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A News.com report on OS X, iPod and the Mac.

December 5, 2005 5:48 PM PST

Sony "rootkit" CDs had designs on iPod

The Princeton researchers that have done much of the work deconstructing SonyBMG's recent controversial copy protection software have found an interesting new tidbit. According to their new findings, the Sony software had a hidden component that could convert songs from the CD, or other ordinary MP3s, into a file compatible with Apple's copy protected FairPlay format.

That would mean that the songs could be played on iPods, which hasn't been the case with copy protected CDs in the past. It apparently accomplishes this by using open-source, yet copyrighted code, a practice deemed a no-no in programming circles.

It's not yet clear how this came about. Record labels have hoped to establish compatibility with the iPod for their copy protected CDs for some time, and EMI Music has even said that its CDs are close to reaching that point. Apple, for its part, denied EMI's contention.

Posted by John Borland
December 4, 2005 6:51 PM PST

Barcode-bargain iPods

The price of iPods apparently wasn't music to the ears of a do-it-yourself-discount shopper in Boulder, Colo., recently. Police say they arrested 19-year-old Jonathan Baldino earlier this week when he used homemade barcodes to lower the price of a $150 iPod to $4.99, according to a report in the Denver Post.

Baldino told police he downloaded a program called Barcode Magic--made by Ichiku Software--to create phony barcodes to place over the legitimate barcodes. The software maker's Web site says the program allows users to "generate bar codes for home, hobby and retail with our easy to use bar-code software. Simply select a bar-code style and font, enter desired text and numbers, and a bar code is automatically created."

Then he selected his target, which turned out to be a Target store. He allegedly told police that he scouted the store for inexpensive items, then took those barcode numbers home to punch in to his software to make his own stickers. He even got away with it this first time, making off with a CD player for $24.99, police say.

But then Baldino, a freshman studying electrical engineering at the University of Colorado, made a mistake that revealed his alleged scam. Apparently the CD player didn't soothe Baldino; he returned to Target this week and tried to walk out with the $149.99 iPod with a receipt that says he purchased $4.99 headphones, police told the paper.

In a statement to police, the suspect said he was "terribly sorry" and that he would "never ever do this ever again." Baldino faces a felony count of forgery and two misdemeanor counts of theft, the newspaper reported.

Posted by Steven Musil
December 2, 2005 4:00 AM PST

A song devoted to the Mac

The unparalleled loyalty of Macintosh users is well documented, so why not have a theme song dedicated to it? Read the lyrics and hear a rendition of "I Love My Mac, The Song" here.

Posted by Mike Yamamoto
December 1, 2005 6:30 PM PST

Lisa: Gone but not forgotten

By now, eBay classified listings are old news to any Web junkie, so we have come to appreciate those in which sellers get creative with their postings. This sale of an "ancient" Apple Lisa tickled our funny bones while warming our hearts at the knowledge that someone out there also appreciates that old and haggard electronics aren't necessarily worthless.

Carbon dating places this specimen circa 1984, and the presence of a small image of an apple tipped historians off to the idea that the device may have been used as a planting calendar. Also from the posting: "When turned on, the box groans and the 'screen' glows and comes to life with a cryptic message from the Gods: 'START FROM?,' with a cartouche that looks like the slot on the front. Apparently, some sort of item that was 3.5-inches wide was inserted into the slot as a sacrifice; without this sacrifice, the Gods won't allow the box to work properly." Unfortunately, "the biscuits, or whatever, that are supposed to go into the slot were not found in the basement excavation site" and the machine therefore does not start properly.

Still, reading this posting is sure to tug at the heartstrings of anyone who's come to the realization that one of their beloved electronics has gone the way of the dinosaur.

Posted by Jennifer Guevin
December 1, 2005 4:59 PM PST

Payout delayed in iPod battery deal

Those waiting to collect from Apple Computer's iPod battery settlement will have to wait a little bit longer.

In June, Apple said that it had reached a deal with Girard Gibbs & De Bartolomeo, the law firm that had brought the class action claim. Under the terms of the pact, those who bought iPods before May 31, 2004, would be eligible to receive a battery replacement, $25 in cash, or $50 in Apple store credit, depending on the specifics of their situation.

The agreement received approval from the court in August. However, on Oct. 26, as the deadline for appealing the settlement was approaching, two individuals objected to the deal.

