend that you back up your iTunes library as soon as possible…Full email from Apple at Consumerist.

Nathan was also able to re-download ringtones, but not movies though the rep did not provide an explanation for why not.

If you want to sync your iPhone with a Windows 7 PC using Intel’s latest chipset, you may have to cool your heels while Apple and Microsoft investigate.

When iPhone owners attempt to sync their handsets using iTunes 9 for Windows and Intel’s P55 chipset, they only receive a cryptic “error 0xE8000065” message indicating an “iPhone-connection failure notification,” according to The Register. Although iPhone users have been complaining for six weeks on Apple’s discussion boards, the Cupertino, Calif. company has been mum, the report claims.

A 70 percent increase in capital spending could signal Apple is preparing to chart a new course with some products. The Cupertino, Calif. company told federal regulators it will spend $1.9 billion in capital expenditures during fiscal 2010 – a jump from the $1.1 billion spend in 2009.

In its 10K filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Apple mentioned some of the money would go toward ‘product tooling and manufacturing process equipment,’ a sign the company may be “reversing course to actually build certain products/components in-house,” Caris & Company analyst Robert Cihra told investors Monday.

Apple appears to have frozen-out fans tired of waiting for an official Cupertino netbook, dropping support for Intel’s Atom processor from the latest build of Snow Leopard 10.6.2, according to reports. The move may signal Apple is clearing the way for its own netbook in tablet form.

For some time, Apple has dismissed the growth of small, low-powered notebook computers, refusing to join the army of computer makers producing so-called ‘netbooks.’ Apple COO Tim Cook described netbooks having “cramped keyboards, junky hardware, very small screens, bad software” and were not worthy of the Mac brand. In response to the lack of an official Apple entry, Mac fans have created hackintoshes able to run Mac OS X on netbooks using Intel’s Atom processor. Although 10.6.2 is currently only in the hands of developers, if the Atom omission is retained, the lack of support could either force OS X-based netbooks to vanish or restrict the hacked hardware to remain frozen at 10.6.1.

The fourth in a series of five t-shirt giveaways, correctly name this mystery Apple item and you could win a T-shirt.

Not just any T-shirt: choose from the Apple-inspired designs at might tees, which include the I Love Lisa we wrote about, a retro-style logo and Steve Jobs in typeface.

O2 has had exclusive rights to sell the iPhone in the UK for a couple of years, but now its rivals are lining up to start selling it too. The big question is: will any of them offer a better deal?

So far, the answer seems to be “No”.

It’s App bundle season, and MacZot! has put together a nice software package that has a variety of apps  at a great price. The Mac Sale Bundle covers 10 apps for $49.99.

If you want legitimate rounded corner shadowed header images for your blog post, this App bundle has what you need. Want to play PC games on OS X? That’s bundled too. Let’s take a look at some of the super star apps in this pack, and maybe the MacZot! bundle will add a little strength to your Applications folder.

There’s a dirty little secret lurking within the hearts of iPhone and the iPod touch: neither of them is a particularly great music player. A lot of iPhone owners actually keep a separate iPod nano or classic with them to listen to their music libraries. I’m not one of them, but I’m thinking about it.

Don’t get me wrong. Syncing media to modern Apple handheld is the best such experience money can buy, and the actual playback and browsing experiences are in the top tier of media phones and Internet tablets. That doesn’t mean they’re great, though. For the most part, the iPod app found on the iPhone and touch is a fairly literal translation of the original iPod interface ported over to a much higher-end device, plus an overly complex Cover Flow mode — which doesn’t even work well with Playlists. And that’s kind of pathetic, given Apple’s ordinarily high standards.

