The Computer Science Department at Stanford University will offer a course in iPhone programming in the Fall Semester, according to its latest course schedule.

It is unclear at this point whether Apple will object to the course offering under the terms of its SDK confidentiality agreement.

Via TUAW

AT&T has authorized stores in its Northern California region to begin taking iPhone pre-sale orders with a promise of 72hr availability, according to the manager of one of the region’s busiest stores. In an email sent to store managers this morning, the wireless carrier said stores could promise customers they would have a phone in 3 days if they sign up for new service or upgrade their eligible hardware in-store and pass the requisite credit checks to establish a new two year service contract. Customers get a call from the store in three days when their phone arrives and are required to return to the store to complete service activation and pick up the handset.

The store manager said all AT&T retail stores in his region have been out of stock since the first wave of phones sold out in the days after its initial release on July 11. “It’s a marketing ploy by Apple,” he said, responding to a question about the lack of inventory at AT&T stores. “They release one or two hundred thousand phones and spread them all over and then do it again once those are sold out.” Describing the scenes of chaos in his store in the days after the launch, he said, “We actually prefer direct-ship. It keeps the crowds down so we can service our other customers and we don’t have to call the police to help with crowd control.”

Long lines are still present at the few Apple Stores in the country with inventory today, as iPhone buyers remain wiling to stand in line for two to three hours to make purchases directly from Apple.

Earlier today AT&T said iPhone 3G sales during the first twelve days were nearly double that of last year, despite shortages that have seen backorders up to three weeks at some of its retail stores nationwide. A company spokesman confirmed the official policy indicating a 13 to 14 day wait on direct-ship orders this afternoon, but indicated some regions could have greater availability than others.

We were writing just last week that Apple’s lawsuit against Psystar could be the final stake in the heart of Mac clone computer makers. Some ideas are just too irresistible to die, we guess, because here comes a guy named Elijia Samaroo and his company, Open Tech, Inc waving a new red flag in the face of Apple’s legal department with the promise of an “open” computer that runs OS X.

Open Tech claims to be aware of the legal problems incurred by Psystar and intends to avoid them by not pre-loading its machines with OS X, the blatant violation of Apple’s licensing terms that should prove Psystar’s undoing. Open Tech says it plans to simply configure a system for the intended OS — Windows, OS X , Linux, Ubuntu — and provide a “do-it-yourself” kit that will help with whatever OS a customer buys separately.

Grab the popcorn and soda, and recall the ending of Basic Instinct.

Mock up via Flickr

Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Muntster wrote for his clients today “We believe there is an 80% chance Apple will introduce redesigned MacBooks and possibly new MacBook Pros at lower price points. Specifically, Apple may re-enter the $999 price point (currently $1099) with the MacBook, or test the $1,799 price point with the MacBook Pro (currently $1999).” Thus, the news from yesterday’s stellar earnings report is all about Apple’s future - new products on the horizon and facelifts for old friends.

The consensus appears to be that Apple will be slashing prices on on Macs in an effort to increase market share that has moved Mac into third place in the US and has Apple knocking on the door of 10% among all US computer buyers.

Additional speculation about new products in the pipeline - Oppenheimer referred in yesterday’s hour-long earnings report to Apple’s penchant for introducing “state of the art new products at price points our competitors can’t match” - has people salivating about a multi-touch Mac, a new iPhone-like PDA, new mid-to-low priced Mac workstations and more.

Whatever it is - whatever they may be - Apple’s new products are likely to follow in the mold of the company’s decade-long success introducing, in Oppenheimer’s words, something with “technologies and features that others can’t match.”

Mock up via Flickr

Intego has announced a free upgrade for users of its VirusBarrier X5 security software to eradicate malware from the iPhone and iPod touch. The company has been at the center of news regarding the rise of “trojan horse” malware targeting OS X since at least 2004, the subject of ongoing debate among computer security experts about the risks of malicious software and computer viruses infecting Apple systems.

