Inside the glowing custom-built aluminum chassis of the HybRed Gaming PC is an Athlon64 3500+ CPU. Graphics are handled by an nVidia GeForce 6800GT on a PCI-e bus. The power supply, as you can see, is kept separate in its own illuminated case. Red LEDs (HybRed, get it?) keep the rig illuminated when the lights go down low. [Metku Mods via Technabob]

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[PC World]

We had a chance to ask director/writer/editor Kobi Shely about his first movie. And he had some interesting things to say about Apple and the people who really, really love them.

Tell me about shooting the documentary.
MacHEADS was produced throughout 2007 and 2008; First day of shooting started with Macworld conference in January 2007 and ended in June with the first release of the iPhone. Brothers Ron and Kobi Shely, and Director of Photography Alon Grego flew from Israel to San Francisco and met up with a local production teams. The budget came independently we managed to come up with approx $200,000.

How many people did you chronicle?
We interviewed 50 people form the community and inside Apple, but naturally not all of them were included in the final cut.

Can you define "Machead" in one sentence?
(Obviously you take more time to do it in the film.)
MacHEADS starts with a definition from the Urban dictionary - a person who regularly uses and is somewhat obsessed with Apple computers; or Macs. I would add to this A person who had put the Mac (including: UI, OS, APPLE Inc. , Steve Jobs and peripheral Mac products) in the center of his day-to-day life.

Why did you pick Mac enthusiasts as the topic for a documentary?
I think Mac enthusiasts are the best topic for a documentary as an art form the investigate human phenomenon. In fact, before starting the project I was surprised to find out that this film was not done yet. Mac enthusiasts posses all the right ingredients and traits for a compelling documentary: lust,obsession, devotion, comradery and ... sex appeal

Did making this film provide any particular insights to why/how people are obsessed with the Apple brand?
We wanted to answer the core question : How is a community formed around a brand and how did this phenomenon begin? I wasn't satisfied with the usual answers about design and the "power of the brand". I knew there was something bigger. During the filmmaking process it became obvious that there is a community and there is Apple. Although they correlate, in many ways they are separated.

In the early days the only people who were using personal computers were hobbies and scientists. Apple was the first company to actually build a prepackaged product for the rest of us. This sparked a sense of techno- utopia, different people were getting together to change the world through technology by using a Mac. And as often in these world-changing situations these people were the underdog, the minority. They had to band together to survive, their survival mechanism was similar to those penguins who hold together and got to press tightly together and exclude all outsiders to share what ever body warmth they can manage.

This is why this community is so obsessed with Mac because it managed to tap into their survival mechanism. However there is an expanding base of Mac fans who simply follow Apple because it is cool and fashionable, these are not the die hard obsessed MacHEADS.

Is Mac obsession any different from obsession with any other hobby, person or company?
I'd have to say that there is no question that it is an obsession not like any other. In the 90s crisis Mac users went out of their ways volunteering to save the company from going down, how many brands can claim that? and it wasn't just a one time thing it was through a period of almost 3 years. This kind of loyalty in my opinion brands can only dream of. What is interesting to me is that Apple never figured out how to manage their die hard fans, in some way the Macintosh community scares Apple. And now that Apple has become an overwhelming success they want to move away as far as they can from their most loyal and create a clean image of a life style brand.

Walk me through the process of post production.
Post production took us almost 8 months to complete. We are a small production company and when I say small I really mean me and my brother and MacHEADS is our first documentary project. There are benefits of being fully independent but there are also downsides of not having a team of specializing people in the process of post. We had to rely on ourselves to figure out ways to research archives go through legal issues compose the story score the music, animate and color correct the footage...I edited at my apartment on Avid Xpress Pro (using of course a G5), the online was done on Symphony, music composed in L.A by our talented friend and composer Roy Zu Arets, and sound design was executed by Ohad Tzachar who worked in N.Y for a leading broadcast company. A lot of people we worked with were in some ways Apple fans because they come from creative fields and they were very kin to get on board and help.

What's the future for MacHEADS: The Movie?
During the filmmaking process we came to realize the promise of web 2.0 and community driven distribution. Although we are negotiating with some distributors about Television deals, we believe such a film could become a good proof for the digital independent distribution potential. MacHEADS is in general a film about the community and for the community and this is why it is best fit for web 2.0 distribution. Also we hope to be able to get onto iTunes which is also a natural platform for such a movie. Now that we are done with the post production we are planning a few special screenings in San Fransisco and NY. We will naturally be going on festival circuit tour all across the world.

