Many Mac enthusiasts have been wanting the i5 and the i7 Intel processors to come to the Mac, and they finally got their wish today as both the 15-inch and the 17-inch models include the chips. Apple also stated that the 13-inch has a “groundbreaking” built-in battery that can go 10 hours without recharging and has a graphics processor they claim is 80 percent faster than the current model’s. Apple also says that the 15-inch and the 17-inch models are up to 50 percent faster than the current models.

“The new MacBook Pro is as advanced on the inside as it is stunning on the outside,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing in a press release today. “With faster processors, amazing graphics and up to three more hours of battery life, the new MacBook Pro delivers both performance and efficiency.”
The prices as well as a full list of features for each model are as follows:

• 13-inch, 2.4 GHz: $1,199

• 13-inch, 2.66 GHz: $1,499

• 15-inch, 2.4 GHz: $1,799

• 15-inch, 2.53 GHz: $1,999

• 15-inch, 2.66 GHz: $2,199

• 17-inch, 2.53 GHz: $2,299

Built to order models are also available, for an additional cost.

And for all the geeks out there, below is a full list of features:

The 2.4 GHz, 13-inch MacBook Pro, for a suggested retail price of $1,199 (US), includes:

• 13.3-inch widescreen LED-backlit 1280 x 800 glossy display;
• 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo with 3MB shared L2 cache;
• 1066 MHz front-side bus;
• 4GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, expandable to 8GB;
• NVIDIA GeForce 320M integrated graphics;
• 250GB serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;
• a slot-load 8X SuperDrive® with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) optical drive;
• Mini DisplayPort (VGA, DVI and HDMI adapters sold separately);
• AirPort Extreme® 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
• Gigabit Ethernet port;
• iSight® video camera;
• two USB 2.0 ports;
• one FireWire® 800 port (FireWire 400 compatible);
• SD card slot;
• combined headphone/line in (analog/digital);
• glass Multi-Touch trackpad and illuminated keyboard;
• built-in, 63.5WHr lithium polymer battery; and
• 60 Watt MagSafe® Power Adapter.

The 2.66 GHz, 13-inch MacBook Pro, for a suggested retail price of $1,499 (US), includes:

• 13.3-inch widescreen LED-backlit 1280 x 800 glossy display;
• 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo with 3MB shared L2 cache;
• 1066 MHz front-side bus;
• 4GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, expandable to 8GB;
• NVIDIA GeForce 320M integrated graphics;
• 320GB serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;
• a slot-load 8X SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) optical drive;
• Mini DisplayPort (VGA, DVI and HDMI adapters sold separately);
• AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
• Gigabit Ethernet port;
• iSight video camera;
• two USB 2.0 ports;
• one FireWire 800 port (FireWire 400 compatible);
• SD card slot;
• combined headphone/line in (analog/digital);
• glass Multi-Touch trackpad and illuminated keyboard;
• built-in, 63.5WHr lithium polymer battery; and
• 60 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter.

The 2.4 GHz, 15-inch MacBook Pro, for a suggested retail price of $1,799 (US), includes:

• 15.4-inch widescreen LED-backlit 1440 x 900 glossy display;
• 2.4 GHz Intel Core i5 with 3MB shared L3 cache;
• 4GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, expandable to 8GB;
• integrated Intel HD Graphics + NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M discrete graphics with 256MB of VRAM;
• 320GB serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;
• a slot-load 8X SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) optical drive;
• Mini DisplayPort (VGA, DVI and HDMI adapters sold separately);
• AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
• Gigabit Ethernet port;
• iSight video camera;
• two USB 2.0 ports;
• one FireWire 800 port;
• SD card slot;
• audio line in (analog/digital);
• audio line out/headphone (analog/digital);
• glass Multi-Touch trackpad and illuminated keyboard;
• built-in, 77.5WHr lithium polymer battery; and
• 85 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter.