This is not the usual case where Apple is so far ahead of the competition that it’s not even clear how a media player app should change as it migrates to a modern multitouch platform. The video linked above is the proposed Rachael UI for the media player app in Sony Ericsson’s Android-based phones. It’s not amazing, but it does a few things really, really well. Notably, it provides a lot of rich information on artist pages that brings back some of the feel of listening to a physical album, and it also makes it easy to find your favorites, recently added albums, and tracks, and your most recently played music — all on one screen. That alone, in my opinion, annihilates the best of the current iPhone music experience. And I think we’d all agree it’s a refreshing departure from either a long list of artists listed in alphabetical order as a home screen.

The Zune HD, though its UI is an overly stylized collection of wank, also does some interesting things with tagged favorites that show the untapped possibilities available in next-generation handheld music playback.

I’ve had my iPhone 3GS for about four months now, and I love everything about it — except that it doesn’t do a great job of helping me rediscover diamonds in the rough of my music collection. The iPod app is good enough, but it isn’t great yet. Here’s hoping that the old competitive spirit will push Apple to truly push the edges of what’s possible. Shouldn’t we be able to view iTunes LPs on the iPhone, at the very least?

Sony Ericsson’s “Rachael” Android UI: Android + Zune HD > iPhone [Gizmodo]

To use the new 27-inch iMac as an external monitor requires a very specific cable to work: a Mini DisplayPort to Mini DisplayPort cable, to be exact.

It does not work with a HDMI cable or a DVI cable, even when they are strung between a pair of Apple-branded Mini DisplayPort adapters.

There seems to be a lot of confusion about the issue on the web and even at Apple’s retail stores.

Earlier in the week we asked readers to post pics of their workspaces on our Facebook page for the chance to win a new Magic Mouse — and the response was great. So far, more than 90 of you have taken the time to become fans of Cult of Mac on Facebook, snap a shot and upload your pictures — thank you!

While everyone is waiting with bated breath to find out who’ll win the Magic Mouse (announcement to come tomorrow, Sunday, November 1), we thought readers might like to see a cool dozen of some of the most interesting.

Let us know what you think in comments below and feel free to continue posting your own shots over at the Facebook fan page.

The sexiest all-in-one computer has long been the iMac, and last year’s 24-inch model was a beauty. But oh my Lord, the new 27-inch machine induces crazy lust. Look at the size of that screen!

I just returned from the Apple store with one. I went to buy the new Magic Mouse. They were out of stock, so I bought the new iMac instead — it comes with a Magic Mouse.

Crazy, I know. I just couldn’t help myself. We’ve already got a 24-inch model, but the 27-inch is so much… bigger.

Yeah, like 3-inches of extra screen makes a difference. But it does. The screen is simply HUGE. There’s no other word for it. If you’re sitting right in front of it, hunched over the keyboard, you have to physically MOVE YOUR HEAD to look from one corner to the other. You get motion sickness if there’s video playing, like being in the front seats of a movie theater.

Thanks to this big beautiful screen, the sexiest desktop in the world got a lot sexier. The question is though: is the screen too big?

Full review after the jump, including real-world benchmarks and tons of pics.

As you can see from our newly designed menus, Cult of Mac has it’s very own Facebook page. It’s a great place for you to keep tabs on what articles are on deck, take a look at some behind the scenes product unwrapping, and complain in our Discussions. Even better, it’s another chance for you to pick up some free schwag.

Speaking of, why not become a fan and post a pic of your workspace at its best on our wall? On Sunday, we’ll pick our favorite pic and send them a brand new Magic Mouse.

Pro Tip: We’ll also be doing another giveaway exclusively on Facebook next week so if you don’t pick up the Magic Mouse, you still could win some other cool stuff.

Just a week ago, the iPod celebrated its eighth birthday. It wasn’t long before defunct versions of  the now-museum piece took on new life as something else.

Here a dear, departed iPod (dock connector, circa 2003) gets new life as a clock thanks to the addition of a quartz drive movement. It runs on an AA battery.

It costs $40 on Etsy, but creator pixelthis, who also made the G4 clock, says: “I am always looking for any kind of cool junk, computers, cameras, watches, you name it! I am especially fond of anything Apple. Let’s make a deal.”