So are you a Machead?
No, but like most creative we use and love Apple products. [MacHEADS]

We have a very clear focus that all the development teams at Apple share, a focus around trying to make really great products. That can sound ridiculously simplistic, almost naive, but it's very unique for the product to be what consumes you completely.

I'm not driven by making a cultural impact. That's just a consequence of taking a remarkably powerful technology and making it relevant. My goal is simply to try to make products that really are meaningful to people.

But they were wrong.

According to The Register, while Apple does not plan to continue modifying/improving P.A. Semi's PowerPC-based processor architecture, Apple has employed a number of veteran P.A. Semi staff members just for the task of supplying the current chips for years to come.

To us, it seems pretty logical, as if Apple is simply honoring the existing contracts/promises of P.A. Semi. Then again, it's just such a strange move from such a painstakingly marketed company—Apple and the military certainly make for strange bedfellows. More on this point from The Register:

While the information is limited at this point, we believe the military interest in PA Semi's low-power chip may have forced Apple's hand here. Uncle Sam hates to design new missiles only to have the guts ripped out by some dude in a mock turtleneck.

Apple Updates iMac

Now with Faster Processors & Faster Graphics Option

CUPERTINO, Calif., April 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Apple(R) today updated its all-in-one iMac(R) line with the latest Intel Core 2 Duo processors and the most powerful graphics ever available in an iMac. With prices starting at just $1,199, iMac includes faster processors with 6MB L2 cache and a faster 1066 MHz front-side bus across the entire line, and 2GB of memory standard in most models. The 24-inch iMac now offers a 3.06 GHz Intel processor and the high-performance NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GS graphics as options, extending iMac's lead as the ultimate all-in-one desktop computer for both consumers and professionals.

"The iMac's gorgeous aluminum and glass all-in-one design has been an incredible hit with our customers and is just one of the reasons Mac sales are growing three and a half times faster than PC sales," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "With the latest Intel processors, a faster new graphics option and more memory, customers now have even more reasons to love the iMac."

Packing dual-core performance into the convenience of a striking all-in-one design, the new iMac includes faster Intel Core 2 Duo processors across the line; a 1066 MHz front-side bus; up to 4GB of 800 MHz DDR2 SDRAM memory; and a widescreen flat-panel display supporting millions of colors. For the first time, the 24-inch iMac features an optional NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GS with 512MB of video memory, to deliver up to two times standard performance for graphic intensive applications*. Providing the latest in high-performance connectivity options to quickly and conveniently transfer digital photos, music and video, iMac includes built-in AirPort Extreme(R) 802.11n Wi-Fi networking for up to five times the performance of 802.11g**; Bluetooth 2.1+EDR; Gigabit Ethernet; built-in iSight(R) video camera; a total of five USB 2.0 ports (including two on the Apple Keyboard); and one FireWire(R) 400 and one FireWire 800 port.

The iMac furthers Apple's commitment to environmental progress with highly recyclable and durable materials including scratch-resistant glass and professional grade aluminum. Every model in the iMac line is rated EPEAT Silver and the power-efficient iMac also meets the stringent Energy Star 4.0 requirements for power consumption. Customers who purchase any qualifying Apple computer can recycle their old PC or Mac(R) for free via the Apple Recycling Program.

Every Mac in the Apple lineup comes with iLife(R) '08, the most significant update ever to Apple's award-winning suite of digital lifestyle applications, featuring a major new version of iPhoto(R) and a completely reinvented iMovie(R), both seamlessly integrated with the new .Mac Web Gallery for online photo and video sharing. Every Mac also includes Leopard(R), the sixth major release of the world's most advanced operating system which features Time Machine(TM), an effortless way to automatically back up everything on a Mac***; a redesigned Finder(TM) that lets users quickly browse and share files between multiple Macs; Quick Look, a new way to instantly see files without opening an application; Spaces, an intuitive new feature used to create groups of applications and instantly switch between them; a brand new desktop with Stacks, a new way to easily access files from the Dock and major enhancements to Mail and iChat(R). .Mac members can use the new Back to My Mac feature to browse and access files on their home computer from a Mac over the Internet while on the road****.

Pricing & Availability

The new iMac line is available immediately through the Apple Store(R) (http://www.apple.com), Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers.