The 2.53 GHz, 15-inch MacBook Pro, for a suggested retail price of $1,999 (US), includes:

• 15.4-inch widescreen LED-backlit 1440 x 900 glossy display;
• 2.53 GHz Intel Core i5 with 3MB shared L3 cache;
• 4GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, expandable to 8GB;
• integrated Intel HD Graphics + NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M discrete graphics with 256MB of VRAM;
• 500GB serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;
• a slot-load 8X SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) optical drive;
• Mini DisplayPort (VGA, DVI and HDMI adapters sold separately);
• AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
• Gigabit Ethernet port;
• iSight video camera;
• two USB 2.0 ports;
• one FireWire 800 port;
• SD card slot;
• audio line in (analog/digital);
• audio line out/headphone (analog/digital);
• glass Multi-Touch trackpad and illuminated keyboard;
• built-in, 77.5WHr lithium polymer battery; and
• 85 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter.

The 2.66 GHz, 15-inch MacBook Pro, for a suggested retail price of $2,199 (US), includes:

• 15.4-inch widescreen LED-backlit 1440 x 900 glossy display;
• 2.66 GHz Intel Core i7 with 4MB shared L3 cache;
• 4GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, expandable to 8GB;
• integrated Intel HD Graphics + NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M discrete graphics with 512MB of VRAM;
• 500GB serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;
• a slot-load 8X SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) optical drive;
• Mini DisplayPort (VGA, DVI and HDMI adapters sold separately);
• AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
• Gigabit Ethernet port;
• iSight video camera;
• two USB 2.0 ports;
• one FireWire 800 port;
• SD card slot;
• audio line in (analog/digital);
• audio line out/headphone (analog/digital);
• glass Multi-Touch trackpad and illuminated keyboard;
• built-in, 77.5WHr lithium polymer battery; and
• 85 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter.

The 2.53 GHz, 17-inch MacBook Pro, for a suggested retail price of $2,299 (US), includes:

• 17-inch widescreen LED-backlit 1920 x 1200, glossy display;
• 2.53 GHz Intel Core i5 with 3MB shared L3 cache;
• 4GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, expandable to 8GB;
• integrated Intel HD Graphics + NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M discrete graphics with 512MB of VRAM;
• 500GB serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;
• a slot-load 8X SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) optical drive;
• Mini DisplayPort (VGA, DVI and HDMI adapters sold separately);
• AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
• Gigabit Ethernet port;
• iSight video camera;
• three USB 2.0 ports;
• one FireWire 800 port (FireWire 400 compatible);
• ExpressCard/34 expansion card slot;
• audio line in (analog/digital);
• audio line out/headphone (analog/digital);
• glass Multi-Touch trackpad and illuminated keyboard;
• built-in, 95WHr lithium polymer battery; and
• 85 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter.

Via. CBS News/AP

Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg says the company has told Apple that it wants to carry the iPhone. But he declined to say when – or even if – the popular smart phone will be available for Verizon Wireless customers.

In remarks Tuesday before the Council on Foreign Relations, Seidenberg cited a recent Wall Street Journal report that said Apple is working on a version of the iPhone that would be compatible with Verizon’s network.

But he did not confirm the report or give any further details Tuesday.

AT&T Inc. has exclusive rights to the iPhone in the United States. The company has been silent about the reports on the new iPhone model.

Apple is expected to announce details on a new iPhone operating system Thursday in Cupertino, Calif.

