Apple

It's no secret that newspapers in the U.S. are having their share of difficulties during this economic downturn, but New York Times Executive Editor Bill Keller is looking to the future and that future includes an Apple tablet.

Keller's remarks came during a presentation earlier this month to the digital staff at The New York Times. Video of the "off-the-record" meeting was obtained by the Nieman Journalism Lab and posted on its site. At the meeting, Keller addressed some of the things the newspaper needs to do to succeed, including preparing for platforms of the future.

"We need to figure out the right journalistic product to deliver to mobile platforms and devices," said Keller. "I'm hoping we can get the newsroom more actively involved in the challenge of delivering our best journalism in the form of Times Reader, iPhone apps, WAP, or the impending Apple slate, or whatever comes after that."

It's not clear whether Keller has inside knowledge of an Apple tablet or if he was just assuming the existence of the device based on the rumors and speculation that have been around for months.

However, Keller could know more than the average person. Apple has reportedly been talking to several high-profile media companies, negotiating to get its content ready for a new device the company is preparing to launch, according to Gizmodo.

Attracting companies like The New York Times could be a win-win for both companies--Apple would have reputable content for its device and companies like The New York Times would have a new revenue source for its business.

Could the new Droid finally be the smartphone to knock the Apple iPhone off its pedestal? Droid partners Verizon, Motorola, and Google are positioning it as such.

The latest Android-based smartphone, the Droid, could debut as early as October 30, according to a cryptic countdown code on Verizon's Web site that promotes the new device.

Verizon has set up its Droid promo page with direct challenges to the iPhone, with such slap-in-the face headlines as: "iDon't have a real keyboard," "iDon't run simultaneous apps," and "iDon't allow open development." And "everything iDon't...Droid does."

The page goes on to tout all that the Droid does offer, including high speed, multitasking, networking, a high-resolution screen, speech recognition, directions, video, music, and more than 10,000 apps.

(Credit: Verizon)

The Droid is the same smartphone formerly known as the Motorola Sholes, so some technical specs have already been known.

The phone will run the new Android 2.0 operating system. It will provide a 3.7-inch touch screen along with a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. The 5-megapixel autofocus and flash camera will offer both still and video recording. Wi-FI, Bluetooth 2.0, and GPS are there as well.

Calls to Motorola, Verizon, and Google for further details were not immediately returned.

But Web sites are already touting the Droid as the hottest phone that will hit the market in awhile.

The Boy Genius Report site says it's already gotten its hands on a Droid, revealing a few key details. The phone is just slightly thicker than an iPhone 3GS, says the site, sporting a "pretty usable," ultrathin, sliding QWERTY keyboard.

Powered by a Texas Instruments OMAP 3430 processor (the same chip used by the Palm Pre), the Droid is the fastest and most impressive Android device that Boy Genius says it's seen. (Google reportedly had a strong hand in its design.) The site also is gushing over the phone's display, calling it the best screen so far on an Android handset.

The TechCrunch site calls the Droid a three-way effort among Motorola, Verizon, and Google. The site says that, according to people who've tried out the device, the Droid is the "most sophisticated mobile device to hit the market to date from a hardware standpoint." TechCrunch sees it as "Android's flagship product, and the first phone that will pose a significant threat to Apple's iPhone."

Verizon has often been a mixed bag for many customers, offering a reliable, high-speed network but lacking a must-have smartphone a la the iPhone.

More "details" have emerged about the supposed upcoming Apple tablet. iLounge says a trusted source has provided 10 bits of info about the device, including a notably specific announcement date: Tuesday, January 19, with the product shipping in May or June.

This potential product has been discussed ad nauseum. But Apple isn't the only one pondering this market. As more companies start offering their own versions of tablets in anticipation of Apple jumping in later, and as more tidbits leak out about what Apple might be cooking up, it's useful to look at how it would stack up with what's already available to buy.

• First, iLounge's source says Apple has created three different prototypes. The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this year that two previous prototypes were killed for battery and memory problems. Though the iLounge source says the first version's 7-inch screen was judged to be too small, it doesn't give the size of the second version. The third prototype apparently has a 10.7-inch screen.

• 10.7, or really 11 inches when you round up, would put it on the small side of the better tablets--according to our expert reviewers here at CNET--currently on the market. 7 inches, which was apparently dismissed, is the same as Toshiba's new JournE Touch tablet, and slightly smaller than the 9-inch Windows 7-based Archos media tablet.

• 10 and 11 inches is judged to be the so-called sweet spot of Netbooks. This is "not supposed to compete with Netbooks," but rather is supposed to be a media player and a "light communication device." That's exactly how Michael Arrington describes the tablet he has partnered with Fusion Garage to develop.

• It's supposed to look like an iPhone, but "with a curved back." Most tablets currently available look like a regular laptop that when the screen is twisted and closed converts to looking like a tablet. A slate-style design with perhaps one physical button, like the iPhone/iPod Touch would make it stand out.