The new 20-inch 2.4 GHz iMac, for a suggested retail price of $1,199 (US), includes:

* 20-inch widescreen LCD display;

* 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with a 1066 MHz front-side bus;

* 1GB of 800 MHz DDR2 SDRAM expandable to 4GB;

* 250GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;

* a slot-load 8x SuperDrive(R) with double-layer support (DVD+/-R DL/DVD+/-RW/CD-RW);

* ATI Radeon HD 2400 XT with 128MB GDDR3 memory;

* built-in iSight video camera;

* built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking & Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;

* mini-DVI out (adapters for DVI, VGA and Composite/S-Video sold separately);

* built-in stereo speakers and microphone; and

* the Apple Keyboard, Mighty Mouse and infrared Apple Remote.

The new 20-inch 2.66 GHz iMac, for a suggested retail price of $1,499 (US), includes:

* 20-inch widescreen LCD display;

* 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with a 1066 MHz front-side bus;

* 2GB of 800 MHz DDR2 SDRAM expandable to 4GB;

* 320GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;

* a slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD+/-R DL/DVD+/-RW/CD-RW);

* ATI Radeon HD 2600 PRO with 256MB GDDR3 memory;

* built-in iSight video camera;

* built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking & Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;

* mini-DVI out (adapters for DVI, VGA and Composite/S-Video sold separately);

* built-in stereo speakers and microphone; and

* the Apple Keyboard, Mighty Mouse and infrared Apple Remote.

The new 24-inch 2.8 GHz iMac, for a suggested retail price of $1,799 (US), includes:

* 24-inch widescreen LCD display;

* 2.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with a 1066 MHz front-side bus;

* 2GB of 800 MHz DDR2 SDRAM expandable to 4GB;

* 320GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;

* a slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD+/-R DL/DVD+/-RW/CD-RW);

* ATI Radeon HD 2600 PRO with 256MB GDDR3 memory;

* built-in iSight video camera;

* built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking & Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;

* mini-DVI out (adapters for DVI, VGA and Composite/S-Video sold separately);

* built-in stereo speakers and microphone; and

* the Apple Keyboard, Mighty Mouse and infrared Apple Remote.

Build-to-order options and accessories include: a 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, up to 4GB DDR2 SDRAM, NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GS with 512MB of video memory and up to a 1TB Serial ATA hard drive on the 24-inch iMac; up to 4GB DDR2 SDRAM and up to 750GB Serial ATA hard drive on the 2.66 GHz 20-inch iMac; and up to 4GB of DDR2 SDRAM and up to 500GB Serial ATA hard drive on the 2.4 GHz 20-inch iMac. Additional options include: Apple Wireless Keyboard and Wireless Mighty Mouse; AirPort Express(R) and AirPort Extreme Base Station; the AppleCare Protection Plan; and pre-installed copies of iWork(R) '08, Logic(R) Express 8, Final Cut(R) Express 4 and Aperture(TM) 2.

*Testing conducted by Apple in April 2008 using preproduction 24-inch iMac units with 2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processors. Based on Quake 4 using 1920 x 1200 High Quality setting. Performance tests are conducted using specific computer systems and reflect the approximate performance of iMac.

**AirPort Extreme is based on an IEEE 802.11n draft specification. Actual performance will vary based on range, connection rate, site conditions, size of network and other factors.

***Time Machine requires an additional hard drive (sold separately).

****The .Mac service is available to persons aged 13 or older. Annual membership fee and internet access required. Terms and conditions apply.

The screen of the F-A50 is a 16-inch 1366 x 768 pixel widescreen, and inside there's a Core 2 Duo running at 2.1GHz, with 2GB of RAM and an Intel x3100 graphics unit. It runs Vista Home Premium SP1. There's also a 250GB SATA drive, DVD recorder drive, wi-fi, Bluetooth, a type-2 PC card slot, and an SD card slot. These last hide beneath a flap, along with some of the USB ports. Though it doesn't seem to have a webcam, it does at least promise to be a quiet machine with only around 30dB of noise according to Fujitsu.

It's 15.5 x 12.9 x 7.1 inches, and if its white iMac-esque looks don't please you, then there's a "pink opal" limited edition available too. It's available in Japan soon for around $1,260. [PC Watch and Akihabaranews]

Rich, vivid color. No matter what you like to do on your computer—watch movies, edit photos, play games, even just view a screen saver—it's going to look stunning on an iMac. That's because iMac now features a glossy display with glass cover that makes graphics, photos, and videos come alive with richer colors and deeper blacks.

The lawyers pursuing the case claim that "Apple is deceiving consumers, duping its customers into thinking they're buying 'new and improved' when in fact they're getting stuck with 'new and inferior.' Beneath Apple's 'good guy' image is a corporation that takes advantage of its customers."