Payments from Apple are now delayed, pending a hearing or dismissal of the appeal claim, according to information posted on the Gerard Gibbs Web site.

Posted by Ina Fried
November 30, 2005 4:21 PM PST

Shuffle deserves lanyard headphones, too

If you like the concept of Apple's Lanyard Headphones for the iPod Nano, but own an iPod Shuffle, you might be interested in Griffin Technology's new TuneBuds.

tunebuds
Credit: Griffin Technology

TuneBuds--a combination earbud and lanyard--snaps onto the Shuffle's USB connector. That's different than a similar product on the market, made by Pacific Rim Technologies, in which the earbuds connect to your shuffle via the headphone port. iLounge has reviewed both lanyard earbud products, and likes TuneBuds better.

TuneBuds cost $19.99 and are available on the Griffin site or at major iPod accessory retailers.

Posted by Michelle Meyers
November 23, 2005 9:47 AM PST

SNL spoof of Steve Jobs and iPod is big hit

To avoid copyright complications, we've been waiting for NBC to post this clip from last week's "Saturday Night Live." But until then, we can't ignore the buzz that's been generated around SNL's spoof of Steve Jobs, which has been widely circulated among sites such as MacSlash.

Posted by Mike Yamamoto
November 22, 2005 4:54 PM PST

iPod shortage for the holidays?

Business Week's Peter Burrows is predicting two emerging truth's about the iPod this holiday season. One, "it's going to be a gigantic hit," and two, "there are going to be shortages." In a Nov. 22 analysis, he writes that retailers are getting fewer iPods than they requested, and expect "demand to outstrip supply through the end of the year."

Some iPod watchers, however, aren't so convinced: "There's no shortage...just something new for people to say about the iPod, especially considering the current hot story is the supposed shortage of Xbox consoles," wrote an iLounge reader. "I guess the Apple vs. Microsoft battle will never end."

And like us, "Slider," an iPodnn reader, remembers similar predictions last year. "Seem to remember reading something last year about who Apple would most likely not repeat the stellar iPod sales in enjoyed for xmas 2004. Those wacky analysts," he wrote.

Posted by Michelle Meyers
November 22, 2005 12:14 PM PST

Microsoft to Mac users: Ditch Explorer

The things you can find on Google never cease to amaze, and I'm not talking about this.

No, I'm talking about doing a search for the words "msn explorer mac" and seeing msn.com as the second item, with this text: "If you are using Internet Explorer for Mac, we recommend that you use another browser to have an optimal experience on MSN."

Clicking on the link from a PC (or a Mac running Safari) leads to MSN, which still looks as if it were designed by Don Ho's tailor. But if you are using a Mac and the Internet Explorer browser, you'll see a version of the site that appears to have been designed by a 5th grader. And right up top there is, indeed, an admonition from Microsoft that Mac users should dump Internet Explorer for another browser.

I concede that I don't know how long that note has been posted (Google indicates the page was updated Nov. 20). And I suppose it's not a big surprise, considering that the latest version of IE for Mac, 5.2.3, was released in June, 2003.

But it's still an interesting twist in the relationship between the two pioneering PC companies. Eight years ago, for example, Mac fans were stunned when Apple and Microsoft appeared to bury the hatchet--with Microsoft investing $150 million in Apple, and Apple returning the favor by making IE the default browser on new Macs.

For the record, you can still download IE for the Mac here. You might find it handy should you need to actually find something on MSN.

Posted by Scott Ard
November 18, 2005 3:08 PM PST

New Shuffle, Intel-ready iBook predicted for MacWorld

The anticipation is already building for January's MacWorld Expo, when Apple watchers are predicting the introduction of both a new, even smaller iPod Shuffle and an Intel-ready iBook.

American Technology Research analyst Shaw Wu has heard the new Shuffle will be smaller than a stick of gum and could come in multiple colors, including black. The price points would be $99 and $129 with storage capacities similar to current models.

"We believe this could help offset seasonal weakness in the March quarter similar to last year when iPod Shuffle was introduced," he wrote in a report dated Thursday. A new Shuffle is "a key reason why Apple is adding Hynix as a third NAND flash provider in addition to Samsung and Toshiba," he also wrote.

Meanwhile, Think Secret Senior Editor Ryan Katz wrote Thursday that Apple is planning to release its first entry-level iBook laptops with Intel processors at the San Francisco event.

Posted by Michelle Meyers

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