SQUIBLE – PC Pro School

Customers who ordered Apple’s latest Mac Pro desktop with up to 12 processing cores have received notification that their order has shipped.

One U.S. customer on the east coast who contacted AppleInsider said their Mac Pro is scheduled for delivery on Aug 24.

The shipments mean Apple remains on schedule — preorders for the desktop began on Aug. 9 and were said to ship in 7 to 10 business days. Thursday was 8 days after ordering began.

New orders from Apple are now scheduled to ship in 5 to 7 business days for all models — the Quad-Core, 8-Core and 12-Core powered desktops.

The upgraded desktop is available in three standard options: a quad-core 2.8GHz Intel Xeon “Nehalem” processor with 3GB of RAM for $2,499; an 8-core machine with two 2.4GHz quad-core Intel Xeon “Westmere” processors and 6GB of RAM for $3,499; or a 12-core system with two 2.66GHz 6-core Intel Xeon “Westmere” processors and 6GB of RAM for $4,999.

Apple unveiled the machines in late July, but they were not yet available for customers to purchase. At the time the company said the hardware would simply be available in August, without providing a specific date.

With the latest Intel Xeon processors and up to 12 processing cores, the latest Mac Pros are up to 50 percent faster than their predecessors. They also exclusively come with ATI powered graphics, with the Radeon HD 5770 graphics processor with 1GB of memory standard, and an upgrade option for the even faster Radeon HD 5870 with 1GB of memory.

Also announced in late July but still unavailable to purchase is the new 27-inch LED Cinema Display. The hardware, which sports a 2,560-by-1,440 pixel resolution and 60 percent more screen real estate than the previous 24-inch model, is set to ship in September for $999.
Apple now shipping Mac Pro desktop preorders

Users who viewed Nissan’s Leaf electric car Apple iAd spent 90 seconds with the interactive advertisement — ten times longer than customers will spend with a traditional ad.

Based on those figures, Nissan has been very happy with the initial performance of Apple’s iAd network, launched in July. The car maker spoke with the Los Angeles Times and revealed that people are five times more likely to click their interactive advertisement than they are a traditional online display ad.

“We feel pretty strongly that this is the way to capitalize on where the mobile Web is heading,” Chad Jacoby, senior manager of Nissan’s media operations, reportedly said. “What iAd promises is the most aggressive thing I’ve seen to date.”

Unilever, maker of Dove shower products, said its initial advertisement proved to be successful, with 20 percent of viewers checking the ad multiple times, and a percentage in the double digits seeking further information about the product. Unilever now plans to launch a second iAd for another product line it owns, Klondike.

Following the success of initial advertisers, more companies are set to join the fray, with Campbell Soup, DirecTV, General Electric and Sears said to be working on their own iAds. Those companies will help Apple to take up more than half of the mobile advertising market in 2010, as the company has secured more than $60 million over the next six months.

Developers, too, have found success with the new iAd platform. Dictionary.com told the Times that the amount it charges for ad space in its mobile advertisement increased 177 percent since Apple launched iAds. In addition, CBS Mobile has seen up to $25 CPM (an advertising term that means cost per thousand) in its applications for CBS Sports, CNet and GameSpot.

iAds aim to provide richly interactive ad experiences inside developers’ apps, providing them a 60 percent cut of the advertising revenue. The hope is the advertisements — noted by the iAd logo in the corner — will be more compelling to users, because they don’t have to leave their app and launch a browser to view them.

iAd advertisements act more like full-blown applications, complete with features like videos, interactive games, and the ability to find information such as local stores or product availability.

Apple plans to use iAd as a program to incentivize App Store development, and does not expect to turn a great profit from its new advertising business, made possible due to the purchase of Quattro Wireless for $275 million.
Advertisers, developers say Apple’s iAd blows away competing ads

Apple has entered into an exclusive agreement to utilize amorphous metal alloys with unique atomic structures, allowing products that are stronger, lighter, and resistant to wear and corrosion, AppleInsider has learned.

The metal alloys owned by Liquidmetal Technologies were developed by a research team at the California Institute of Technology, and their amorphous, non-crystalline structure makes them harder than alloys of titanium or aluminum. Introduced for commercial applications in 2003 through the Delaware-based Liquidmetal corporation, the product has been used to create technology for the U.S. Department of Defense, has been found in medical equipment, and is even used to create sporting goods like tennis raquets and golf clubs.

In a Form 8-K filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission last week, Liquidmetal Technologies indicated that it had granted all of its intellectual property assets to Apple. According to the terms of the deal, Apple was awarded “a perpetual, worldwide, fully-paid, exclusive license to commercial such intellectual property in the field of electronic products in exchange for a license fee.”

Though the licensing agreement grants Apple exclusive use in consumer electronics, Liquidmetal is still allowed to license its products to other companies for any use outside of markets where Apple competes, meaning its deals with defense contractors, sports equipment manufacturers and medical suppliers are likely to remain intact.

The agreement was made on Aug. 5, and was revealed to the SEC on Monday. It was signed by Larry Buffington, president and CEO of Liquidmetal Technologies.

The company’s official website gives examples of where Liquidmetal’s products were used in portable electronics in the past. It touts that Liquidmetal alloys are 2.5 times the strength of commonly used titanium alloy and 1.5 times the hardness of stainless steel found in portable electronic devices. The technology is said to allow for thinner, smaller design while offering greater protection for internal components, and giving users a scratch and corrosion resistant exterior.

