Apple this week quietly announced plans to begin selling an aluminum 20-inch iMac configuration to qualified educational institutions for just $899, effectively closing the book on the white 17-inch legacy model that had previously assumed a similar role.
New iPod Shuffle: 72% Margin for Apple!?
As usual, iSupply has dissected the component used in the new iPod Shuffle in order to evaluate its true manufacturing cost as well as Apple's margin. According to their evaluation, Apple could save 72% out of the current retail price. In details, the 4 GB memory chip will cost 6 USD, while the entire electronic part will be less than 6 USD. Once assembled, equipped with the earphones and properly packed, it should not cost more than 22 USD... So it is a rather substantial margin for Apple, even if you add the not evaluated shipping, localization, design and R&D costs. For sure such figures will give ammunition to the usual suspects prone to attack Apple for any piece of information. We indeed would have preferred to have a cheaper new iPod Shuffle if Apple's margin is so ... substantial...
Apple's Tiny iPod Shuffle Cost a Mere 28% of Retail Price
A teardown by researchers shows the device's components cost a mere 28% of its retail price—a fat profit margin. Biggest supplier: Samsung
Apple placed chip order for 32GB iPhones
Apple has reportedly ordered 100 million units of 8 gigabit and 16 gigabit NAND flash chips, with the majority of the sizable order is expected to be applied toward the 16 gigabit (Gb) NAND, signaling that a 32 gigabyte (GB) iPhone is in the works to debut in June, said Daniel Amir, a Lazard Capital Markets analyst.
iPhone App Of The Day - Zombieville USA
If you’re looking for some brainless, gun toting fun then you can’t go wrong with Zombieville USA. This iPhone/iPod Touch game has you playing as a gun wielding redneck trying to survive a zombie apocalpyse. The game play is tight, and it has a wonderful design behind it. The game is on sale for $0.99 right now, so get on it.
Bluetooth 3.0 to Be unveiled on April 21st
According to the last information from the web, the Bluetooth Special Interest Group will officially unveil the third version of this wireless format on April 21st. The main improvements are based on the software, and only minor modifications have been made on the hardware part. Indeed, the version 3.0 will work on the hardware currently used in version 2.1, and the new software layer will allow access to the Wi-Fi chips of computers and devices to optimize the transfer speed. It will be possible to use both wireless protocols depending on the amount of data to be managed as well as on power consumption settings.
The BT 3.0 should be quickly integrated in all devices, eventhough its main interest will be to take advantage of Wi-Fi larger bandwidth and data transfer speed, so it will not make sense for all devices, so customers will have to pay attention not to consider it as a must have as it could of course be used as a strong marketing point to extend lifetime of aging products.
We now have to wait for Apple to update/upgrade to BT 3.0. new models as well as current models should be ready to get it, as soon as Apple release a compatible BT firmware version. It could give users the ability to get ride of their wire-based connection to synchronize their iPhone/iPod Touch, if Apple is finally ready to allow it...
TUAW First Look: Gas Cubby 2.0
Filed under: Software, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch, First Look, App Review
With more than 25,000 apps in the App Store (as of this writing), it's not easy to find the standouts. One such app is Gas Cubby from App Cubby (we're written about it before), and I'm very happy to have spent a week with version 2.0. It's in my top five iPhone applications (along with its sibling, Trip Cubby. But that's another post entirely). My day job requires me to keep track of automotive expenses. Before I found Gas Cubby, I was unsuccessfully trying to do so with pen and paper. I'd either take the pen out of the car and forget to return it or do the same with the notebook. I'd end up scribbling on anything I could find and promptly lose whatever it was. My accountant wasn't happy.
Gas Cubby solved the issue and actually made it fun for me to keep track of my expenses. That's right, fun. You can collect data on gas and service. First, I'll look at gas.
Update: Yes, this will be a free upgrade for current owners.
Continue reading TUAW First Look: Gas Cubby 2.0
TUAWTUAW First Look: Gas Cubby 2.0 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 13 Apr 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Update your ancient Quark on the cheap
Oh, QuarkXPress. My fondest Mac memories are tied in with you. It was one of the first programs I ever learned on the Mac. It was also the most frustrating piece of design software ever -- guaranteed to crash the computer at least once an hour, and don't even think about using the Auto Backup feature on the early versions. I learned Quark back in version 3.1.1 and cursed its existence through the next decade ... until Quark 7. It did something that it had never done before -- not crash on my Mac. It was a stable piece of software and while definitely not my preferred design software, it doesn't make me want to cry in a corner if I have to use it. Quark Inc. is offering to upgrade any version of QuarkXPress - going back to version 3 - to the latest version (8.0.2) for a single upgrade price of € 399/£ 279/$299.