Earlier this month reports of Apple’s having neglected its mobile platform in releasing security patches to fix exploits discovered in the OS X desktop caused some to wonder whether the opening of the AppStore might also open the door to software that could harm an iPhone or iPod touch. Apple has promised to use its gatekeeping role to screen malware from the AppStore, though, as Intego’s press release mentions, users “jailbreaking” (unlocking) an iPhone or iPod touch can install applications not pre-certified by Apple, increasing the risk of stumbling into harm’s way.

Thus far, the only harmful scripts or programs identified targeting OS X have required the inordinately reckless cooperation of users to open their systems and invite an attack, so the real risks are yet minimal. But as Macs begin to surpass double digits in desktop market share and Apple’s mobile OS continues to advance among handheld users, the prize for black-hat software developers grows ever larger. Perhaps Intego, makers of what MacWorld calls the “gold standard” of Macintosh anti-virus software, will one day rival Norton.

The iPhone 2.0 firmware update is available from Apple, according to both The Unofficial Apple Weblog and MacRumors. Though a check at the page devoted to the AppStore in Apple’s iPod Touch section indicates the firmware is “coming soon,” MacRumors found this link to the firmware in Apple’s xml files.

WARNING: before you go clicking on that link and downloading the firmware to your iPod Touch or your first gen iPhone, note that the firmware will wipe your device on install.  Apple posted the following notice:

“Normally if you choose to update, the iPhone or iPod touch software is updated but your settings and media are not affected. If your device currently has a software version prior to 2.0 (1.x) and you are updating to software version 2.0 or later, all data on your device will be erased in order to perform install the new software. In this case, iTunes will offer to create a one-time media backup of your device depending on what content is on your device and what content is stored in the iTunes Library you are connected to. You should ensure that you have enough free space on your Mac or PC to accommodate a backup that matches the capacity of your iPhone or iPod touch (4 GB, 8 GB, 16 GB, or 32 GB) if you proceed with the this backup.”

We recommend you wait a few more hours for the “official release” of the 2.0 firmware. As “Auntie TUAW” noted, it’s not a good idea to go poking around on Apple’s servers to download random files for installs. Keep checking the Official Release link for updates.

The long-awaited opening of Apple’s AppStore may come on Thursday at noon Eastern Time to coincide with the launch of the iPhone 3G in New Zealand, according to a report published by Forbes.

Apple’s vehicle for distributing third-party applications developed for the iPhone could go live to accomodate purchasers of the new iPhone, who will be able to buy the phones beginning at Midnight local time in New Zealand. Forbes attributed the AppStore debut speculation to “three people who have been briefed on the matter,” but acknowledged Apple’s “usual veil of secrecy” makes “details about the size, scope or content of the store … consequently scarce.”

Marko Karppinen, principal at MK&C, an eight-person software development studio in Helsinki, Finland, wrote a post on the company blog today claiming Apple responded to a phishing expedition by someone with a yahoo.com email address and turned over Karppinen’s Apple ID password, compromising his personal details, .Mac account information and Apple Store profile data.

Apple’s Developer Relations department did not respond to requests for comment.

Joining AT&T stores nationwide for the iPhone 3G launch, Apple retail stores in the US will open for business at 8am on July 11, according to information posted on Apple’s website. In addition to AT&T’s 1800 retail locations,  American early birds will have nearly 200 Apple Stores available for their early morning shopping pleasure.

The stores began receiving 3G in-store displays today, according to Gizmodo, which also has a nice gallery of display photos. In-store demo units of the new phone are due in stores tomorrow and store employees have been instructed to download apps from the App Store on the morning of July 11th, according to a post at MacRumors.

In 2004 and 2005, Arben Kryeziu caused a stir as the “developer” behind Mac emulation software called CherryOS. Marketed at the time by Hawaii-based video-streaming company Maui X-Stream, the software supposedly allowed users to install and run versions of Mac OS X on Pentium processor-based Windows PCs. It was advertised as being able to reach emulation speeds up to 80% of the system’s total processor speed.

