Apple

(Credit: CNET)

Last month we blogged about a bug marring Flash playback on the latest 27-inch Apple iMacs. Users on several Web sites, including the Apple Discussion Threads, noticed a problem with the Flash player that caused choppy audio and video playback, but it appears that the newest Mac OS X v10.6.2 update fixes the issue that was apparently caused by a conflict with the Airport driver.

According to Apple, the update "addresses video playback and performance issues for iMac (21.5-inch, late 2009) and iMac (27-inch, late 2009) computers that may occur in some situations while AirPort is turned on." Since our own 27-inch iMac also experienced slow Flash streaming and intermittent sound hiccups with the AirPort turned on, we downloaded the 10.6.2 update and left it to sleep overnight.

Prior to the update, the Flash Player consumed 114.4 percent of system resources, but 24 hours after the update we're happy to report 26.8 percent usage in the activity monitor and smooth performance across all popular streaming video Web sites like YouTube, Hulu, etc.

Much thanks to the Apple Forums and Apple itself for quickly addressing the needs of its community. If you haven't updated yet, simply choose Software Update from the Apple menu to install OS X v10.6.2.

(Credit: CNET)

After reading Engadget's report citing recent complaints about Flash video playback mucking up system resources on the latest 27-inch Apple iMacs, we decided to test out the claims using our own system. Users on the Apple Discussion threads noticed a bug in the Flash Player that bogs down CPU processes, resulting in choppy audio and video playback.

We visited several sites with heavy streaming video content like Hulu, YouTube, and the Break Media Network, and experienced similar issues: popping sounds and jerky video rendering the content unwatchable on several accounts. Like many of the users in the Apple thread, we called up the Activity Monitor and saw that the Flash Player demanded a surprising 114.4 percent of the iMac's CPU processes.

We were able to temporarily fix the problem by putting the computer to sleep and waking it up, but some people are speculating that a hardware malfunction could be to blame. We've also tried to contact Apple for official word, but our messages have been as yet unreturned.

If you're experiencing similar problems, we'd like to hear about it--leave a comment and let us know the issue and what you did to fix it.

Like most companies, Apple periodically releases software updates for its applications, fixing minor issues. However, an iMovie update released on Tuesday revealed a brand new video format the company has been developing.

(Credit: Apple)

Dubbed iFrame, the new video format is based on industry standard technologies like H.264 video and AAC audio. As expected with H.264, iFrame produces much smaller file sizes than traditional video formats, while maintaining its high-quality video. Of course, the smaller file size increases import speed and helps with editing video files.

iMovie 8.0.5 released on Tuesday adds compatibility with camcorders using the iFrame video format. Currently there are two cameras that support iFrame: the Sanyo VPC-HD2000A and the Sanyo VPC-FH1A.

The two cameras were introduced earlier Tuesday and default to shooting video in the new format. iFrame shoots at 960x540. The cameras can also record in high-definition 1080p (1920x1080), as well as high-speed video formats for slow-motion playback, according to Sanyo.

Apple hasn't said how long it has been working on iFrame or if other video camera manufacturers would adopt the format. The company also didn't say when support for the iFrame format would be added to its Final Cut Pro video-editing suite.

The iMovie update can be downloaded from Apple's Web site or from the software update mechanism in Mac OS X.

Your received video messages look just like an e-mail in-box.

(Credit: Screenshot by Harrison Hoffman/CNET)

12seconds.tv, a micro video messaging service dubbed by some as "Twitter for video," is bringing the same short format to private video messaging in its second iPhone app, 12mail.

The basic gist of the app, released this week, is that you can record a video, up to 12 seconds, and send it off to one of your friends. Your friend then gets a push notification and can watch it.

Unfortunately, in order to take advantage of the video recording part of this app, you have to have an iPhone 3GS. Those with the 3G or original iPhone can take a photo and record 12 seconds of audio as an alternative. The app does not require a 12seconds account, but rather allows you to link with Twitter or Facebook. It then pulls down your contacts from either service and you can video message to your heart's content.

12mail is a great concept as a private video messaging app, but it seems to have missed the mark when it came to Facebook Connect implementation. When you send a video message to one of your Twitter contacts, it shows up as a direct message on Twitter and as a private message in the iPhone app. In contrast, when you message a Facebook contact, it posts it in public on that person's Facebook Wall and shows up in the iPhone app. The result of sending a video message in these two scenarios is very different. It would serve 12mail well to alert a user on Facebook by sending an Inbox message. In its current state, the Facebook integration just doesn't work as you would expect it to.