- So what if you don't have a serial number? Let Quark know. They have a database of serial numbers and will do their best to find the missing serial number so you can upgrade. Same if you never registered your license to begin with. Quark will also accept a fax or scan of the original installation CD, disks, or receipts as proof of purchase.
QuarkXPress 8.0.2 requires OS X 10.4 or higher, G5 PowerPC or Intel processor, 1GB of RAM and 1GB of hard disk space.
TUAWUpdate your ancient Quark on the cheap originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 13 Apr 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
New iPod Shuffle Contains $22 Worth of Parts
BusinessWeek reports on a teardown of the new iPod shuffle by research firm iSuppli, revealing that Apple's diminutive player contains approximately $22 worth of parts.
All told, the cost of the shuffle's components, the headphones, a...
Nehalem EX in Action
During the IDF 2009, Intel made a demo of a hardware based on Nehalem EX. The current Xeon Nehalem powering the new Mac Pro belongs to the EP series. The Nehalem EX will be available up to 8 core CPU, but one can install 4 or 8 units on the same motherboard. Hereafter is the task manager on Windows for a computer powered by four Octo Core Xeon Nehalem EX; in other words, 32 physical cores or 64 logic cores thank to hyperthreading. In order to feed such CPUs, there are interconnected with 4 QPI link, and each CPU is able to manage simultaneously 4 RAM modules (for a total of 16 in the current example)
One can now better understand the dilemma and the problem currently faced, and to be a growing concern in the forthcoming months, for application and OS developers: how to code and/or design their software/OS in order to fully benefit from such raw power? It will also be true for Larrabee, the graphical solution developed by Intel, initially based on 8 to 64 cores, and which will need to be managed and feed with data/request to be fully effective and to fully deliver.
Apple to sell $899 20-inch aluminum iMac to schools
Apple this week quietly announced plans to begin selling an aluminum 20-inch iMac configuration to qualified educational institutions for just $899, effectively closing the book on the white 17-inch legacy model that had previously assumed a similar role.
New iPod Shuffle: 72% Margin for Apple!?
As usual, iSupply has dissected the component used in the new iPod Shuffle in order to evaluate its true manufacturing cost as well as Apple's margin. According to their evaluation, Apple could save 72% out of the current retail price. In details, the 4 GB memory chip will cost 6 USD, while the entire electronic part will be less than 6 USD. Once assembled, equipped with the earphones and properly packed, it should not cost more than 22 USD... So it is a rather substantial margin for Apple, even if you add the not evaluated shipping, localization, design and R&D costs. For sure such figures will give ammunition to the usual suspects prone to attack Apple for any piece of information. We indeed would have preferred to have a cheaper new iPod Shuffle if Apple's margin is so ... substantial...
Apple's Tiny iPod Shuffle Cost a Mere 28% of Retail Price
A teardown by researchers shows the device's components cost a mere 28% of its retail price—a fat profit margin. Biggest supplier: Samsung
Apple placed chip order for 32GB iPhones
Apple has reportedly ordered 100 million units of 8 gigabit and 16 gigabit NAND flash chips, with the majority of the sizable order is expected to be applied toward the 16 gigabit (Gb) NAND, signaling that a 32 gigabyte (GB) iPhone is in the works to debut in June, said Daniel Amir, a Lazard Capital Markets analyst.
iPhone App Of The Day - Zombieville USA
If you’re looking for some brainless, gun toting fun then you can’t go wrong with Zombieville USA. This iPhone/iPod Touch game has you playing as a gun wielding redneck trying to survive a zombie apocalpyse. The game play is tight, and it has a wonderful design behind it. The game is on sale for $0.99 right now, so get on it.
Bluetooth 3.0 to Be unveiled on April 21st
According to the last information from the web, the Bluetooth Special Interest Group will officially unveil the third version of this wireless format on April 21st. The main improvements are based on the software, and only minor modifications have been made on the hardware part. Indeed, the version 3.0 will work on the hardware currently used in version 2.1, and the new software layer will allow access to the Wi-Fi chips of computers and devices to optimize the transfer speed. It will be possible to use both wireless protocols depending on the amount of data to be managed as well as on power consumption settings.
