News for Thursday, 25 September 2008

Intel announced the third generation of its system vPro which will be available in certain configurations of professional computers. This technology allows the system administrators to reach a computer in all circumstances as long as it is powered, and even if the operating system has crashed.
To achieve this, the vPro system is implemented directly on the chipset and does not require the installation of software.
Even though this function will interest the administrators of remote stations, it does also raise questions. The whole thing is handled independently of the operating system, the user has no way of monitoring what occurs on his machine. Even if the intentions of Intel are not harmful, it is easy to imagine a 'Big Brother' that could come in all impunity to supervise what we do, and to read all data passing in the processor and stored in the ram or the hard disk.

As we reported it earlier, Apple opens today at 17h00 CET its first retail store in Switzerland. Located in Geneva, it is as usual perfectly located in this international city. One will not have to wait for a long time to see the second Apple Store to be inaugurated in Switzerland, as the one located in Zurich will open its doors tomorrow at 10h00 CET in largest shopping center of the area, the Glattzentrum.
Press release below for our dear swiss readers/visitors:

L' Apple Store Rue de Rive ouvrira ses portes au public le jeudi 25 septembre 2008 à 17 h.
L' Apple Store Rue de Rive est l'endroit idéal pour découvrir les tout nouveaux produits Apple, comme le nouvel iPod® nano quatrième génération, le modèle iPod le plus fin jamais conçu doté d’un nouveau design arrondi, alliant agréablement l’aluminium et le verre et disponible dans neuf coloris éclatants, et le nouvel iPod touch deuxième génération, idéal pour profiter au mieux de votre musique, de vos vidéos et de vos jeux. En se rendant dans un Apple Store, les clients ont la possibilité d’essayer concrètement tout la gamme de produits Apple, dont MacBook Air™, l’ordinateur portable le plus fin au monde, et le révolutionnaire iPhone™ 3G.
Tous les Apple Store proposent aux clients une formation personnalisée dans le cadre du fameux programme One to One, avec des séances approfondies sur un large éventail de sujets, des premiers pas sur Mac® ou iPod au développement de leurs compétences en vidéo ou en photographie numérique. Les visiteurs des Apple Store peuvent aussi bénéficier de services gratuits de la part d'experts, avec notamment une assistance sur place et une aide pour créatifs au Genius Bar, ainsi que des ateliers et des programmes spécifiques pour les enfants.
Apple ouvrira son deuxième magasin suisse le vendredi 26 septembre à 10 h au Glattzentrum de Zurich, le plus grand centre commercial de la région.
Pour en savoir plus sur les magasins Apple, rendez-vous à l’adresse www.apple.com/chfr/retail.

Der Apple Store Glattzentrum öffnet seine Türen für die Öffentlichkeit am Freitag, 26. September 2008 um 10.00 Uhr.
Der Apple Store Glattzentrum ist der beste Platz um mehr über die neuesten Produkte von Apple zu erfahren - inklusive des neuen iPod® nano der vierten Generation, des bisher schmalsten iPod der Welt im neuen Design mit einer Aluminium- und Glas-Abdeckung und in neun lebhaften Farben; oder den neuen iPod touch der zweiten Generation, perfekt um Musik, Videos und Spiele zu geniessen.
Das hands-on Konzept des Apple Retail Stores bietet Kunden die Möglichkeit Apples gesamte Produktlinie mit eigenen Händen auszuprobieren, darunter auch das MacBook Air™, das dünnste Notebook der Welt und das revolutionäre iPhone™ 3G.
Jeder Apple Retail Store bietet im Rahmen des populären One to One Programms massgeschneiderte Trainings mit vertiefenden Modulen zu einer grossen Bandbreite an Themen: von der Einführung zu Mac® oder iPod bis hin zur Verbesserung der Fertigkeiten beim Filme machen oder im Bereich der digitalen Photographie.
Besucher des Apple Retail Stores profitieren auch von kostenlosen Services von erfahrenen Spezialisten, zum Beispiel durch persönliche Unterstützung und kreative Hilfe an der Genius Bar, Workshops oder speziellen Programmen für Kinder.
Apple wird seinen ersten Store in der Schweiz am Donnerstag, 25. September um 17.00 h in der Rue de Rive in Genf eröffnen.
Weitere Informationen über Apple Retail Stores findet man unter www.apple.com/chde/retail