• There will be an option for 3G networking. If it is like an oversized iPhone, that makes sense. Though most of the tablets available now rely on Wi-Fi. As Harry McCracken at Technologizer points out, the more interesting thing here is which wireless carrier will be supplying the service.

• It's not a Netbook, but supposed to be a replacement for full-sized books, magazine pages, and even newspapers. Plus you should be able to play games, view videos and photos, and surf the Web. As a result, the resolution will be "5 to 6 times" that of the iPhone or iPod Touch, putting it at 720p, or high-definition resolution. There are a few tablets, like the smaller Archos 5, that can do HD already.

• Obviously the biggest differentiator with an Apple tablet would be its software. iLounge's source says it would come loaded with iPhone OS. That will open it up to the App Store universe, which is growing exponentially. While other smartphone makers have developed their own online application stores, there aren't any traditional tablets with access to them yet.

• The gating factor here--which we've heard before--is Jobs. He gets the final say and it's been reported that he killed previous versions that didn't meet his standards. iLounge's source reports that there's still a 20 percent chance this latest prototype could be killed before its supposed January release date. Frankly, other tablet makers would probably be wise to be as circumspect about the pitfalls of this market. As my colleague Rafe Needleman pointed out in a column last month, there has never been a tablet that's been commercially successful. If the Apple tablet were a success, it would be the first.

Is Apple giving its last remaining MacBook a makeover?

(Credit: CNET)

Apple is getting ready to introduce a slimmer, lighter MacBook, according to an Apple blog citing unnamed sources.

Apple's 13-inch notebook in currently undergoing an industrial redesign that will also feature new internal architecture, according to a report on AppleInsider. The redesign, which would be the entry-level machine's first overhaul in three years, is expected to be unveiled in the coming months, the site reported.

At its annual Worldwide Developer's Conference in June, Apple introduced new versions of its 13- and 15-inch notebooks that use the same battery technology found in the 17-inch models. The rebranding of the 13-inch unibody MacBook to the MacBook Pro line left the polycarbonate white plastic casing as the only true "MacBook."

That move left many speculating on the lone remaining model's chances of survival. But the MacBook remains very popular with consumers. AppleInsider notes that Apple's online store says the white MacBook is the second best-selling model behind the iMac.

Indeed, Mac sales have been very impressive lately. Data provided by market research firm IDC showed the entire PC industry down more than 3 percent for April, May, and June, but Apple sold 4 percent more computers that quarter than it did during the same quarter in 2008. The company's laptops were responsible for that surge: MacBook and MacBook Pro shipments were up 13 percent.

However, Apple typically unveils new or redesigned products at media events, but after the September 9 music event, Apple has no such events on the calendar for the rest of the year.

It looks like the annual Apple music event will be held on September 9 this year, according to AllThingsD.

Though it had been reported earlier that the event would take place sometime that week, a source now tells AllThingsD that the exact date will be September 9, and that it will focus on music, meaning no tablet announcement.

If the date is correct, holding an event on a Wednesday would be a departure from Apple's habit of holding these types of events on Tuesdays. The date also gives more credence to the rumor that it might be the day when the Beatles catalog at long last comes to iTunes. September 9 has already been announced as the day that the music of Fab Four will make its debut on the video game Rock Band.

CNET News reported last week that the September event will be music-focused, and will include an introduction of a new digital album format from Apple, called Cocktail. Apple is also expected to unveil changes to its iPod lineup.

The event's main speaker is still unclear, though it would be a prime opportunity for CEO Steve Jobs to make his first public appearance since returning to full-time work. If the Beatles are involved, it's hard to see how Jobs couldn't be present.

It's happened every September for the past few years, and it appears it's on track again: Apple is planning a keynote event rumored to take place the second week of September, according to AllThingsD's Peter Kafka.

Almost time for a tuneup for the iPod Touch?

(Credit: CNET)

He says he has heard from "multiple music industry sources" that there will be an Apple event held sometime during the week of September 7. Now, this isn't a huge surprise since Apple has held an event announcing the latest upgrade to the iPod and iTunes around this same time every year. But this year there are some interesting variables in play.

It's essentially guaranteed that Apple will announce upgrades across the iPod line, including the iPod Touch and Nano, and perhaps even kill off some older models.The iPod Touch is rumored to be getting a camera, digital compass, and microphone. Other clues have pointed to the Nano also getting equipped with a camera.

Of more interest perhaps is whether Apple will use this event to debut the oft-discussed and long-rumored Apple tablet. Different sources have pointed to a 10-inch touch-screen device that's essentially a giant iPod Touch being available either this fall or in early 2010. It's rumored to have a music element to it, through a new album format supposedly called "Cocktail," making its introduction at a music-focused event seem plausible. The timing would also make sense if Apple wanted to establish some solid pre-holiday buzz before the annual winter shopping season.