The problem with CherryOS was that it was largely a re-packaged iteration of the Power PC emulator PearPC, software that had been previously released under GPL and used primarily to run Mac OS X on x86 machines. As a commercial product, CherryOS violated GPL licensing terms by reusing PearPC code and also raised questions regarding the legality of commercial software developed and marketed specifically for the purpose of running Mac OS on the x86 architecture, since Apple’s license agreement specifically states that the operating system may only be installed on Apple-labeled computers. CherryOS eventually disappeared in the spring of 2005 under a storm of vaporware criticism.

Thanks to a Cult of Mac tipster, we’ve learned that Kryeziu is back in business as the the chief architect and senior strategist for another Hawaii-based company, Bump Networks, whose main product is iRAPP (interactive remote application), which claims to allow users to view and fully interact with a remote or local Mac from a Windows PC. The software is being marketed on a website called CodeRebel and is also available as a Networking & Security download from the Apple website. No word yet on the code under the iRAPP hood.

~ Thanks Sharon.

Photo by Silvio Sousa Cabral

Amid reports of a surge in orders for all flavors of Apple gadgetry, anticipation of the iPhone 3g’s July 11 debut has the Apple Retail division preparing for the onslaught and chipmakers such as Broadcom and Marvel hoping happy days are here again.

Wall Street analyst Craig Berger, speaking for FBR Capital Markerts, says the bump in Apple’s supply chain activity “suggest[s] Apple continues to knock the cover off the ball, that its product cycle momentum is ramping, and that any consumer spending malaise in the U.S. or Europe has yet to impact Apple-related product demand.”

In a memo distributed throughout its Apple Stores division, company executives laid the ground rules for interacting with the public as 3G launch day approaches. Among the anticipated issues, the idea of getting on a waitlist for first dibs was shot down definitively by Apple corporate, and retail employees have been told to call any customer who has reserved an iPhone Personal Shopping session on or after July 11th to inform them Personal Shopping sessions will not apply to the iPhone 3G.

At an Apple Store in New York this week, actor Kiefer Sutherland is said to have made a strong case for obtaining a pre-launch iPhone 3G to no avail.

The company plans to hold worldwide retail meetings on July 6th to begin conveying more specific official launch procedures to its staff, according to a report at the Unofficial Apple Weblog.

Cory Bohon at The Unofficial Apple Weblog reports on skuttlebutt concerning the next update to OS X. 10.5.4 is said to have no known issues.  Beta testers were asked to focus on AirPort, networking with Windows, Spaces and other frequently used (and often problematic) aspects of OS X.

The update is likely to also include support for Apple’s new Mobile Me service, which will replace .Mac and incorporate web services designed for the iPhone 3G. Perhaps as a consequence of these preparations, the company’s .Mac service experienced some downtime yesterday.

Photo via Focus

Thus far, Apple has been using very low-key terms to describe the improvements to OS X 10.5 set to hit with the release of “Snow Leopard” next spring. Despite the company’s insistence the software update promises no more than an overall improvement in how Mac OS X works under the hood, Roughly Drafted has uncovered at least ten improvements it deems worthy of a pat on the back for Apple’s code optimizers.

Some of those improvements, while significant, may in fact be transparent or unnoticed by many users. Additions such as SproutCore, the LLVM Compiler, the CUPS printing engine, native exchange support, and self-contained Web apps can rightly be said to reside “under the hood.”

But as Apple Insider details, others, such as a new multi-touch framework, file size reductions, text-processing features, auto activation of fonts, and full ZFS support may prove quite noticeable, indeed.

AT&T announced to its shareholders that it’s iPhone agreement with Apple underwent some substantial changes with the release of the iPhone 3G. AT&T’s press release reads:

“The new agreement between Apple and AT&T eliminates the revenue-sharing model under which AT&T shared a portion of monthly service revenue with Apple. Under the revised agreement, which is consistent with traditional equipment manufacturer-carrier arrangements, there is no revenue sharing and both iPhone 3G models will be offered at attractive prices to broaden the market potential and accelerate subscriber volumes.”