It did not take a long time before some users (and most probably developers) decide to launch an online petition to complain about such undefined AppStore rejection policies (Is there a guy playing Big Brother in front of his screen?):

To: Apple Computer
"Dear Steve,
As iPhone users we would like to express our dismay at Apple's 'vaguerisms', ineptitude and arrogance in it's recent dealings with 'App Store' developers.
We are of the opinion that Apple's lack of communication and clarity over rejected apps and inappropriate use of 'NDA' Non Disclosure Agreements has become completely indefensible. Furthermore Apple's reluctance to comment publicly on these very public issues is fast becoming a stain upon its character.
As your customers we have great concerns over the future of the iPhone and you should be aware that if 'App Store' developers decide to desert the iPhone platform en masse we will have absolutely no qualms in following them.
A positive statement from Apple on this subject is long overdue.
Sincerely,
The Undersigned

For signing the petition, follow the link: http://www.petitiononline.com/appstore/petition.html

Couple of weeks ago, we already reported about the disappointment of some developers facing rejection of their application submission to the AppStore, without any further explanation. As expected, more and more developers are criticizing such unilateral decision, and started to expose it publicly. As usual when it comes to potential danger for its image and how the company could be criticized, Apple promptly reacted, and added a short sentence in its rejection letter:

THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS MESSAGE IS UNDER NON-DISCLOSURE

Of course such message aims to prevent developers to publicly announce that their last application designed for the iPhone was rejected. So now, developers have to deal with their anger of not been listed in the AppStore and not being able to complain. Great...
The most amazing point for us is to see how some Mac-dedicated websites (especially in US) seem to be surprised by Apple's reaction to a relatively minor point dealing with undefined rejection policies. Indeed, as we could experience it, Apple is used to such maneuvers, and since Macbidouille and Hardmac are online we have learned to live with it.
Apple does not stand criticisms and prefer to have polished and shinny communication policies, indicating to journalist and news networks when it is time to applause. If you refuse to follow the rules defined (but not necessarily publicly available) by Apple you will immediately be flamed. Developers having their applications rejected and publicly complaining about such decision will most likely never have any applications selected for the AppStore, without mentioning that websites or news networks reporting such events might be black-listed by Cupertino. As an example, Apple does not send us its press release anymore, even though we know what it is supposed to be written days or weeks before...
Of course, Apple is NOT the only company to behave as such, other big corporates have a tendency to get all complains silenced before it can affect overall company's communication policies. While Apple is renowned for its excellent customer service and its policies to help Mac users, it can also behave very strongly and burn itself while trying to control the growing fire. Part of Apple employees are between the ground and the hammer, having the choice of being blamed for not reacting or reacting inappropriately. Of course, we know that the pressure is high at Cupertino, and they are all afraid of hearing the famous sentence: "you are Steved", the local way to let you know that you are fired...

For a long time, Sony let competitors to lead the race for the fastest burning speed for BD drive; but this period is over. The Japanese company just announced a new model of BD drive for computers able to burn 6x certified media at 8x. In other words, this drive will burn 25 GB of data on a media in just 15 minutes, and less than 30 minutes for a 50 GB media. The BWU-300S will also be able to burn CD at 48x, DVD at 16x.
It should arrive next month in our favorite shops, and its price should be around 400 USD. Interestingly, to take the leadership position back, Sony implemented a burning speed not officially validated yet by the certification group.

Apple just released an update for Java, supposed to improve reliability and compatibility for Java SE 6, J2SE 5.0 and J2SE 1.4.2 on Mac OS X 10.4.11 and later.
More information on the following links: Leopard (10.5.4 and later) et Tiger (10.4.11 and later)