Mac users swarm the Web: Two firms that analyze and measure Internet activity concluded recently that Mac users make up 6 percent of the U.S. Web-surfing public. "For the longest time, Mac hung around 3 percent of the operating systems using the Web," WebSideStory analyst Geoff Johnston told ComputerWorld. "But it picked up around last summer, and has nearly doubled its market share." Johnston added: "Macs are starting to erode Microsoft's market share."
As the term "Web 2.0" is thrown around more and more, people are already predicting its demise. But Mac users, who are "more creative and more plugged-in than the rest of the population," could help save it - and keep boosting the share of Macs on the Web while they're at it.
AT&T hints that it won't subsidize the iPhone: At a recent shareholders meeting, comments from AT&T execs led a UBS analyst to conclude that the wireless carrier won't offer rebates on or otherwise subsidize the iPhone - and in fact may make a small profit on the sale of each one. What does this mean to you and me? Keep socking away your cash, people. The iPhone's gonna cost what it's gonna cost: $499 for 4GB of flash memory or $599 for 8GB. But at least it'll have all the features we saw in January, and more.
Security pros atwitter about QuickTime hack: Yeah, the hack itself is old news. But now security pros are blogging about the ethical ramifications of the contest to hack a MacBook, sponsored by TippingPoint, the results of which were shared first only with the sponsor company - then only later shared with Apple. The point, said a TippingPoint rep, was to share the details with as few parties as possible. SecurityProNews points out that it seemed to have worked.
Plus: Toronto researchers work on developing an audio menu for iPods. Sales of the Apple TV in Korea are expected to be just as dismal as iPod sales there. (But if you're a happy Apple TV owner who wants to know how to convert DVD movies so you can watch 'em on the Apple box, check out a review of the $39.99 Roxio Crunch.) One industry watcher thinks Apple may have really hit Vista where it hurts with its new Get a Mac ads. Every time you buy a concert ticket on Ticketmaster.com this summer, don't forget to grab your free song on iTunes. And, finally: the perfect gift for all of the Star Wars geeks in your life.
Anonymous
May 10, 2007 at 12:58pm
You can't sell anything tech in Korea they make it a national past time of making replica crap of everything that is good and unique in the world of hi-tech. Just look at the fake iPods all over eBay. Any company in manufacturing knows that if they sell a good product Korea will start pumping out cheap versions on their own, with no regard for copyright law.
ThriftyTechie
May 10, 2007 at 5:47pm
The chances of there being some sort of rebate or discount on AT&T service within 6 months of launch is greater than 75%.
Evidence?1) A casual survey (just ask your friends) shows that the vast majority of people think that $500, $600 is too much to pay for an iPhone.
2) The vast majority of people in the US do NOT have Cingular/AT&T cell service, therefore the effective cost of the iPhone for the vast majority of people is $650 4GB / $750 8GB. (~$150 to exit an existing Sprint, Verizon, or T-mobile contract)
3) Apple likes to make money. In order to make money on the iPhone, they have to move units.
Take these 3 factors into account and there is almost no other conclusion to be drawn. There WILL be some sort of discount/conquest rebate/service discount on the iPhone before Christmas '07.
Mike Fredette
May 10, 2007 at 12:55pm
Doesn't seem like AT&T really wants to seel the iPhone. Have you noticed how after the announcement of Apple and Cingular's exclusive contract for the phone the TV ads for teh new AT&T have been pretty heavy on sales of their new Napster enabled phones?
I'm no legal expert but I somehow doubt Apple would have made an agreement that says that sort of thing is fine with them. Perhaps AT&T screwed themselves over and Apple is hoping the initial rush that buys the first batch of iPhones at full price is enough to cause other cellular companies to beg for the phone and it's growing customer base. T-Mobile would be the first obvious choice as their phones already run alongside Cingular's on the network. And anyone who noticed Verizon's attempt to match T-Mobile features everytime something new comes up can expect talks between Verizon and Apple to resume.
Napster might be the fatal shot in the foot AT&T deserves. I like their service but they never should have sold out to Cingular in the first place. Verizon could be teh company to wrangle WiFI VOIP as a sellable business with their efforts to connect entire cities and a phone with open possibilities like iPhone and it's OS X based operating system could be the answer to getting that going early whether Verizon lieks the idea or not.
Just a thought, but seriously Napster on a phone makes me want to puke. I hope Apple puts them out of business once and for all with teh iPhone on ANY network.
"What's that sound? Could it be, I man is it, Is it possible... the death knell of wired communications and cellular at the same time?... no it's the great pumpkin"
Mike Fredette
May 10, 2007 at 12:54pm
Doesn't seem like AT&T really wants to seel the iPhone. Have you noticed how after the announcement of Apple and Cingular's exclusive contract for the phone the TV ads for teh new AT&T have been pretty heavy on sales of their new Napster enabled phones?
I'm no legal expert but I somehow doubt Apple would have made an agreement that says that sort of thing is fine with them. Perhaps AT&T screwed themselves over and Apple is hoping the initial rush that buys the first batch of iPhones at full price is enough to cause other cellular companies to beg for the phone and it's growing customer base. T-Mobile would be the first obvious choice as their phones already run alongside Cingular's on the network. And anyone who noticed Verizon's attempt to match T-Mobile features everytime something new comes up can expect talks between Verizon and Apple to resume.
Napster might be the fatal shot in the foot AT&T deserves. I like their service but they never should have sold out to Cingular in the first place. Verizon could be teh company to wrangle WiFI VOIP as a sellable business with their efforts to connect entire cities and a phone with open possibilities like iPhone and it's OS X based operating system could be the answer to getting that going early whether Verizon lieks the idea or not.
Just a thought, but seriously Napster on a phone makes me want to puke. I hope Apple puts them out of business once and for all with teh iPhone on ANY network.
"What's that sound? Could it be, I man is it, Is it possible... the death knell of wired communications and cellular at the same time?... no it's the great pumpkin"