Now of course this substantive change in agreement between Apple and AT&T has the net all a twitter with the possibility that Apple will begin marketing the iPhone 3G on other networks. Even AT&T’s statement that their relationship with Apple is now “consistent with traditional equipment manufacturer-carrier arrangements…” would seem to imply that Apple’s side of the arrangement is also “typical”, meaning that after a predetermined period of exclusivity, they can market their handsets to other carriers.

There are articles at CNET and MacWorld that arrive at this conclusion, and speculate that Apple soon will market the iPhone 3G on other carriers in the US.

The only difficultly is, that it ain’t gonna happen, not right now or anytime we’d call “soon”.

That’s because there’s only one other national GSM carrier and T-Mobile’s 3G network is Voice Only.

That tends to suggest that there isn’t what we call a “Business Opportunity” for iPhone 3G on T-Mobile’s network right now. Of course original iPhones running software 2.0 would be great to have, except Apple seems to have stopped making them.

(note: there are technical details in the comments that are too boring to include in the post)

Good heavens, but a lot can change when you get on one plane. I just arrived in Atlanta (friend’s wedding), hopped online, and the Intertubes have gone mad with credible leaks for the iPhone 2 that is universally expected to be introduced at Monday’s WWDC keynote. None of it is 100 percent confirmed, obviously (lots of commeters are skeptical about the missing lock button on the RED model), but these are much better than typical pre-keynote speculation. Here’s what you need to know:

1. True iChat mobile looks to be a go. CrunchGear obtained what appears to be an AT&T or Apple promotional flier showing off the industrial design and features of the iPhone 2 that spotlights its front-facing camera for video phone calls over 3G networks, and video conferencing with iChat users over WiFi where available.
2. Subtle Changes to Industrial Design. The front of the new iPhone looks virtually identical, but the back has changed, using a matte black back with shiny silver Apple, as well as a (Product) RED model that swaps in a red back to fight AIDS. The tapering evokes the industrial design of the MacBook Air and might offer clues to the look of the rumored new MacBooks, as well. Still no flash on the camera, either.
3. iChat for Windows. To really push video chat on iPhone, it looks like Apple will roll out iChat for Windows. I repeat: iChat for Windows will soon be available.
4. 3G Networking, 5 MP camera, GPS. Engadget reports that a source got a copy of the firmware for the device, which discloses the actual silicon that the iPhone 2 runs on. We’re talking about quad-band GSM with tri-band UMTS, which basically means that the new iPhone can run at blazing speeds in virtually every market in the world (except lots of the United States, of course). The chip powering it is confirmed to be Infineon’s S-GOLD3H, which has support for up to 7.2 Mbps networking, 5 megapixel camera support and mobile TV access. I would still be shocked to see mobile TV, of course. The firmware also includes hooks for GPS connectivity, so that looks likely, too.

Quite a flurry of activity. Only Steve will prove or disprove the accuracy of these reports.

Image via Uberreview
WWDC is nearly upon us. San Francisco’s Moscone West is plastered with Apple logos. Rumors are in the air. Unannounced products are just out of reach. Rather than try to calm the fervor, I’m just going to pour some gas onto the blaze with the help of my friend Zoltar, The Fortune Telling Machine. It’s that time again — Cult of Mac’s Top 5 Unlikely WWDC wishes! Four of them are credible rumors, the other’s a crazy rumor that I started. See if you can tell the difference!