I don't believe for a second that Apple is a good guy. The fact, however, is that after seeing the iMac 20 and iMac 24 side by side, I can hardly notice the difference. Maybe I'm blind after working with Photoshop since the early '90s, but the photos, video and the whole interface look incredibly good on the 20-inch models. I can't find any claims by Apple that this is the same screen, nor I can see what's wrong or deceiving about Apple's promotional material.

Brian Kabateck, Managing Partner of Kabateck Brown Kellner also had this to say:

Our goal is to help those customers who were deceived and make sure Apple tells the truth in the future.

And what a noble purpose that is, in the immortal words of Triumph The Insult Dog, "for me to poop on." We can only hope that, if he wins, Brian Kabateck uses his cut of the money to raise awareness of these issues, help poor people and cure cancer.

Maybe it's time to start dismissing this kind of "Let's Get a Big Chunk of the Rich Corporation Shareholder's Money" just because we can. What do you think? Do you think the iMacs show such a difference? And even if there's one measurable one, does Apple text seem misleading to you?

Kabateck Brown Kellner, LLP PRESS RELEASE

LOS ANGELES, March 31 /PRNewswire/ — Apple deceptively marketed its new 20-inch iMac in a way that grossly inflated the capabilities of its monitor, which is vastly inferior to the previous generation it replaced, according to a federal class action lawsuit filed today by Kabateck Brown Kellner, LLP.

According to the suit, filed in the U.S. District Court, Northern District of California in San Jose, Apple is deceiving consumers by concealing that the new 20-inch iMac monitors are inferior to the previous generation's and those of the new 24-inch iMac. In addition, the monitors are incapable of displaying "millions of colors," despite Apple's marketing claims.

Apple's newest iMac — an "all-in-one" desktop computer that combines the monitor into the same case as the CPU — was unveiled in August 2007.

"Apple is duping its customers into thinking they're buying 'new and improved' when in fact they're getting stuck with 'new and inferior,'" said Brian Kabateck, Managing Partner of Kabateck Brown Kellner. "Beneath Apple's 'good guy' image is a corporation that takes advantage of its customers. Our goal is to help those customers who were deceived and make sure Apple tells the truth in the future."

Apple told consumers that both the 20-inch and 24-inch iMacs displayed "millions of colors at all resolutions." Indeed, the new 24-inch iMacs display 16,777,216 colors on 8-bit, in-plane switching (IPS) screens, as did the previous generation of 20-inch iMacs. But the new 20-inch iMac monitors do not even come close, displaying 98% fewer colors (262,144).

While Apple describes the display of both the 24-inch and 20-inch iMacs as though they were interchangeable, the monitors in each are of radically different technology. The 20-inch iMacs feature 6-bit twisted nematic film (TN) LCD screens, the least expensive of its type.

The 20-inch iMac's TN screens have a narrower viewing angle, less color depth, less color accuracy and are more susceptible to washout across the screen.

Apple's Web site tells consumers that "No matter what you like to do on your computer — watch movies, edit photos, play games, even just view a screen saver — it's going to look stunning on an iMac."

In fact, the inferior technology of the 20-inch iMac is particularly ill-suited to editing photographs because of the display's limited color potential and the distorting effect of the color simulation processes.

"Apple is squeezing more profits for itself by using cheap screens and its customers are unwittingly paying the price," Kabateck said.

Kabateck Brown Kellner, LLP is one of the nation's foremost consumer law firms. Its clients have won more than $750 million against Google, Farmer's Insurance, Eli Lilly and other major corporations. As a plaintiff's-only firm, Kabateck Brown Kellner is always on the consumers' side.

The current 65nm chips will be tossed in favor of 45nm Core 2 Duos, starting with 2.1GHz, 3MB of shared L2 cache, 800MHz front-side bus and a better integrated graphics processor, namely the same Intel GMA X3100 found in today's 13" MacBooks. (Kasper is also reporting rumors of a similar bump up for iMacs, which would get pimp Penryns as nice as the 2.8GHz Core 2 Extreme.)

We have to ask, though, who still wants a mini? And more importantly, will the price ever drop below $500? I'd probably rather take an older $400 mini than a brand new Intel-awesome-o-fied $700 one. [AppleInsider]

• 24-inch Aluminum Mac for $1,899 (original price $2,299)
• 20-inch Aluminum Mac for $1,249 ($1,499)
• Previous generation iMac 17-inch for $849 ($1,199)
• Previous generation iMac 20-inch for $1,099 ($1,499)
• Previous generation iMac 24-inch for $1,399 ($1,999)

• MacBook Pro 15 2.2GHz $1,499 ($1,999)
• MacBook Pro 15 2.33GHz $1,499 ($1,649)
• MacBook Pro 15 2.4GHz $1,649 ($2,499)
• MacBook Pro 17 2.33GHz $1,899 ($2,799)
• MacBook Pro 17 (with 1,950 pixels high resolution display) 2.5GHz $2,349 ($3,049)
• MacBook Pro 17 2.6GHz $2,349 ($3,049)

[Apple Store]

When you look at the Braun products by Dieter Rams—many of them at New York's MoMA—and compare them to Ive's work at Apple, you can clearly see the similarities in their philosophies way beyond the sparse use of color, the selection of materials and how the products are shaped around the function with no artificial design, keeping the design "honest."