Via. The YouTube Blog

Most Watch YouTube Videos (Global)

1. Susan Boyle – Britain’s Got Talent (120+ million views)
2. David After Dentist (37+ million views)
3. JK Wedding Entrance Dance (33+ million views)
4. New Moon Movie Trailer (31+ million views)
5. Evian Roller Babies (27+ million views)

Most Watch YouTube Videos (US)

1. Pitbull “I Know You Want Me” (82+ million views)
2. Miley Cyrus “The Climb” (64+ million views)
3. Miley Cyrus “Party in the U.S.A.” (54+ million views)
4. The Lonely Island “I’m On a Boat” (48+ million views)
5. Keri Hilson “Knock You Down” (35+ million views)

Fastest Rising YouTube search terms by month (Global)

January: inauguration
February: christian bale
March: the climb
April: susan boyle
May: pacquiao vs hatton
June: michael jackson thriller
July: michael jackson
August: usain bolt
September: kanye west
October: paranormal activity
November: bad romance
December: tiger woods

Fastest Rising YouTube search terms by month (US)

January: obama inauguration
February: on a boat
March: watchmen
April: susan boyle
May: pacquiao
June: michael jackson thriller
July: wedding
August: send it on
September: kanye west
October: paranormal activity
November: adam lambert
December: tiger woods

iPhone developer Pandav has informed MacRumors that they have spotted usage records for an unreleased iPhone in their app’s analytics. The app used was iBART, a public transportation guide for the San Francisco train system.

PinchMedia who provides the analytics for the application breaks down customer usage including what specific devices are being used. This list of devices is reported to developers using internal device identification numbers assigned by Apple. In this case, “iPhone3,1″ was first spotted in Pandav’s usage logs in November. This “iPhone3,1″ identifier does not match up with any shipping iPhones. The last iPhone released to the public was the iPhone 3GS which carries the identification string “iPhone2,1″.

References to “iPhone3,1″ was first discovered in the iPhone firmware files back in August, but this seems to be the first time that it has been spotted “in the wild”. Apple similarly began testing the iPhone 3GS (iPhone2,1) back in October of 2008 about 8 months ahead of its launch.

There have been few details about what the next generation iPhone might include, though early rumors had pegged a multi-core processor that could enhance performance significantly.

So what do you think? Is their going to be a new iPhone soon? Do you have an iPhone, what are your thoughts on it?

(Just as a side note. I wrote this whole post from my iPhone 3GS.)

So what are your thoughts on the ad? Better yet, what are your thoughts on the whole Mac V.S. PC thing? What do you own?

Debuted yesterday at the Intel Developer Forum, Light Peak uses four inexpensive fiber-optic wires, each of which can carry ten gigabits* of data per second. The system included the development of both the wires, which needed to drop in price to make the system affordable, and the chips, which encode and decode information in light form on both ends.

Light, by virtue of having no mass, can travel far faster than matter like electrons, making optical communication much quicker than the electrical communication that relies on the transfer of electrons.

Intel wants to start shipping the devices by sometime next year, but it must first overcome the hurdle of standardization. Without the companies that design the software, computers, and peripherals on board, Intel will be left with a very fast wire it can’t actually connect to anything. In many ways, standardization is even more difficult than the development of the technology itself. So even while this technology may mark the beginning of the final move away from copper wires, we’re probably going to be stuck with USB cords for some time to come.

*The original post incorrectly said gigabytes, not gigabits.

[via Technology Review]

With all the updates to the iPods, Apple has also released iTunes 9 and iPhone / iPod Touch update 3.1.

Price Updates
Along with the new iPod Nano, Apple also released new prices for all of there iPods, there are as follows:

iPod Shuffle
• 2GB – $59
• 4GB – $79
• Special edition 4GB polished stainless steel – $99

iPod Nano
• 8GB – $149
• 16GB – $179

iPod Classic
• 160GB – $249

iPod Touch
• 8GB – $199
• 32GB – $299
• 64GB – $399

Twitter and Facebook were hit today with denial-of-service attacks that can knock a site offline, but don’t steal information or cause permanent damage. The question is, why?
Both sites have lately become attractive targets for online crooks who try to trick users into installing malware on their PCs. Malicious tweets or Facebook messages might promise some great new video, but instead install fake security software. Kaspersky today posted about the most social engineering attacks used by the “Koobface” malware against Facebook and Twitter users.