5. New MacBooks
With the rest of Apple’s product line moving to anodized aluminum cases, having MacBooks in retro-iPod white is looking jankier by the day. It’s high time that Apple revamped its low-end laptops to match the hot design of the current generation iMac. And if Apple wanted to throw a real graphics card and a higher-resolution screen into the mix, that would be nice, too.
Likelihood (out of five): Three. The MacBook has gotten a processor boost as recently as February, but this is a sorely needed shot in the arm for the product line, and Apple likely needs a Mac announcement in addition to whatever happens in the iPhone and iPod universe.
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Updated: The Live blog is now available here. Bookmark it, and I’ll see you bright and early no ON Monday!

The next great keynote from Steve Jobs at WWDC is this Monday in San Francisco, and I’ll be there live-blogging on behalf of Popular Mechanics. I’ll provide the blow-by-blow account, as well as the most rapid-fire analysis I can muster. The actual page for the live blog isn’t up yet, but I’ll provide the link in an updated version of this post when it is. Once things are done over there and I’ve got my top thoughts synthesized, various Cult of Mac folks will be back up here providing our thoughts, speculation and wishes based on the latest and greatest from Apple.

It’s going to be a great one, folks. In the mean time, stay tuned for my two big pre-WWDC posts still to come. One will be a preview of sorts, but the other is something more like the epic analysis of the slow change from Carbon to Snow Leopard. I’m going to look at the designs of the iPhone and iPod touch to shed light on the strategies that they reflect, and also suggest possible future directions for the second iPhone based on those design principles. It will be partly based on a white paper I helped write earlier this year at my day job. It’s a good read and includes a similar dissection of the original iPod. If you want to bone up in advance, you can read it here.

Otherwise, stay tuned. It’s going to be a great week in the world of the Cult!

Take this with a grain of salt, but Fortune’s Scott Moritz has filed a report claiming that AT&T will subsidize the price of the hotly awaited 3G iPhone down to start at $199 with a two-year agreement, which would be a clear sign that the company is serious about starting to move some massive numbers of the device when it drops in June.

There are definitely parts of the story that I don’t buy — I don’t think Apple is going to go 8 and 16 gig on the new iPhone, let alone “8-gigabit-memory and 16-gigabit-memory,” and the pricing strategy only makes sense if the iPhone is non-exclusive to AT&T. If Apple’s selling the 3G iPhone unlocked at Apple Stores for $200 more, this makes sense. If not, this is just bizarre.

Thoughts? I really hope we see a 32-gigabyte model of the 3G iPhone - that makes it not just a nano replacement for me, but an actual iPod replacement.

FORTUNE: Techland AT&T to cut the price of Apple’s new iPhone

Thanks, Matt!

Tags: iphone, rumor, at&t, speculation

Filed under: Still Speculating, just not wildly.

My inept Photoshop skills aside, Leander’s post below and the prevalence of the OSX86 project and similar efforts really speak to a single problem within the Macintosh lineup: The Tweener. That is, the Mac that is in between the Mac Mini and the MacPro. Apparently there are a WHOLE lot of folks who are desperate for this machine. Why it doesn’t exist is a mystery. Not only is there apparently a huge market for this kind of machine, there is an even larger market for “Certified Mac” after-market parts.

It’s a wonder that being the “Salesy” part of a duo that built their first computer in a garage, Steve doesn’t seem to get that enthusiasts want a computer they can “tinker” with.

As always I am gratuitously soliciting your comments as to what you’d like to see in this machine. My specs follow after the break

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Filed under: Pure, Wild, Speculation

In my post regarding Apple’s apparent targeting of Adobe (if not them specifically then certainly their space) , there were such great, insightful comments that I decided to play a little game: What Would Steve Do? Taking a look at a potential Corel acquisition, how could we leverage the direct and indirect effects of that acquisition into an inferred Apple business strategy.

Now clearly, I’m not inside Steve’s head, that’s Leander’s niche, but these kinds of strategies are very much what I do for a living, so lets make some irresponsible, purely speculative, wild guesses, shall we? Of course gazing into the looking glass is no fun all by yourself, so lets make this an audience participation piece. I’ll lay out the basic framework after the break, and then we’ll pull from the comments for a follow-up piece.

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