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iPhone Web app reports what's cookin' at Apple

Update: Sometime after this post went live the site was pulled and it can no longer be viewed as shown below.

Ever wish you could live like an Apple employee? Now you can at least find out how to eat like one, according to Gizmodo's post on an iPhone Web app that reports the daily menu at Apple cafeteria, Caffe Macs.

Simply launch Mobile Safari on your iPhone and browse to menu.apple.com, select an Apple campus location, and boom: instantly see what's cookin' at Apple.

According to the app, the menu at Infinite Loop as of … Read more

Device made popular in iPhone catching on

When your iPhone's screen automatically reorients itself, it's using a nascent silicon technology expected to become a $1.7 billion market by 2013.

It's called an accelerometer--and the iPhone brought these devices into the mainstream.

"When you turn your iPhone to the side and the screen automatically adjusts from portrait to landscape view, there's an accelerometer at work. And when you swing your (Nintendo) Wii controller and bowl a virtual strike, there's an accelerometer at work there too," iSuppli noted in a report released Thursday. The market for these devices is expected to grow to $1.7 billion in 2013, up from $947.7 million in 2007, according to the market research firm.

Accelerometers are based on another burgeoning silicon field, Microelectromechanical Systems, or MEMS--also referred to as micromachines. MEMS are made up of components typically no larger than 100 micrometers in size and usually integrate a microprocessor and other components, such as the microsensor found in the iPhone's accelerometer.

Accelerometers in recent years have emerged as a popular input device for some of the world's hottest electronic products, causing shipments to boom, according to iSuppli. "Due to this rapid sales growth, accelerometers by 2013 will displace the current leading MEMS products--inkjet heads and Digital Light Processing (DLP) chips--to become the dominant type of MEMS device sold worldwide in 2013," said Jérémie Bouchaud, iSuppli principal analyst for MEMS, in a statement.

"Consumers' desire for motion-sensing in smart phones and video game systems will boost demand for accelerometers," Bouchaud added.… Read more

Apple continues investing during bad economy

The recession has been difficult for every segment of the economy, from tech companies to the retailers, but Apple plans to spend its way through the downturn, according to USA Today.

Ron Johnson, Apple's senior vice president of retail, was brought into Apple by Steve Jobs to start and build the company's retail store strategy. And he has done just that, very successfully.

While many companies have been forced to cutback on their investment or close their doors completely, Apple is expanding its retail presence. Not only is the company building new retail stores, it is also renovating … Read more

North Carolina House OKs tax break to attract Apple

Lawmakers in North Carolina on Wednesday voted in favor of proposed changes to the state's tax laws, clearing the way for large investments from companies like Apple.

The House passed the bill 80-34, according to a report by the Charlotte Observer. While it was a healthy majority, some lawmakers protested vehemently about being forced to offer huge tax incentives to big businesses.

The bill, modified by the House, is set to go back to the state Senate on Thursday for a vote.

As reported on Tuesday, North Carolina is hoping to lure Apple by offering the company $46 million … Read more

International iPhone App Store distribution kaput?

Ipodnn.com is reporting an iTunes App Store problem that could directly impact iPhone application developer income. According to ipodnn.com:

The international distribution of iPhone applications is not being handled properly at the App Store, one developer tells MacNN. Having launched a title called CameraUFO, Magno Urbano says he recently visited the US App Store to verify if his software was on sale. Although not at its main intended venue, the app could be found at a number foreign stores, though still not all of them.

According to the piece, the developer has reported the problems to Apple, but … Read more

My Palm Pre first-gen fears

I usually follow a simple rule when it comes to consumer electronics: I avoid buying any first-generation products. That doesn't mean I haven't ever done it, but I tend to wait for generation two or three before I plunk down my dough, particularly when it comes to heavily hyped stuff.

As I've written before, I'm a prime candidate to buy the Palm Pre. I'm a Sprint customer who has a contract conveniently expiring in June and I have a phone (the Mogul) that's on its last legs. Ideally, the Pre would cost $50 less and not have a mail-in rebate, but at least Sprint didn't price the thing at a pure $299, as I'm sure it would have preferred to do. Pricing aside, the biggest hurdle I'm facing is the fact that the Palm Pre is a first-gen phone--and platform--and I'm really not a first-gen guy.

By contrast, the iPhone will be on its third generation and its platform is already fairly mature. We'll find out exactly how the new third-generation iPhone specs out at next week's WWDC event, but it's safe to assume that many of the small, nagging kinks that were found in earlier editions of the iPhone will have been ironed out. I don't expect it to be perfect (no phone ever will be, because there's always something better around the corner), but I feel pretty good about getting a lot more iPhone for my $199 than those who purchased the original non-3G model (which was originally $599--with contract!) or even the iPhone 3G.

Sometimes, of course, a brand new product can come along that's so far ahead of the pack that even the introductory version is too tempting to avoid.… Read more

Intel: The future of Netbook vs. notebook

Intel said Netbook cannibalization of notebook PC sales is about 20 percent in Europe, according to a news report Wednesday. But this trend may ebb later this year when the "affordable" ultra-thin laptop category takes off, leading to a cannibalization reversal of sorts.

Christian Morales, Intel's European sales chief, said Netbook sales were about 16 percent of all notebook sales globally, and a little higher in Western Europe, according to Reuters. "In Britain and Italy they may account for as much as a quarter of all notebook sales," he told Reuters.

Netbooks are small, inexpensive … Read more

The 404 350: Where we'll soon be swimming with the fishes

Today the truth comes out. As if we didn't know it already, Wilson Tang is officially an Apple fanboy. Find out how he shows his true colors when he and Jeff get into a heated debate over the company.

It seems that 4chan helped create a porn spam on YouTube a few days ago, forcing the company to scramble to take down the illicit videos. Is there anything that community can't do?

Next it's on to an infamous 404 topic, the Jitterbug. Apparently the cell phone designed for ease of use by senior citizens is being recalled due to coverage issues.

Now please enjoy the latest batch of 404 logo submissions, sent in by our incredibly talented listenership. Make sure you send in your submission as well! Get it over to the404 [at] cnet [dot] com right away!

EPISODE 350 Download today's podcast Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

Hello mainframe? iPhone calling

Unisys has updated its ClearPath line of mainframe servers, adding a new ePortal engine that allows iPhone users to access applications running on mainframes.

The five new ClearPath Libra and Dorado models introduced on Tuesday range from entry level to high end, the company said. The machines use new chips and I/O subsystems designed to provide performance improvements. The Libra 780 and Libra 790 use Unisys' proprietary CMOS processors, as do the Dorado 740 and 750. The lower-end Dorado 4050 uses an Intel Xeon x64 chip.

The company also released new versions of its MCP and OS 2200 operating … Read more