The BT 3.0 should be quickly integrated in all devices, eventhough its main interest will be to take advantage of Wi-Fi larger bandwidth and data transfer speed, so it will not make sense for all devices, so customers will have to pay attention not to consider it as a must have as it could of course be used as a strong marketing point to extend lifetime of aging products.
We now have to wait for Apple to update/upgrade to BT 3.0. new models as well as current models should be ready to get it, as soon as Apple release a compatible BT firmware version. It could give users the ability to get ride of their wire-based connection to synchronize their iPhone/iPod Touch, if Apple is finally ready to allow it...
TUAW First Look: Gas Cubby 2.0
Filed under: Software, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch, First Look, App Review
With more than 25,000 apps in the App Store (as of this writing), it's not easy to find the standouts. One such app is Gas Cubby from App Cubby (we're written about it before), and I'm very happy to have spent a week with version 2.0. It's in my top five iPhone applications (along with its sibling, Trip Cubby. But that's another post entirely). My day job requires me to keep track of automotive expenses. Before I found Gas Cubby, I was unsuccessfully trying to do so with pen and paper. I'd either take the pen out of the car and forget to return it or do the same with the notebook. I'd end up scribbling on anything I could find and promptly lose whatever it was. My accountant wasn't happy.
Gas Cubby solved the issue and actually made it fun for me to keep track of my expenses. That's right, fun. You can collect data on gas and service. First, I'll look at gas.
Update: Yes, this will be a free upgrade for current owners.
Continue reading TUAW First Look: Gas Cubby 2.0
TUAWTUAW First Look: Gas Cubby 2.0 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 13 Apr 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Update your ancient Quark on the cheap
Oh, QuarkXPress. My fondest Mac memories are tied in with you. It was one of the first programs I ever learned on the Mac. It was also the most frustrating piece of design software ever -- guaranteed to crash the computer at least once an hour, and don't even think about using the Auto Backup feature on the early versions. I learned Quark back in version 3.1.1 and cursed its existence through the next decade ... until Quark 7. It did something that it had never done before -- not crash on my Mac. It was a stable piece of software and while definitely not my preferred design software, it doesn't make me want to cry in a corner if I have to use it. Quark Inc. is offering to upgrade any version of QuarkXPress - going back to version 3 - to the latest version (8.0.2) for a single upgrade price of € 399/£ 279/$299.
- So what if you don't have a serial number? Let Quark know. They have a database of serial numbers and will do their best to find the missing serial number so you can upgrade. Same if you never registered your license to begin with. Quark will also accept a fax or scan of the original installation CD, disks, or receipts as proof of purchase.
QuarkXPress 8.0.2 requires OS X 10.4 or higher, G5 PowerPC or Intel processor, 1GB of RAM and 1GB of hard disk space.
TUAWUpdate your ancient Quark on the cheap originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 13 Apr 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
New iPod Shuffle Contains $22 Worth of Parts
BusinessWeek reports on a teardown of the new iPod shuffle by research firm iSuppli, revealing that Apple's diminutive player contains approximately $22 worth of parts.
All told, the cost of the shuffle's components, the headphones, a...
Nehalem EX in Action
During the IDF 2009, Intel made a demo of a hardware based on Nehalem EX. The current Xeon Nehalem powering the new Mac Pro belongs to the EP series. The Nehalem EX will be available up to 8 core CPU, but one can install 4 or 8 units on the same motherboard. Hereafter is the task manager on Windows for a computer powered by four Octo Core Xeon Nehalem EX; in other words, 32 physical cores or 64 logic cores thank to hyperthreading. In order to feed such CPUs, there are interconnected with 4 QPI link, and each CPU is able to manage simultaneously 4 RAM modules (for a total of 16 in the current example)
One can now better understand the dilemma and the problem currently faced, and to be a growing concern in the forthcoming months, for application and OS developers: how to code and/or design their software/OS in order to fully benefit from such raw power? It will also be true for Larrabee, the graphical solution developed by Intel, initially based on 8 to 64 cores, and which will need to be managed and feed with data/request to be fully effective and to fully deliver.
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