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOivcvcEDfw

The official iPhone launch in China was greeted with shorter lines than expected  due to lousy weather and because about a million early adopters have already bought them on the gray market.

People did stand in line, just not super long ones — check out the empty red ropes — and a persistent drizzle certainly didn’t entice buyers to be the first to get their hands on an official iPhone.

Also contributing to a less than hysterical welcome were the fact that the official market 8G iPhone has no wi-fi (a bow to the country’s regulatory demands) and costs about $730 dollars without a service contract.
From there, prices levitate to a heady $1,024 for the iPhone 3GS.
Gray market versions, found in many electronic marts, cost about 20% less, with wi-fi.

China Unicom has said any handset that supports its 3G mobile standard will be able to use its network, so gray-market iPhone users can buy service contracts just like users of the official handset. The carrier refused to provide info on how many customers had reserved iPhones.

Via MacWorld

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IPY-63_gaU

Lee Clow, the man behind Apple’s groundbreaking 1997 “Think Different” campaign and chief creative officer of  Chiat announced he is stepping down.

Here the jeans and base-ball cap wearing Clow, now 66, is interviewed about the days he was the only ad guy not wearing a three-piece suit — by Alex Bogusky, the Mac-using brainchild behind Microsoft’s “Laptop Hunter’s” series, which has been poking a few holes into the sometimes tired “Mac vs. PC” ads.

Apple abandoned the “Think Different” campaign in 2002 for the  “switch” concept, but it never really caught up with Clow’s creation.

We stand corrected:  Ken Segall, former Chiat creative director on the Apple account wrote in to say:

“Lee is/was the chief creative officer at Chiat, and as such doesn’t actually create this stuff — he’s an inspiration and ultimately responsible for the output. Interestingly, the words “think different” were actually written by an art director. His name is Craig Tanimoto. Not bad for a guy whose first responsibility was design.

Also, Think different was not replaced by the Switcher campaign. At some point (I can’t even remember when), it was decided that the “think different” words simply didn’t need to be said anymore. They became more or less embodied in the brand. This, just as Nike dropped “Just do it” and started using only the company’s famous swoosh.”

What do you think Apple’s next iconic catch phrase should be?

Via 9to5 Mac, Mediapost

I’m a multitouch junkie. Everything I touch has to be multitouch, or it just ain’t right. I can no longer use a regular laptop trackpad — there’s no two-finger scrolling. It irritates me no end if I can’t point, scroll and double-click with my fingers.

How long will it take then, to get used to the Apple’s new Magic Mouse? So far, it’s been frustrating. It seems like the Magic Mouse would be perfectly natural to use, but it isn’t.

As anticipated, Apple has updated the Apple TV software to 3.0, which brings a new interface and home screen with quick access to favorite content. Instead of drilling down to get to a recently-rented movie, it’s now accessible right off the home screen, as are favorite TV Shows, podcasts and YouTube movies.

The update also adds support for iTunes LPs and iTunes Extras, as well as Genius Mixes and internet radio.

The update likely breaks Boxee, the unsanctioned internet media player that actually makes the Apple TV useful, but internet radio is a welcome addition.

To support the new Apple TV software, Apple has also updated iTunes to 9.0.2. As well as being compatible with the Apple TV 3.0 software, the update adds a new “dark” viewing option in Grid View. The iTunes update also once again breaks Palm Pre syncing.

Our top trio of Mac deals span the range of hardware, software and accessories. We start out with more deals on MacBook Pro laptops, beginning at $780 for a 1.83GHz 15-inch MacBook Pro laptop. We move on to a number of price reductions from Apple’s App Store for iPhone and iPod touch users. We round out the top gadgets with ever-popular discounts for iPhone cases – this time 90% off.

As always, for details on these deals or other bargains (such as Philips universal remote control with iPod dock), check out CoM’s “Daily Deals” page after the jump.

