Appletell

So every couple of days a new rumor comes out about how Apple will succeed and what product is to be released next. Now, its not just sites and writers making up these rumors, its usually ‘analysts.’ I don’t quite understand what it is these analysts do other than create rumors and get paid to do so (sounds like an awesome job though).

The latest is from an analyst who explains that there will be over 45 million iPhone sales in 2009. The reasoning behind this? Current rumors about where the iPhone will be released next. It’s actually quite funny to see people believe this stuff, I could just as easily pull a number out of nowhere and throw in a few BS facts to say what is going to happen next.

I want to know what you think though, what do you think of analysts and do they provide any use to the industry other than starting rumors? Let me know in the comments.

Many iPhone fans are awaiting Apple’s upcoming 3G iPhone, and unfortunately for them, Apple isn’t planning on commenting until everything is ready! All people can do is speculate, and most rumors that have been floating around seem to point at a summer date (specifically June due to the public release of iPhone Software Version 2.0 and the iPhone SDK) for the release of the 3G iPhone.

Scott Craig, Bank of America analyst, said Apple will start producing 3G iPhones this May, and is expected to manufacture 3 million units and reach 11 million units by this September. If the predictions are correct, the demand for the 3G iPhone will be extremely high, and Apple’s efforts will be well worth it. “Our latest channel checks point to a significant production build of a 3G iPhone beginning in the month of June after an initial small build in May,” Craig told Reuters.

Of course, company representatives have had nothing to say about the rumors and speculations, so we’ll just have to wait a couple of months for the confirmation of these rumors, if they in fact turn out to be accurate.

How badly does Apple need to release a 3G iPhone? Pretty badly, according to analysts, if they wish to reach their goal of selling 10 million iPhones by the end of 2008. If iPhone sales haven’t been as high as Apple expected so far, a new 3G model could put the iPhone back in the spotlight. What Apple must now take into consideration is that competition on the smartphone market currently very high, especially with the coming of Google Android, and it’s not going to be easy for Apple…however, if the rumors are true and new 3G iPhones are released along with the iPhone Software Version 2.0 and the iPhone SDK, Apple should not need to worry.

Via [eFluxMedia]

A recent firmware update released by Apple has apparently solved the reboot-on-wake issue that has plagued the 2008 edition of the Mac Pro since it was introduced just prior to the Macworld 2008 Apple event in January.

However, Apple does not mention the fix in its explanation of the update’s benefits. Instead, only a vague update statement is given: “This update fixes several issues to improve the stability of Mac Pro (Early 2008) computers.”

Owners of the affected Mac Pros can obtain the update by running Software Update in Mac OS X. The update should show up as “Mac Pro EFI Firmware Update 1.3.”

On the main thread of Apple’s support web site where this issue has thoroughly been discussed, everyone who applied the update reported success in eliminating the reboot-on-wake problem. Apple released the update on March 27, and so far everything has worked out well for those who applied it.

The question is, if Apple has really fixed this problem, why not mention it in the update’s documentation? This question remains unanswered, and Mac Pro owners are looking to Apple for some clarifications.

A possibility is that Apple may be worrying that owning up to its product flaws will damage its reputation for quality, and although it possibly could, it couldn’t possibly be worse than the damage their denials are doing to the relationship with its customers. Honesty would build trust between the Apple and its customers, as it has been for quite some time now. Customers are usually much more satisfied when a trusted manufacturer recognizes issues and flaws, and does their best to resolve them quickly and efficiently.

Although many people are thrilled that Apple has fixed the issue with their Mac Pros, no one understands why Apple does not admit to fixing the problem.

Via [baltimoresun]

Kabateck Brown Kellner, LLP, a law firm from Los Angeles, California, has filed a lawsuit against Apple on behalf of a number of users claiming that Apple “deceptively marketed” its 20-inch iMac by claiming that it has improved display performance, although the device’s monitor is allegedly of “inferior” quality to its previous model. The lawsuit claims that the iMac’s monitors are incapable of displaying “millions of colors,” despite Apple’s marketing claims. “Apple is duping its customers into thinking they’re buying ‘new and improved’ when in fact they’re getting stuck with ‘new and inferior,’” said Brian Kabateck, Managing Partner of Kabateck Brown Kellner. “Beneath Apple’s ‘good guy’ image is a corporation that takes advantage of its customers. Our goal is to help those customers who were deceived and make sure Apple tells the truth in the future.”

