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I n another move to fend off competition from Apple and others, Sony today announced the creation of a third electronics division that will handle digital and video cameras, car stereos, and navigation equipment, The Wall Street Journal is reporting. The move will reduce the burden on Sonyis PC division, responsible for computers and PC-connected…

W ith Apple Computeris (AAPL) stock at a five-year high of over US$73.00 a share, five company executives cashed in stock options and common stock purchasing plans in the last week. The transactions totaled in excess of $65.5 million, according to calculations by The Mac Observer from ownership statements filed with the US Securities and…

I n his regular column for the Chicago Sun-Times, TMO columnist Andy Ihnatko said that the thing that makes the iPod shuffle so good is that it simply works. Mr. Ihnatko added his own voice to the mainstream chorus of reviewers who have gushed over Appleis newest iPod family member. Mr. Ihnatko went over the…

I n an interview with the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster told reporter Steve Alexander, "Without the iPod, Apple would be irrelevant," and that the "iPod has given Apple a second life." Mr. Munster is the most bullish analyst covering Apple, and the comments come in a report about how the iPod…

I n more coverage Tuesday on Apple, Technology Review published an article by Eric Hellweg that said that the battlefield for online music downloads is about to change considerably. That change is Microsoftis Janus technology that allows users to take subscription (rented) music on their digital media devices, something heretofore impossible. Mr. Hellweg believes that…

M ike Wendland, a columnist for the Detroit Free Press who often writes positive pieces about Apple and the Mac platform, said Tuesday he thinks Appleis new software package, iWork, needs some work. Mr. Wendland wrote that Pages isnit a full-featured word processing program, and that Keynote "seems a bit klutzy" compared to Microsoftis PowerPoint."…

A ppleis triumphant tour through the mainstream press continues today with a review of the iPod shuffle by Rob Pegoraro. Mr. Pegoraro called the US$99 flash-based iPod "a surprising new mini-player in the music game." Mr. Pegoraro said that the price of the unit fills in the price gap in Appleis portable digital media player…

P BSis Robert X. Cringely has penned a bit of speculation on the idea that Apple is planning on getting into the video download business. Following a similar track as our own Devilis Advocate, Mr. Cringely puts the pieces together based on Steve Jobsi keynote from Macworld Expo, but also looks at a technology in…

< A href="https://www.synaptics.com/">Synaptics, the maker of the click wheel selector on Appleis iPods, announced Thursday record profits for its second fiscal quarter ended December 31st, 2004. The company reported profits of US$9.7 million on revenue of V.5 million. The company cited "robust growth" in demand for portable media players as a driving force for its…

. The 19-year-old web publisher and Harvard University student will be defended by Terry Gross, of the San Francisco-based firm Gross & Belsky. Mr. Gross said in an interview that Ciarelli and his Web site used proper newsgathering techniques. “Think Secretis reporting is protected by the First Amendment,” Mr. Gross said. “The Supreme Court has…

< A href="https://www.ml.com">Merrill Lynch analyst Steven Milunovich believes there will be strong demand for Appleis new iPod shuffle, and that just like the iPod mini, demand will outstrip supply, a chronic issue for Apple. In a research note for clients obtained by The Mac Observer, Mr. Milunovich said that new-to-iPod users are attracted to both…

T he New York Times has published an article by long-time Apple reporter John Markoff that asks if Apple is considering a "Mac TV," a device Apple would position as a set top media management box. Centered around a wrap up of Appleis announcement last week at Macworld Expo, Mr. Markoff speculates on Appleis possible…

T he BBC has published a shootout between Appleis new Mac mini and similarly priced Windows PCs from competitors. The piece, published for a UK audience, focuses on British pricing and products, and includes PCs from Dell, Jal Constance (a UK manufacturer), and a generic, home-built PC. The article, written by Darren Waters and Mark…

G riffin Technology continues to roll out new products at Macworld Expo, announcing three more Thursday and Friday. First up, RocketFM is a USB bus-powered FM transmitter that allows a Mac to transmit its audio over any available FM frequency through a home, car, or office stereo system. The device is especially handy for travelers…

ART VPS Accelerator ? We noticed our first gem as we walked by the ART VPS booth and noted a demo which was showing a nice looking sports car at various angles. As first we thought this was some sort of presentation software, but we learned that the car was in fact totally computer generated,…

S AN FRANCISCO, CA — Those who have attended a Macworld Expo likely recall that pile of little booths way in the back with an odd assortment of exhibitors. These are the Special Interest Pavillions, and they make up the low-rent district of the Macworld show floor. We took some time out to speak with…

I n a research report sent to clients Wednesday, Merrill Lynch analyst Steven Milunovich weighed in on Appleis announcements yesterday and said he believes both the iPod shuffle and Mac mini will be successes for the company. Regarding the iPod shuffle, Milunovich wrote, “We continue to think Apple is building a sustainable consumer electronics franchise…

L ove him or hate him, Apple fans can agree that President George W. Bush at least has good taste in digital music players. The gloved hands dialing in a track on the iPod in the photo below belong to the President, who prepared his “I-pod [sic] during a bicycle ride at a secure location…

will help Apple solidify its music player position and gain back small fractions of its market share from Windows-based PCs. Steve Baker, an analyst with NPD feels the Mac mini will not displace inexpensive PCs like those from eMachines and HP, but will gain market share slowly as “an adjunct US$999 notebook.” “Itis not a…

S AN FRANCISCO, CA — Late on Monday night, Apple added a new feature to the iTunes Music Store called NFL Wild Card Highlights. NFL Wild Card Essentials offer short audio books for this weekis NFL games. Highlights are 2-3 minute audio books of information about recent NFL football games. Each Highlight is priced at…