This passion for "simplicity" and "honest design" that is always declared by Ive whenever he's interviewed or appears in a promo video, is at the core of Dieter Rams' 10 principles for good design:

• Good design is innovative.
• Good design makes a product useful.
• Good design is aesthetic.
• Good design helps us to understand a product.
• Good design is unobtrusive.
• Good design is honest.
• Good design is durable.
• Good design is consequent to the last detail.
• Good design is concerned with the environment.
• Good design is as little design as possible.

Ive's inspiration on Rams' design principles goes beyond the philosophy and gets straight into a direct homage to real products created decades ago. Amazing pieces of industrial design that still today remain fresh, true classics that have survived the test of time.

The similarities between products from Braun and Apple are sometimes uncanny, others more subtle, but there's always a common root that provides the new Apple objects not only with a beautiful simplicity but also with a close familiarity.

Braun Atelier TV and latest iMac 24

Braun T1000 radio and PowerMac G5/Mac Pro

Detail of the radio perforated aluminum surface

Braun T3 pocket radio and Apple iPod

Braun L60 sound system and Apple iPod Hi-Fi

Braun LE1 speaker and Apple iMac

Some people will probably call these examples a "rip-off" but, in a world where industrial design and art is constantly being recycled into new work, I just see Apple's products as a great evolution to classic concepts. Now, as I look at Rams' work I can't help but to wonder: which of these old Braun designs will Apple revive next? Is there a MacBook Air—the rumored ultra-slim wire-free portable that seems to be the favorite bet for tomorrow's keynote—in there?

Hopefully, we'll discover at least some answers tomorrow. See you at Macworld! [Design Museum, Dieter Rams and O Globo Online]

According to the author of this fantasy, "the Keyboard Wireless Dock connects to the dock using Wireless USB. It also has a bigger hard drive, some sort of DVD player/burner, inputs for your USB and Firewire devices. The whole keyboard part itself is used as a large multitouch track pad. Since the keys need to be depressed when hit, you can do lighter touches as you move across the whole thing."

Hokai. It also probably dices potatoes, synthesizes Strawberry Daiquiris and teleports you to other planets full of wonderful civilizations with sculptural Monica-Belucci-style oiled amazons or George-Clooney-style oiled warriors (depending on your preference), that will name you their King or Queen. In other words, it doesn't make much sense.

The black Powerbook-Titanium-style is quite nice, though. The concept may be feasible too: I like the idea of having an on-the-go tablet with touch keyboard for surfing, video, music and photography using a touch-optimized iLife suite. But one thing is some people finding the idea attractive, and the other is people buying it: unfortunately, the market for this kind of device could be quite limited as other keyboard-less Tablet PCs have demonstrated in the past. Even if we assume that Apple's implementation may make a difference, as it did in the case of the key-less iPhone, the market will still be very limited. One thing is a device like the iPhone, for short SMS/mails, and a very different thing is this kind of device.

Furthermore, looking at Apple's recent history, the company is not one that likes to create new markets, but improve on ones that may have true mass-market potential (like the iPod in the music market, or the iPhone in the cellphone market.) That's why a ultra-slim laptop idea, not a tablet, with Flash storage at a cheap price point sounds like a more realistic (and equally as sexy) as this tablet. Down the line, such product may get a touch-screen. At this point, a device like the one pictured here still looks like a risky proposition.

The mini-dock concept, on the other hand, seems like a real possibility for the rumored ultra-slim MacBook. If Apple finally decided to release such a machine without an optical drive, the dock seems like a reasonable combo. At least, a more elegant and more practical solution than their iMac-dock patent (and quite cheaper.) With a real keyboard. Apple did this in the past too with the PowerBook Duo. It was a good machine at the time, but limited. Perhaps like with the case of the Newton and the iPhone, now is the right time to implement all these technologies at the right price.

