Who Tube? YouTube! It might not be as flashy as Microsoft's Surface announcement, but Steve Jobs had a surprise to unveil at the D Conference, as well. After a software update coming midmonth, the Apple TV will be able to grab YouTube videos via its Internet connection. And to answer critics' complaints about the device's relatively paltry 40GB hard drive, Jobs also announced that a 160GB Apple TV will be available (starting today at Apple's online store) for $399. Viacom has the "me-toos" about licensing its content, so perhaps more deals are in the works...or maybe the beauty of Apple's closed system is that it just works better closed.
More from the D Conference. Yes, Steve Jobs and Bill Gates appeared onstage together - but by most accounts, the event was pretty tame. Our favorite summaries are from Apple Insider and Ars Technica, and the official conference site has an 8-minute highlight reel video. Can't get enough? Here's a page of links to transcripts and more videos. But the Jobs-Gates panel isn't the only story from the conference. Steve Jobs also revealed a few new iPhone details in a separate appearance, including the possibility of third-party software (happily, more of a "when" than an "if"). Reacting to product announcements, Business Week speculates that the Foleo (the Palm companion slash laptop lite announced yesterday) may signal the beginning of a wave of ultracompact computer/smartphone hybrids. And while the Surface looks super slick, DIYers in the music-making space have been experimenting with versions using open-source tools for a while now. Oh, and Steve Jobs prefers Gizmodo to Engadget. Wonder why..?
iTunes Plus Minus? Seems that Apple is embedding users' personal info (username and email address) into the iTunes Plus DRM-free tracks they download from the iTunes Store. Speculation is that this could allow the company to monitor how many of these tracks are then uploaded to peer-to-peer services. Apple hasn't responded yet. Coincidentally, this kind of info was also embedded in the old DRM-ed iTS tracks, but of course that wasn't a big deal since those protected tracks weren't passed around. Here are some reader reports on MacInTouch about people's early experiences with iTunes Plus.
Finally: Apple will join Standard & Poor's prestigious S&P 100 index of leading U.S. companies. S&P says that Apple "derives its competitive advantage from its focus on innovation." The so-called Spam King, Robert Soloway, has been arrested in Seattle and charged with wire fraud, email fraud, identity theft, and money laundering. Too bad he wasn't in NYC, where the cops could have nabbed him on their new Segways -- the department's recently added 10-Segway fleet has given it a welcome PR boost. And speaking of police, the police auction site PropertyRoom.com has a page of stolen-iPod auctions.
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