The “millions of colors” claim comes from the assertion that while 24-inch iMacs display 16,777,216 colors on 8-bit, in-plane switching (IPS) screens, as did the previous generation of 20-inch iMacs, the new 20-inch iMac monitors display 98 percent fewer colors (262,144).

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Image courtesy of CrunchGear.com

There are some rumors currently flying around that Telcel Mexico has signed a deal with Apple to carry the iPhone in Mexico. Telcel is the largest mobile provider in Mexico, making up over 70% of the market. It would only make sense for Apple to go with them, but so soon?

The reported date for release would be sometime this June, when its suspected the “iPhone 2.0” will be launched with the AppStore and possible 3G capability. Now, the question is whether Mexico will get the original iPhone, or the new iPhone 2. We will have to wait it out and see if an announcement comes, but for now this means very little.

C’mon Apple, still waiting up here in Canada…

Today’s Question: Do you have the iPhone in your country/location currently?

Read [Cellular-News] via [CG]

It looks like the iPhone Dev Team has done it again, but this time taking it to whole new levels. Previous releases from the iPhone Dev Team have helped you Jailbreak your iPhone and get it working on pretty much any GSM carrier, but this new tool named ‘Pwnage’ will allow you to get to the core of your iPhone.

So, what do we mean by core? We mean you are able to get below the current OS and install another OS on the device (when/if one gets coded). This functionality opens up the iPhone to a whole new level of hacks and hopefully some very cool new uses for the device.

The Pwnage Tool kit was supposed to be released yesterday, but the Dev Team would like to make a few more changes with the GUI and also release both a Mac OS and Windows version of the software, so you can expect a release in the next week or so.

Read [DevTeam] via [iPwner]

Wouldn’t it be nice if that so called computer, the iPhone, would act like every other Apple computer and sync with .Mac? Well get ready, as your dreams may turn into reality. iPhone Alley has discovered somewhat of an interesting string in the recent iPhone SDK beta 2, which reads “Syncing with this Dot Mac account will turn of syncing for other Dot Mac accounts and delete any existing synced data.” Crazy, I know, but it’s true and it’s there. Wireless syncing? With EDGE, or maybe even sooner, 3G, this is all possible, anywhere. This nearly directly competes with ActiveSync Exchange, so watch out, Apple may just have .Mac syncing coming to it’s hot mobile phone.

[iPhone Alley] Via [TUAW]

Mac Pro owners received an EFI firmware update to 1.3 yesterday. The latest update is available right now through Software Update, or from the downloads section of Apple.com. The update “fixes several issues to improve the stability of Mac Pro (Early 2008) computers.”

Once you’ve downloaded the update, the updater should launch automatically. Alternatively, you should follow the instructions in the updater app, which is located in /Applications/Utilities/ Mac Pro EFI Firmware Update.app). This update is only available to Mac Pro owners, and therefore doesn’t affect any other Mac. Apple releases EFI firmware updates periodically to improve performance and stability of the system.

Via [TUAW]

I know all I ever talk about is the iPhone, but that’s where the news keeps coming from. Today, it’s specifically coming from an app dubbed iLiberty+. Erica Sadun of iPhone and TUAW fame just got a refurbished (and cheaper) iPhone, and downloaded the app to free her iPhone of Apple’s crippling. In one go, Liberty unlocked and activated her previously jailbroken iPhone (though the app jailbreaks as well). Erica reports some unstableness she experienced while using the app, but nothing too major to stop anyone from successfully tweaking their iPhone. This seems like one of the easiest ways to get all three tasks done at once, as well as a few other fixes and tweaks. So if you’re one of the few people who doesn’t have an unlocked, jailbroken iPhone, grab Liberty+ and tweak away.

[Liberty+] via [TUAW]

I’m a pretty big iSketch fan for boring nights and afternoons, and it’s always been somewhat of a pain to deal with Shockwave being PowerPC-only. Finally, after waiting a long time, Shockwave released a Universal version that doesn’t require checking the “Open using Rosetta” box on a separate version of Safari, one of the only workarounds besides using a legacy browser. I know you’re asking yourselves “Who uses Shockwave anymore?” and the answer is, “idiots”. Sadly, those idiots have put out marvelous games with it (iSketch), so it’s actually necessary. Adobe seems to keep slowly pushing Shockwave, now with the Intel compatible Shockwave 11.

Shockwave 11 [Direct Download] via [TUAW]