But today’s attacks against the sites are different. Denial-of-service attacks, or DoS, overwhelm a site or service with so much garbage data that it can’t respond to normal requests. Your browser might ask a site to send the text, code and images used to display its Web page, but during a DoS attack the site is snowed under and can’t respond. So you don’t see anything.

These types of attacks are usually distributed attacks, or DDoS, meaning the flood of data comes from many different sources. Usually that means a botnet – a botnet controller can order every infected PC in the botnet to send garbage data to a particular site. When a given botnet might comprise tens or hundreds of thousands of bot-infected PCs, that ends up being more than enough garbage data to overwhelm many sites.

But while crooks can and do make a good deal of money with malware and fake security software, and use any number of tricks to get it on PCs, denial-of-service attacks don’t install malware. They don’t steal data that might be sold, and while DoS attackers have in the past used the assaults to demand a ransom from the victim sites, there’s no word of such a request from either Facebook or Twitter. And large sites aren’t usually the target for such (already uncommon) extortion attempts. So why are they happening?

Malware wants to quietly steal and make money, but DoS attacks are generally meant to hurt their target in a very public fashion. And one commentator, Randy Abrams of ESET, which makes antivirus software, guesses that Twitter in particular might have ticked off the bad guys by fighting back against malware attacks. He notes that Twitter has recently begun filtering URLs to block those used in malicious tweets, which might have hurt the crooks’ bottom line.

But Abrams also writes that “there are still other ways thieves can make money and they make none at all if Twitter is down,” and that the DDoS attacks might come from someone more interested in notoriety than immediate gain. A “look-at-me” idiot, or even someone who wants to advertise the power of their available-for-hire botnet.

We’ll likely get more clues as to the why of these DDoS attacks, but right now it’s mostly a guessing game.

We may not know for a little as to why they were attacked, but you have to give both Facebook and Twitter credit for responding so fast.

Friday’s launch of the iPhone 3GS could usher in an innovative and lucrative new era for those who create applications for the popular device, developers and industry observers say.

The phone’s upgraded hardware, combined with a new operating system, will allow developers to design apps that wouldn’t have worked on previous models of the iPhone.

For example, developers said, the iPhone 3GS is the first iPhone with a video camera, which could inspire apps that edit or mix video clips. Other developers are eyeing the new phone’s built-in compass or its “push notification” feature, which pings users with messages even if its instant-message application is not open.

“Apple has given us all these new tools,” said William Kasel, founder and CEO of Jumpfox, a San Francisco, California-based company that makes mobile apps. “And I can’t wait to see what developers come out with in the next six months. The new features really take [the phone] to a whole new level.”

Apple fans in the United States and seven other countries lined up Friday morning to be among the first to get their hands on the new iPhone 3GS, billed as the fastest, most feature-laden iPhone yet.

Lines outside Apple’s 211 retail stores in the United States were generally shorter than for last July’s debut of the iPhone 3G, probably because owners of that phone balked at paying upgrade fees to wireless carrier AT&T or could simply update their devices by downloading the iPhone’s new 3.0 operating system.

The buying process also seemed smoother than last summer’s iPhone launch, which was marred by slow-moving lines and a flood of customers trying to activate their phones at once. According to reports on Twitter, many iPhone 3GS buyers were able to activate their phones faster and more smoothly than last year.

The new iPhone contains a processor that Apple claims is more than twice as fast as its 3G model, plus a video camera, voice control, longer battery life and a built-in compass. It comes with an upgraded operating system — which Apple released Wednesday for download onto older iPhones — with 100 new functions, including the ability to copy and paste text.

But the phone’s biggest game-changer, observers say, may be new software that allows iPhone users to make purchases within applications.

On previous versions of the iPhone, applications linked users to Web sites where they could buy consumer goods or other items. With the new iPhone 3.0 operating system, users can shop entirely within apps designed specially for the phone, which promises to make for smoother transactions.