We will have to wait and see if all these wishes get granted by the Wizard of Cupertino. In the meantime, we can all vote and see what a part of the market, the readers of Gizmodo, really want. [Flickr via MacRumors Forums]

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It's the first Windows computer that I would put in the same class or even sightly ahead in terms of its hardware design

And if you think this is one of our Onionmodos, you can see The Mighty and Goateetastic Mossberg telling you all about it face to face. We had to watch the video twice:

His reasons are good, although I'm not so keen on the design of the Dell myself, which I find plain and vulgar. He's also right when he brings up two issues to declare that, overall, the Apple iMac still wins. First, he argues that Mac OS X Leopard is a faster and better operating system than Vista (most of us in the Giz agree on that one.) Then, he adds that the Dell is a more expensive machine than the iMac, which admits no denial: even while you add the same memory and wireless keyboard and mouse to the iMac price, the Dell XPS One is $100 more expensive than the Apple machines.

His overall verdict: best machine a Windows user can buy.

Next in the path to Apocalypse: David Pogue ditches his iPhone for a Windows Mobile Samsung, Brian Lam sells his MacBook and buys a Sony and random angel plays the fourth trumpet. [All Things D]

iPhone: A-
By measure of size of the market, it could be considered that the iPhone is Apple's most important product launch since the Mac. Within six months of launching, the iPhone came and overtook Windows Mobile in US marketshare. The UI turned out brilliant, and the keyboard and lack of 3G turned out to be pretty minor problems. (Important and fresh as it is, missing features and the initial $599 price caused us to recommend people wait to buy it.)

There were some problems outside the product, though. The price drop from $599 to $399 had early adopters very unhappy, and Jobs' peace offering of a $100 dollar rebate earned criticism too. (Even from Woz) iPhone hackers met resistance as Apple's firmwares setup obstacles to installing apps. And I still have a bricked iPhone here that ate it after firmware 1.1.1 killed iPhones unlocked using the iPhone Dev Team's AnySIM program. Apple's official fix, "Buy a new one", didn't sit well with anyone, but it's clear they weren't going to go out of their way to work with hacks. Especially those that threatened their revenue sharing agreement they set up with AT&T. We kicked and screamed for 3rd party programs; Jobs eventually wrote another letter revealing that the iPhone would get a public SDK, with security safeguards, come February. Even before then, unofficial app developers have patched so many of the phone's shortcomings, such as MMS, location awareness on the maps and custom ringtones. For the record, and against my cautious "wait to buy" verdict, I've been using the iPhone on and off since launch and loving it in spite of its flaws. 31% of Giz readers are doing the same, according to a recent poll.

Leopard OS: A
Leopard finally shipped into our desktops and hearts. After two Worldwide Developer Conferences and several months of iPhone-induced delays, Leopard launched. It was an understated occasion in the best possible way for Apple. Bugs were squashed with a patch issued about two weeks later, and although there are some quirky new features, Leopard's best trait is an overall streamlining of daily use: quickly turning emails into to-do or calendar items with a few clicks; Quick Look's ability to scan large amounts of media quickly; etc. Compare that to Vista, which PC World just dubbed the biggest disappointment of the year, while Dell reissued XP sales. A quiet launch is a good launch, although Apple did report 2 million in sales in the first weekend. (Relatively speaking, Leopard had a better adoption rate than Vista, but by absolutes, the much bigger Windows user base ended up snatching 20 million copies of Vista in the first month.) If you actually think Vista is better, more power to you: OS X's Boot Camp was upgraded this year to support Vista in case you forgot. Game over, man, game over.

iPods: A-
For a while, almost every major competitor (Creative, SanDisk, Zune) has had a product ladder that trumped the Apple model they targeted with features, like stronger format support, built-in FM tuners, video playback or price. This year Apple fought back with the iPod touch's UI and superior screen-to-surface-area ratio borrowed from the iPhone. It also introduced the video-capable nano, one we initially called "fat" but later recognized as having the same fine lines as any Italian automobile: Contoured and sharp at the same time, ultimately the nicest feeling in one's tight jeans. The classic is there to satiate those who prefer to carry their entire music collection at once, but I resent its title given that it does not come in white. The shuffle was designed for gyms, junior family members and Xmas stockings, and only Apple could spin the lack of an LCD—something quickly becoming standard in the premium-cheapo MP3 players arena—as an asset and namesake.

As its been, the iPod continues to be the focal point of Apple's mainstream power, with plenty of Windows-indoctrinated iPod owners dipping their toes into the Mac water and finding out they appreciate iPod-like computers and cellphones. Lack of advanced codec support for DivX and the like continues to be an ignorant stance on how users are finding content these days. (This would not be as much as of issue if the video store was more fully stocked, hint hint.)