And finally, many are wondering if Apple CEO Steve Jobs will use the September event--if it happens--to make his first public appearance since returning from medical leave earlier this year. Apple executive Phil Schiller has filled in for Jobs at these keynote-style events since January, but since Jobs has been officially back at the company's helm since the end of June, the September event would be the first opportunity for him to return to the spotlight.

Juicy screenshots purporting to show new features in the next version of iTunes popped up online Tuesday morning and are generating a lot of excitement. But here's the thing: they're probably fake.

The three images, which show Facebook, Last.fm, and Twitter integrated directly into iTunes, came from a Chinese discussion forum, conveniently after several days of rumors bouncing around about everything from Blu-ray to Twitter making an appearance in iTunes 9 later this year. The images mainly show what it would look like if Last.fm's online music streaming and recommendation service were built into Apple's music software. It appears under a tab on the left menu bar called "Social." And then at the bottom of the iTunes window, there are two small icons, one the familiar blue 'f' of Facebook, and the powdery blue lowercase 't' of Twitter.

Sure, the idea of iTunes including integration directly with some of social networking's most promising brands is a nice thought, as blogs like Boy Genius Report have excitedly reported.

This is how the Facebook icon currently looks in iPhoto.

(Credit: Screenshot by Josh Lowensohn/CNET)

But the entire proposition seems out of character for Apple, and is leading us to think we won't see these features in iTunes 9 when it is released. Here's why:

• First, Facebook already launched Facebook Connect for iPhoto earlier this year. Getting that partnership in place was a big deal for Facebook. But the implementation is very subtle. The fuzzy screenshots show a slightly confusing implementation, at least when it comes to the visual organization, with the tiny (and misaligned) Facebook icon on the bottom of the iTunes window. And more importantly, people in a position to be familiar with the situation suggest to CNET that Facebook-iTunes hooking up is unlikely, at least for now.

• Second, Apple doesn't just partner with anybody. When it does link up with other companies, they're established brands: think Motorola, Nike, U2, AT&T, Google, and Microsoft. Twitter does not appear at the moment to fit that bill. While it might be the word on the lips of celebrities and journalists, Twitter is a tiny San Francisco outfit that hasn't shown it knows how to turn a profit, and one whose service isn't very reliable. Not exactly a rock-solid partner for a company like Apple that prides itself on offering products that "just work." Plus, Twitter seems a little trendy for Apple, a company that rarely races ahead with the latest technological obsession--see its stance on Blu-ray for the past few years as an example.

Last.fm (also owned by CNET News publisher CBS Interactive) is far from being an established brand. It's simply one of many streaming music services available on the Web. And the inclusion in iTunes seems contrary to Apple's purposes. The point of iTunes is to sell you music, not let you listen to songs for free whenever you want. And the other useful features Last.fm offers aren't new to iTunes: there are already plug-ins, like the one from iLike, that connect to your iTunes account, analyze your library, find music you'll like, direct you to concerts you may want to attend, and provide artist info--all things Last.fm does, too.

• And finally, cosmetically, the images just don't look all that convincing. Comparing the implementation in iPhoto and the two little logos of Facebook and Twitter below, the Facebook logo in the screenshots just doesn't look right. The blog Pocket-lint UK talked to some image experts, who point out that many of the pictured logos show a lot of imperfections: including the "9" in relation to the "iTunes," and other clues that point to a Photoshop job.

CNET News' Caroline McCarthy contributed to this report.

Google CEO Eric Schmidt

(Credit: Elinor Mills/CNET News)

Apple and Google are said to have had an unofficial agreement not to poach each other's employees--or at least they did while Google CEO Eric Schmidt served on Apple's board, according to TechCrunch.

Unnamed sources told TechCrunch that no formal, written agreement exists, and that employees of one company were welcome to apply for jobs at the other, but that the two companies said they would not actively pursue hiring away each other's workers.

It is unclear whether any such agreement would still be in effect now that Eric Schmidt has stepped down from Apple's board of directors.

Such an agreement could stifle competition among companies that rely heavily on top-notch engineering talent. The Washington Post reported in June that the Justice Department had launched an industrywide investigation into whether companies, including Apple and Google, had violated antitrust laws by negotiating the recruitment and hiring of each other's workers.

Tech companies have waged fierce battles to keep top talent in their ranks. In one closely watched case, Microsoft sued Google in 2005 after it hired Kai-Fu Lee away from Microsoft. The two parties eventually settled out of court. In May, IBM filed a lawsuit in federal court to prevent its former head of mergers and acquisitions, David Johnson, from joining Dell, saying it would be a violation of his contract. And last year, the company sued Mark Papermaster to keep him from joining Apple. IBM and Papermaster settled a few months later, and Papermaster eventually did start working at Apple.