Apple TV owners may soon have access to the latest iTunes Store content. Multiple reports suggest an Apple update includes support for iTunes LP and iTunes Extras. The reports are based on changes in the iTunes terms and conditions, stating: “iTunes LP and iTunes Extras Products are usable only on computers with iTunes 9 or higher and Apple TV with software version 3.0 or higher.”

For some time, Apple has viewed Apple TV as a ‘hobby,’ causing some enthusiasts to turn to open-source software Boxee for additional features. In September, Apple unveiled iTunes LP as a way for digital albums to include photos, video and other material previously available within physical CDs. iTunes Extras attempts to do for digital movies what iTunes LP does for digital LPs – delivering content for digital purchases once available only through physical DVDs.

The updated terms may lend credence to previous reports the software used for both iTunes LP and iTunes Extras is tailored for Apple TV. Others expect Apple to upgrade the Apple TV hardware to support both iTunes TV subscriptions, as well as adding DVR-like ability to the device.

Apple TV’s software was last upgraded in June. The 2.4 upgrade included support for Apple’s new remote and searching photos on Flickr. In September, Apple quietly eliminated the 40GB unit while dropping the price of a 160GB unit to $229 from $329.

[Via AppleInsider, MacRumors]

It’s no fun being a game console competing with Apple. That seems to be the lesson gaming giant Nintendo is learning as the iPod touch and iPhone become increasingly popular game platforms. Nintendo announced its last quarterly profits fell 52 percent, a $702 million drop from 133 billion yen to 64 billion yen.

Although the Japanese company did not specifically mention the iPhone or iPod touch, the company’s handheld DS platform “faces increasing competition from Apple Inc’s iPhone, which has become a popular platform for handheld games,” according to Reuters.

The mystery object in Monday’s contest is a Personal Laser Writer 300 from 1996, belonging to our own Tim Cox.

About it, he says: “I got it from a guy on lowendmac.com for 15 bucks. I couldn’t find the original selling price for these printers but I think it’s close to $6,000.”

The picture is from the side of the printer and it’s a awkwardly designed cubby to hide where the power cord connects to the printer. There’s one on the other side for the printer cable. ”

Winner named after the jump.

Apple engineers have reportedly become frequent visitors to China – and plan even more over upcoming holidays. The report, based on unnamed sources, is just the latest rumor the Cupertino, Calif. company is planning to unveil a Tablet Mac.

“A source tells us a system integration engineer friend of his at Apple has been ramping up his travels back and forth between China lately, broadcasting word of his travels over the Internet,”,” according to Business Insider. One of Apple’s best-known China-based hardware makers, Foxconn supposedly has marching orders to produce 300,000 tablet devices (which the NYTs calls ‘Slate’) each month.

Forget Balloon Boy and Billy Mays this Halloween. Dress up as your favorite demonic CEO instead.

You’ll scare the pants off work colleagues when you walk in the elevator, and the neighboorhood kids will be in a bag of hurt when you give them apple slices instead of sickly sweet candy.

Hit the jump for a full-size mask that you can print and cut out.

Thanks Dan Draper for the fantastic image of Steve Jobs and Forbes for the idea.

The world’s most influential computer expert is once again recommending consumers buy Macs over Windows PCs.

Mossberg has just published his annual fall computer buying guide, and says that while Windows 7 is almost as good as Snow Leopard, and PCs can be “priced hundreds of dollars lower than Macs,” Apple wins because of the built-in iLife software:

“The arrival of Windows 7 makes PCs from Hewlett-Packard, Dell and others much better choices than their Vista-equipped predecessors were. Microsoft has closed most of the gap with Apple’s Mac OS X operating system. Also, Windows PCs are often priced hundreds of dollars lower than Macs, and offer many more choices.

But in my view, Apple’s built-in software still has the edge. Snow Leopard is fast and reliable. And it comes with a full suite of excellent built-in programs, including email, photo and video software. Microsoft has stripped Windows 7 of such programs.”

Here’s Mossberg on video discussing some of the options.