Computers: A
The Mac product line has been updating much quicker than in the PowerPC days, with updates coming weeks behind Windows machine counterparts. The 15-inch MacBook Pro got a noteworthy midyear update to LED backlighting and Santa Rosa chips, and the iMac got a new glass face and a beautiful aluminum case stamped from a single piece of metal. Both are outstanding models and values, with the MacBook Pro earning PC World's title of fastest Vista notebook ever, and consumer reports rating them higher than all other notebooks.

The Mac mini and the MacBook standard got some minor speed bumps, but no breathtaking updates. The powerful Mac Pro desktops seem to be destined for workplace use, as the mainstream's love for all-in-ones and notebooks grows quarter after quarter. (In Q3, notebook sales were up 34% from 2006; a full 62% of sales were notebooks.) There is a place in my heart for a 12-inch notebook to replace the G4-powered PowerBook, but this could be rectified by the announcement of the long rumored ultralight MacBook in Macworld '08. Crossing my fingers. Also, to be fair, these notebooks need to all start packing LED backlighting, flash SSD drives and 3G connections to stay competitive in 2008. Card readers wouldn't hurt either.

TV, Hollywood and Music Industry Cooperation: D
Jobs wrote that open letter to the music industry asking for a stop to DRM. EMI and Jobs broke the news that they'd be doing DRM-free music on iTunes initially but competitors like Amazon caught up while iTunes started to stall. The movie list on iTunes continues to be not so great, even if it did just pick up Trading Places (Mortimer!). I'm not sure this problem is Apple's fault. The powers that be in old guard media just don't want all that power of distribution to aggregate in iTunes. ITunes is my favorite program for media loading to a portable, but Matt Buchanan, Giz writer, explains it best here:

When you open up the iTunes store, "shaky" is probably not the first word that springs to mind as a description for its relationship with content providers. But anyone searching for their favorite video content is going to find some holes. The NBC flameout was just the loudest rumble, causing iTunes to lose a lot of its most popular TV content while NBC pushed this video Netflix and Amazon and some other sites, while co-founding its own free video service, Hulu, with Fox . Don't forget Universal Music gave iTunes the finger as well on a long-term contract, and now supplies non-DRM music to iTunes competitors Wal-Mart and Amazon. It may even go on its own there too. This is a problem when you're talking about a provider responsible for 40 percent of iTunes' video downloads and the largest catalog of music on the planet. The iTunes/iPod monopoly fear is also why movie prices might shoot up and long-rumored rentals are total vapor. Something's gotta give, and so far no one's blinking.

Apple TV: C
Apple didn't try very hard here. The execution is solid, but underwhelming. Its foot is in the living-room door, but as Jobs described Apple TV at All Things D, it's a hobby for the company clearly focused on its computers and its portable phone and music players. The YouTube addition announced at All Things D as an honor to Mossberg's event was nice. How about we go to a full-on Mac mini DVR hybrid and get an OS X machine with an extended Front Row menu capability for couch surfing.

Rumor Control: C
The new game: When Apple C&D's a publication, you can call it proof that the photo belongs to them, and that the device is at least a prototype, like in the case of the leaked iPod nano shots. At least Apple must be satisfied that Think Secret is dead (RIP), but its not like they were responsible for the major body of Apple leaks and rumors in 2007. (See Media Control section below.) This year, Apple brought many rumors to life; in 2008, we have rumors of ultralight laptops and multitouch Macs, and the second coming of the iPhone. What I want in 2008 is a left-field product no one has even thought of before, announced at a keynote, previously unleaked. Boom.

Keynote Reality Distortion Field: B The January Macworld iPhone announcements were epic. The fact that the phone remained unleaked alone was a miracle. Even the malfunctions were decent: Jobs used a frozen slide as an opportunity to tell some stories about pranks that he and Woz pulled off in their younger years, making the event more personal. At the end, Steve thanked families of Apple for understanding late nights at work without knowing what was being built. After it was done, there were no demos of iPhones, just a prototype taunting us in 360 degrees as it rotated in its glass case. At WWDC, iMac and iPod launches later in the year, forementioned product leaks and reinterative presentations on Leopard took the steam out of most events. Steve's boom count was lower than at previous events, too, and stock prices dropped (a bit) afterwards as Wall Street was left without much significant new product to get excited about.

