Monday June 02, 2008
- No Apple Booth at the Apple Expo 2008 - Lionel - 15:49:13
We have just learned that Apple will not be present at Apple Expo 2008, despite promises given at the show last year. We're still collecting details about this news but we can already provide the following information.
It has been some time since Steve jobs made it clear that it was preferable to open physical Apple Store than sponsoring such shows, as returns-on-investment are different, as a show is targeted more to mid and long-term goals. We started having doubts about three months ago, when Apple's organizers for the event moved from the usual American members to an Apple Europe Pr representative, already fully overloaded with tasks and not really having the time nor the experience of such event. Then, the lack of communication about the show among third-parties was another hint. They have now been officially informed that Apple will not have a booth at Apple Expo 2008. An official press release should be available in the coming hours.
So, we can question the future of the Apple-dedicated event, the most important one in Europe. Of course, we can consider it on both emotional and rational sides. Over the last three years, the Apple booth at Apple Expo was getting smaller and smaller, there were more attendees for Apple Applications live demos every year. But there were also an increasing number of third-party companies exhibiting their Mac-dedicated hardware and software, and this was often more fun than looking at the last iPod. This was also draining a lot of professional and amateurs, willing to know about the last products/software to be used on their Mac, and not necessarily coded in Cupertino.
So, in the final analysis, it may not be a big change for visitors, but probably more for Apple France and Apple Europe staff as many of them had to provide support at the Apple’s booth. It will strongly depend on the reaction of other companies following Apple’s decision. If they decide to come, then the event might get even bigger and get more buzz as there will be no limitations required by Apple … if they also cancel following Apple’s decision, then it might well be the end.
- First French Apple Store in Le Louvre Carrousel - Lionel - 13:53:02
As we already announced it 9 month ago, the first Apple Store will be installed in the shopping center known as "Le Carrousel" in Le Louvre. For its first French physical Store, Apple had to find a prestigious location, and as there were no real opportunities on the Champs-Elysées, “Le Carrousel” appears to be a best choice, especially when considering the size of the future Store: 715 squared meters! This is definitely more that what we were expecting, and the first French Apple Store will be a real “flagship” for Apple. If we do not know precisely the opening date, we have been told it will be up and running before the end of the year, and even maybe in September!
[translation by Linathael], edited by Curtis
- Mac OS X 10.5.3 Improves Performance Levels of GeForce 8800 GT - Lionel - 09:17:17
Barefeats has tested the performance level of the retailed GeForce 8800 GT (as well as the integrated GF 8800 GS in high-end iMac) before and after migrating to Mac OS X 10.5.3. Barefeats noticed a real improvement for the GF 8800 GT with Core Image and Motion 3-based rendering, and the high-end Mac Pro graphic card can no compete with the default Radeon 2600.
However, one should not get so much excited. If Apple definitely worked on the GF drivers to make them better in Mac OS X 10.5.3, users will not really be able to get the max out of their GF 8800 GT as in most case the performance only improved enough to become roughly equal to the one measured for the default Radeon HD 2600 XT.
This illustrates again how Apple is not taking much care of GPU drivers’ development, offering only the minimal amount of work required to get graphical rendering performance level of Apple Applications acceptable.
[translation by Linathael]
- Microsoft Spotted a security flaw in Safari 3 for Windows - Lionel - 09:16:26
In a security alert bulletin, Microsoft claims that there is a blended threat from combined attack when using Apple’s Safari on the Windows platform.
The flaw is already documented with examples at the following address: http://www.dhanjani.com/archives/2008/05/safari_carpet_bomb.html
In summary, one could format a dedicated web page to make Safari to download a file in the default "download" folder without the end user being able to notice it. In addition, one could even remotely recover those files. However, by changing the default location where Safari downloads content to the local drive, PC users of Safari would not be affected by this blended threat.
For sure, this news comes right on time for Microsoft, as alternative browser keeps increasing their market share on Windows platform, with Firefox getting the largest part of it. Mozilla is probably happy too, as the launch for Firefox 3 is planned for this week.
[translation by Linathael]
- Optimus Popularis Announced - Lionel - 09:15:22
It has been more than 3 years that Art Lebedev studio announced its Optimus keyboard project. After months of delays, the product is finally there, but its price 1200 USD makes it a luxurious device, and most users can simply not afford.
To offer an alternative, Art Lebedev announced to be working on a much cheaper model, currently known as Optimus Popularis, and has released the first image of it:
As in the past with its great brother, no information is currently available regarding the availability, its price and the technology to be used.
[translation by Linathael]
- Unleashing the Apple TV, part 2 - Lionel - 08:45:06
After its first article describing the method to hack an Apple TV and to install unsupported codecs, Mac-et-video has followed up and now proposes to include a navigator of files, an installor of external plug-ins and even a navigator Web.
Thus,the device will offer more than originally proposes by Apple and will be much more tempting and useful.
Mac et Video
PS: Even though it has much more powerful parts than a computer based on an ATOM CPU (it also has a true video card), it is really regrettable that Apple has not proposed an update to open Mac OS X and with the support of a keyboard and a Bluetooth mouse.
PS2: It is possible to return the Apple TV to its original state by making a restoration of the system.
[translation by crispin]
- Due to the GPU, a PC costing $5300 performs as well as a supercomputer - Lionel - 07:40:30
Source : TGdaily
NVidia is making loud and strong claims; soon graphic processors will surpass the main CPU and will be used for the main part of calculations relegating the others to the not very glorious role of distributors of tasks.To illustrate this assertion, Belgian scientists have assembled a configuration almost available to the general public containing 4 NVidia video cards, each equipped with two GPU (of Geforce 9800 GX2), and functioning together in Quad SLI.
They succeeded with this configuration costing $5300 to perform better than a supercomputer costing 4,6 million dollars bought in 2005 and containing 512 processors.
For their tests they used software for tomography (medical imagery) and they succeeded in creating an image in 52,2 seconds with the PC that took 67,4 seconds with the large dedicated machine.
Of course, this is only valid under certain particular conditions, however this is a significant step, especially if one compares the costs of the two machines, their power consumption and the costs of maintenance.
To benefit from this on a daily basis, it will not be so simple. Indeed, a war seems to have started between the manufacturers of processors and those of video cards. It seems that today, it will not be easy to get within a reasonable time, unified compilers able to optimise all parts of the machine, CPU and GPU according to their strengths and weaknesses.
However maybe AMD, who has mastered both, or Intel, who are preparing to release powerful graphic solutions into 2009, could make progress on this front.
[translation by crispin]
