Apple eyes game-market expansion: The "I'm a Mac" commercials attempt to position Apple machines as the "fun" option, but anyone who plays games on a computer knows that PCs are far and away the most popular choice. But recent reports suggest that Apple may be refining its strategy toward the game market. A recruiter has been searching schools for digital artists for Apple's game development team. Electronic Arts has confirmed that it's working to develop games for the iPhone, and PopCap has mentioned the Apple TV as a platform for casual, console-style games. Keeping it casual may be a smart move, as the Mac lacks an equivalent of the DirectX technology being used for the most cutting-edge PC games. Also of interest to gamers: Sony could cut the price of the PlayStation 3 sooner than expected, and a virtual Apple Store has opened in the online world of Second Life. Wonder how long it'll escape the virtual lawyers.

MacBook rumor alert: DigiTimes asserts once again that 15-inch MacBooks will debut in Q2. Apple Insider claims that LED-backlit MacBook Pros will debut at about the same time. And could the mysterious, possible Apple press event (MaybEvent?) on February 20 be such a MacBook announcement? We still haven't heard anything official, which is odd since we're down to just two business days before the 20th.

AirPort Extreme news: we're starting to see more reviews of the Apple AirPort Extreme 802.11n Base Station. The New York Times and MacInTouch are the latest to weigh in on its ease of use and network-attached storage features, respectively, and MacFixIt chimes in with help for problems networking it with HP printers. Our first look is here, and we'll have a full review in our May 2007 issue.

DRM rumbling continues: And what's another day without more jive about DRM (digital rights management)? The chief of Warner Music throws his support behind DRM and argues that only the interoperability has to improve, and in a survey taken before Steve Jobs's manifesto revealed that two-thirds of music execs agreed that removing DRM would lead to higher sales, although few thought it was actually on its way out anytime soon. The dance continues...