Media Control: N/A
Some think that Apple coverage in the papers and blogs seem blown out of proportion to other tech coverage. It has even been suggested by the occasional chemically unbalanced Zune fan that I give Steve Jobs blowjobs. All that venom, found in the comments of this site and in emails, have made me a little afraid to express my appreciation for the work the Cupertino kids do. If anything, we expect a lot more from them, and are unforgiving when they fuck up. (Again, I bring up our iPhone recommendation.) So I find that integrity for a gadget journo in 2007 meant delivering honest Apple verdicts at the risk of appearing a shill. (There is nothing more frightening for a tech hardware journalist than this.) But at least we were not alone. The mainstream big hitters like Pogue and Mossy have always loved Apple's work. But this year, PC Magazine's crusty John Dvorak proved that even the toughest critics have warmed this year. I recall that Consumer Reports ranked the 15 and 17-MacBook Pros best in class in a recent buyer's guide (although not the standard MacBooks) and PC World's tested a MacBook Pro to be the fastest machine running Vista at the time they went to press. Time's iPhone "Gadget of the Year" magazine cover made me want to freaking barf, but its not untrue. Apple has had the best year in recent history and I hope they meet the high expectations we've formed for them in 2008. Regarding the Think Secret settlement announced this week, if they start offering buckets of cash to this publication to stop rumor mongering, it isn't going to get them very far.

Final Grade: A

[Gizmodo's Year-End Report Cards 2008]

Nice looking from the rear:

Apple avoids the clear glass look, but both Dell and Gateway are suckers for it. The Dell has a clear lucite base that makes us wonder why the designers didn't go further. The Gateway has a funky clear keyboard arm rest that makes us scratch our heads a bit.

All mice are not created equal. Apple's wired mouse is, of course, not a favorite, but even the Wireless Mighty Mouse doesn't always behave. Dell's mouse is okay, very standard. Gateway's is the best, with a touch pad down the center for scrolling, and a cool one-piece two-tone design.

Keyboards are another accessory that can vary a ton. Dell's is my favorite because of all the stuff it can do. It has a full touchpad for mousing around, has full media controls, so you can ditch the ugly silver remote, and it's better looking than Gateway's, even if it doesn't quite have the otherworldly sleekness of the Apple. (Again why, Apple, do you ship ANYTHING with a cord?)

Here you can see all of the fun stuff on the Dell keyboard:

For the most part, these remotes are standard. In fact, the Gateway's controlled the Dell, and the Dell's controlled the Gateway. I know Apple's statement is that the remote is simple, but let's face it, that's because, compared to Windows Media Center, Front Row is too simple. I went with Goldilocks on this one: Gateway's remote is just right, a nice compact model that matches the rest of the system.

The Dell is the only one with controls on its face. They're triply redundant given the fact that both the remote and the sweet keyboard also give similar controls, but they are cool when they light up. I particularly like the disc-indicator light, which only glows when a disc is inside, and the screen shut-off switch, which does nothing to mess with your system:
More pics:

The Official Gizmodo Awards Chart:

8GB iPod Nano
Colors: Black or Blue
Price: $179.94
Plus: Belkin radio transmitter free after rebate. (And engraving and shipping are free, like at Apple Store).

16GB iPod Touch
Price: $379.98
Plus: Belkin transmitter, silicon case. (And engraving and shipping).

There's also plenty of deals on Macbooks, MBPs and iMacs that are probably worth combing through if you have no access to student discounts. Sale ends December 10, 8am PT. [macdailynews]

X9000 2.8 GHz, 44W, 6MB Price: $851

T9500 2.6 GHz, 35W, 6MB
Price: $530

T9300 2.5 GHz, 35W, 6MB
Price: $316

T8300 2.4 GHz, 35W, 3MB
Price: $241

T8100 2.1 GHz, 35W, 3MB
Price: $209

Intel iMac, 20 inch, 2.0 GHz w/touchscreen .............. 2299.00 Intel iMac, 20 inch, 2.4 GHz w/ ouchscreen .............. 2599.00 Intel iMac, 24 inch, 2.4 GHz w/touchscreen .............. 3399.00 Intel iMac, 24 inch, 2.8 GHz w/touchscreen .............. 3899.00

Customer Supplied Hardware

20 inch touchscreen installation ................................. 1099.00
24 inch touchscreen installation ................................. 1599.00

One specific symptom that some users have experienced is a series of graphical glitches before their computer freezes up. Such glitches are the same you'd see in an overclocked video card that's running too hot. And apparently upgrading to Leopard often exacerbates the problem, at least according to one Apple thread—which makes sense, since Leopard takes advantage of video chipset processing throughout normal OS functions, adding fuel to the not quite literal fire. Anyone out there having problems? [appleforum via appleinsider]