Despite some of these functionality issues (which can be worked out), I really like the idea of private video messaging or "video voicemail." It has a lot of great potential uses and opens up a whole new way of communicating.

You can download the app from the iTunes App Store here.

12mail's push notification.

(Credit: Screenshot by Harrison Hoffman/CNET)

12mail's Facebook friend list.

(Credit: Screenshot by Harrison Hoffman/CNET)

A weigh-in between Cisco's Flip Video camera and Apple's new iPod Nano with video camera.

(Credit: Stephen Shankland/CNET)

One of the biggest revelations at Apple's music event Wednesday wasn't just that the iPod Nano now has a video camera, but that Apple has the popular Flip Video camera squarely in its sights.

With user-created video exploding, Apple CEO Steve Jobs uttered what is probably one of the more frightening things rival electronics industry execs can hear: "We want to get in on this."

Already having decimated the MP3 player market with the iPod, and putting pressure on fellow smartphone makers, Apple now hopes to take on the Flip in its own backyard: short, user-generated video clips. Cisco purchased Pure Digital, the maker of the popular flash-based camera, earlier this year for almost $600 million because it was clearly the leader in its field. The Flip Video set itself apart by making the process of creating, editing, and uploading short videos to sites like YouTube very uncomplicated. In two years the company said it sold 2 million devices.

Cisco wasn't the only major technology company that noticed. At Wednesday event, Jobs specifically referenced the Flip's success.

"Video has exploded in the last few years," he said. A lot of people are posting videos to sites like YouTube and much of them are coming from solid-state video cameras like the Flip, he said, showing the Flip Ultra model, which comes with 4GB of storage for $149.

Apple is attempting to one-up the Flip by inserting a video camera inside the iPod Nano, along with a microphone and internal speaker for video playback. Like the Flip, the Nano is supposed to have easy video uploading right to YouTube. Comparing them head to head, since the base model Nano now comes with 8GB of storage and costs $159, the value of the Nano with all the additions (media player, FM tuner, pedometer) certainly seems attractive. Of course until we actually use it, it's hard to say how much of a threat the Nano's new camera will be.

Flip of course isn't the only minicamcorder maker that could be worried about Apple's attempts to enter this market. The Flip begot several imitators, like the Sony Webby, the Kodak Zi8, and devices from RCA, Sanyo, and Creative.

But Flip is the de facto leader in minicams, and its Ultra and Mino models have several things going for them that the much more compact Nano doesn't, like the Flip's flip-out USB port that allows the camera to be plugged directly into a computer without need for a connector cable. The Flip also has user-replaceable batteries. Though the Nano overall has a smaller footprint, it was a bit unfair that when comparing the Flip to the Nano during its presentation Apple used the chunkiest model of Flip available (the Ultra), when the Mino is much slimmer and more compact.

Still, the fact that Apple wants to be in this market puts a lot of pressure on Cisco and its Flip camera. For its part, Cisco responded publicly using Twitter, posting a message after the Apple event that said, "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery."

Our cameras were rolling Wednesday morning at Apple's San Francisco press conference as the company played up iTunes 9, iPod price cuts, games for the Touch, a video camera for the iPod Nano, and much more.

But the real spotlight was on Apple CEO Steve Jobs, who made his first public appearance since returning from medical leave after receiving a liver transplant earlier this year.

Here's a roundup of our video coverage, beginning with Jobs' standing ovation and opening speech.

On September 9, the Beatles will release their entire catalog, digitally re-mastered for the first time, on CD. The same day, The Beatles: Rock Band will be released, and there is speculation of an Apple music-related event the same day. Could it be an entertainment perfect storm?

(Credit: The Beatles)

What is it with the Beatles and nines?

As my colleague Caroline McCarthy pointed out in March when the launch date (September 9, 2009) for The Beatles: Rock Band was announced, the band's song "Revolution 9" ends with the words, "number nine, number nine, number nine."

So clearly, the date 09/09/09 has at least some symbolic significance for the band. And now, in addition to that date being the launch of the Rock Band title, it was announced Tuesday that on that same day, the Beatles will release a CD box set of their entire catalog, digitally re-mastered for the first time, re-confirming reports from months ago.

At the same time, many people have been talking about the high likelihood of an all-music-related Apple event around some unknown product announcement on September 9. So, with all these facts--and some informed speculation--in hand, one has to think seriously that we may get a star-studded event with Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr (who, you may remember, showed up at Microsoft's E3 press conference to promote The Beatles: Rock Band) and, of course, Steve Jobs, to announce the availability of that same digitally re-mastered catalog on iTunes.