App developers love this new function. Until now, they earned money only when people bought applications through Apple’s App Store, or from selling ads within the apps themselves. But now, for example, a game developer could charge users a few extra dollars to access higher levels of a video game. Other apps could allow users to locate the nearest movie theater, and then buy tickets.

“It’s a whole new revenue stream,” said Brian X. Chen, who writes about consumer technology for Wired.com. Chen believes the new feature could help iPhone app developers achieve long-term profits instead of hoping for an App Store “one-hit wonder” that sells well and then disappears.

“This could be absolutely huge for a lot of people,” agreed MG Siegler, who writes for TechCrunch, a popular technology blog. “There’s a lot of money to be made there, I think.”

Siegler believes another bonus of the iPhone 3GS’s new software is its ability to interact with special accessories via Bluetooth and the phone’s dock connector. To cite one example that Apple showcased at a recent 3.0 event, a diabetes app could hook up with an insulin meter, allowing a diabetes patient to check his or her glucose levels.

Developers already are customizing apps for the new iPhone. Jumpfox is hoping to launch BuzzBuy, its PayPal-like e-commerce widget, as an iPhone 3GS app this summer. And ScrollMotion plans to introduce an upgraded version of its Iceberg reader, which will allow iPhone users to download more than 50 magazines, 170 newspapers and 1 million books to their devices for reading on the go.

“We love the new 3.0 functionality,” said Josh Koppel, a ScrollMotion co-founder, who also believes the phone’s copy-and-paste feature will help students and other readers get more use from the Iceberg app. “A new way to monetize on this magical device … is the best thing we could have asked for.”

The popular phone went on sale Friday in the U.S. and Canada plus six European countries: France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

About 300 people stood outside the flagship Apple Store on New York’s Fifth Avenue waiting for the doors to open Friday morning. In Atlanta, Georgia, more than 100 people were in line early Friday outside an Apple Store at Lenox Square mall.

“It doesn’t seem like it’s the Apple fanatics [this time]. It’s moms and dads,” said Robin Cutshaw, 51, who lined up for previous iPhone launches in 2007 and 2008.

An IT specialist, Cutshaw said he travels everywhere with his iPhone and once even used it to work remotely from a beach in Brazil. “It doesn’t go in the shower with me, but that’s about it,” he said.

Some who had preordered phones were frustrated by how slowly their line moved outside the Atlanta store. But Marc Kagan, 31, said that buying his new phone took him about three hours, much less than the 10 hours it took last year.

Customers encountered problems activating their new phones last July because demand overwhelmed Apple’s iTunes servers. But on Friday, Kagan said it took Apple employees about 15 minutes to activate his phone in the store.

“It went pretty smooth. I think they’re a little more organized this year,” he said.

AT&T stores, Best Buy and Wal-Mart also are selling the iPhone 3GS, although preorders through AT&T and Best Buy sold out before Friday.

Advance buzz about the iPhone 3GS has been largely positive. In a review, CNET gave it a four-star, or excellent, rating.

An iPhone 3GS with 16 gigabytes of storage sells for $199 with a new two-year AT&T contract; one with 32G capacity will cost $299. Since June 8 Apple has been selling the iPhone 3G model for $99 — half its original price.

Apple has sold more than 17 million iPhones since the iconic device hit the market in 2007. Apple’s phones are the second-best-selling consumer smartphones in the United States, according to the NPD Group, an online market-research firm.

The launch comes less than a week after rival Palm unveiled its much ballyhooed Pre smartphone on the Sprint network and Research In Motion announced it will debut the new BlackBerry Tour on Sprint and Verizon in the coming months.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Apple (AAPL) CEO Steve Jobs had a liver transplant two months ago and will not be able to return to work full-time for another month or so.
While it is not clear what Mr. Jobs medical future will be, Apple has run well without him and has released several new products since he went on medical leave, including a next-generation iPhone. Even so, Jobs product development skills would almost certainly be missed if he could not remain with the firm.

Apple’s stock is up 65 percent this year.