If that were to come to pass, it would seem to me an entertainment perfect storm. Of course, as is always the case with these things, we have to temper our enthusiasm because the most exciting speculation could well turn out not to be true. But if it does happen like this, well, it would easily be worth the price of admission.

As for today's news, EMI Music and Apple Corps--the Beatles' publishers--said that it took engineers at the famed Abbey Road Studios four full years "of utilizing state of the art recording technology, alongside vintage studio equipment, to create these amazing re-masters."

Having talked to the folks behind both The Beatles: Rock Band and the Cirque du Soleil's Beatle-themed "Love" about the re-mastering processes, I know that this is something that those involved with the band have been putting a lot of effort into over the last few years. And assuming that there will be a digital distribution element to this whole 09/09/09 thing, it's nice that after being very strict for years and years about how their music got out into the world, the band may finally have agreed to loosen the reins a little bit.

Of course, it's not altruism. There will no doubt be massive amounts of money flowing into the coffers of everyone financially involved with the band. And that's because even for people like me who already own the entire catalog on old mono CDs or records, there may be a few extra dollars available for legitimate digital copies of songs like "Hey Jude," "Yesterday," and "A day in the life."

But, of course, as of today, we don't know anything for certain about the Beatles and iTunes. What we do know is that The Beatles: Rock Band will have 45 songs, and that the digitally re-mastered CD collection will comprise all 12 Beatles studio albums--in stereo, no less--as well as "Magical Mystery Tour" and a combined "Past Masters Volume I and II," for a total of 14 titles on 16 CDs. The whole thing will be available, along with a DVD set of Beatles documentaries in one--presumably pricey--stereo boxed set.

Apple has a history of appealing to creative professionals and has reiterated its interest in these core customers with the release of two major suites.

(Credit: Apple)

On Thursday, Apple updated its high-end video production suite, Final Cut Studio, and its audio suite, Logic Studio.

Apple began bundling its professional apps together several years ago, differentiating them into audio and video suites. Doing so allows customers to work on several applications, while staying in one environment.

"We try to make things work together up and down the range of products," Phil Schiller, senior vice president of worldwide product marketing, told CNET in an interview Thursday. "One of the great things is that you're able to share your media with anyone, anytime."

"The integration and sharing of technology is really important because you don't have to learn different apps," said Xander Soren, Apple's director of music applications marketing.

Apple has also made it possible for creative professionals to export their audio and video for the company's hardware. Of course, in the consumer iLife apps, you have integration with apps like iTunes. But you can export media for iTunes, the iPhone, iPod, and Apple TV with the pro apps too.

It makes sense that Apple wants to ensure compatibility across its product line, especially with the iPhone. In its earnings announcement two days ago, Apple said it sold 5.2 million iPhones in the quarter, a 626 percent leap from a year ago.

The final piece of the puzzle for Apple is the retail store.

"It's now possible for anyone to walk into an Apple Store and get all of the hardware and software they need to make professional videos and audio," said Schiller.

Apple introduced on Thursday a new version of Final Cut Studio, the company's high-end video production suite.

The suite comes with six applications in all, including Final Cut Pro 7, Motion 4, Soundtrack Pro 3, Color 1.5, Compressor 3.5, and DVD Studio Pro 4. Most of the work in this release was spent on the flagship app of the suite, Final Cut Pro.

In Final Cut Pro 7, editors have the ability to edit faster with the help of three new ProRes versions. Users can now choose ProRes 422 (Proxy) for offline editing; ProRes 422 (LT) for projects that require reduced file sizes at broadcast quality; and ProRes 4444 for compositing and digital workflows that require the highest-possible quality.

The new Final Cut Studio includes these apps.

(Credit: Apple)

Final Cut also includes support for iChat Theater, giving editors the ability to collaborate with clients in real-time. You can output your video to iChat Theater and talk while your client watches the clips with you.

A redesigned Change Speed window lets you make speed changes without rippling the sequence, and a new Share window gives you more control over exporting your content for Apple devices, the Web, a Blu-ray disc, or a DVD.

Apple's 3D application, Motion 4 allows you to add reflections and shadows that respond to lights and objects as they pass through the 3D space, according to Apple. Motion also includes new text and titling tools, including an Adjust Glyph tool that lets you distort a single character.

Compressor 3.5 comes with a new Job Action features that gives you the ability to have Compressor open a file, publish it to the Web, or send it to your iTunes library. You can also use job actions to burn a Blu-ray disc or a DVD, or trigger Automator workflows.

Final Cut Studio is available for $999 and requires an Intel Mac. Current Final Cut Studio owners can purchase an upgrade for $299.