“As the demand for product ‘miniaturization’ continues in the electronic casings industry, Liquidmetal alloys enable smaller, thinner and more durable designs,” the company’s website reads. “Current casings technology is pushed to the limit in supporting these new designs and specifications, especially requirements for larger LCD screens, thinner wall sections and pure metallic surface finishes for products such as mobile phones, PDA’s and cameras.”

Past devices where Liquidmetal’s technology was utilized include the Nokia Vertu smartphone, Sandisk Sansa media player, and Sandisk U3 Smart thumb drives. The product was also used to create strong hinge components for devices like flip smartphones.

Apple’s interest in a company like Liquidmetal is no surprise, given its constant desire to create smaller and thinner devices. Apple has also employed a unibody design in its portable computers, beginning in early 2008 with the MacBook Air.

The precision unibody enclosures are milled from a single extruded block of aluminum, allowing devices like the MacBook Pro to become thinner while maintaining a rigid, sturdy frame. Previously, the frames of Apple’s notebooks were made from multiple parts. Now, raw aluminum is carved out using CNC, or “computer numerical control” machines.
Apple obtains exclusive rights to custom, super-durable metal alloy

Saudi Arabia, citing security concerns, revealed Tuesday its intention to block some of Research in Motion’s BlackBerry services beginning Friday.

The news comes as the latest threat in a heated debate between RIM and several governments. As reported by Reuters, India and Kuwait have both objected to being unable to monitor Blackberry services. Last week, the United Arab Emirates threatened to block BlackBerry Messenger, email, and browsing services on Oct. 11 if not allowed access to encrypted messages.

Unlike Apple, RIM operates its own encrypted servers for handling data from its BlackBerry devices. Countering rumors that RIM had agreed to allow select governments to monitor BlackBerry data, the Canada-based company released a statement Tuesday reassuring customers that it remains unable to access user data.

“The BlackBerry security architecture for enterprise customers is based on a symmetric key system whereby the customer creates their own key and only the customer ever possesses a copy of their encryption key. RIM does not possess a “master key”, nor does any “back door” exist in the system that would allow RIM or any third party to gain unauthorized access to the key or corporate data.”

Saudi Arabia’s threat arrived at a poor time for RIM. The announcement came just hours after a high-profile unveiling event for the new Blackberry Torch, a device touted by many as RIM’s response to Apple’s growing dominance of the smartphone market. The new touchscreen phone supports multi-touch gestures and sports a 480×360 pixel display, a 5 megapixel, and a slide-out keyboard.

During the launch event, a RIM executive predicted that few governments would make good on their threats. “I believe they’ll have trouble pulling the trigger to shut down BlackBerry,” Chief Technology Officer David Yach told Reuters. “Most governments in the world rely on BlackBerry.”

Analysts covering Tuesday’s drama think RIM has more at stake with the new Torch smartphone than in the Middle East. According to Reuters, Charter Equity Research analyst Ed Snyder believes that “the success or failure of the new smartphone is far more important for RIM’s immediate fortunes than the Middle East security issues.”

New data released by Nielsen shows that half of BlackBerry users want to switch to other smartphone operating systems for their next purchase. 29% of BlackBerry owners polled want to switch to the iPhone OS, while just 2% of iPhone owners want BlackBerry OS for their next purchase.

NASDAQ shares of RIM were down 2.5% at the close of market, although analysts blame disappointment with the BlackBerry Torch as the key factor, rather than fears of governmental opposition in the Middle East.
Saudi Arabia announces it will block BlackBerry service Friday

Saudi Arabia, citing security concerns, revealed Tuesday its intention to block some of Research in Motion’s BlackBerry services beginning Friday.

The news comes as the latest threat in a heated debate between RIM and several governments. As reported by Reuters, India and Kuwait have both objected to being unable to monitor Blackberry services. Last week, the United Arab Emirates threatened to block BlackBerry Messenger, email, and browsing services on Oct. 11 if not allowed access to encrypted messages.

Unlike Apple, RIM operates its own encrypted servers for handling data from its BlackBerry devices. Countering rumors that RIM had agreed to allow select governments to monitor BlackBerry data, the Canada-based company released a statement Tuesday reassuring customers that it remains unable to access user data.

“The BlackBerry security architecture for enterprise customers is based on a symmetric key system whereby the customer creates their own key and only the customer ever possesses a copy of their encryption key. RIM does not possess a “master key”, nor does any “back door” exist in the system that would allow RIM or any third party to gain unauthorized access to the key or corporate data.”

Saudi Arabia’s threat arrived at a poor time for RIM. The announcement came just hours after a high-profile unveiling event for the new Blackberry Torch, a device touted by many as RIM’s response to Apple’s growing dominance of the smartphone market. The new touchscreen phone supports multi-touch gestures and sports a 480×360 pixel display, a 5 megapixel, and a slide-out keyboard.

During the launch event, a RIM executive predicted that few governments would make good on their threats. “I believe they’ll have trouble pulling the trigger to shut down BlackBerry,” Chief Technology Officer David Yach told Reuters. “Most governments in the world rely on BlackBerry.”

Analysts covering Tuesday’s drama think RIM has more at stake with the new Torch smartphone than in the Middle East. According to Reuters, Charter Equity Research analyst Ed Snyder believes that “the success or failure of the new smartphone is far more important for RIM’s immediate fortunes than the Middle East security issues.”

New data released by Nielsen shows that half of BlackBerry users want to switch to other smartphone operating systems for their next purchase. 29% of BlackBerry owners polled want to switch to the iPhone OS, while just 2% of iPhone owners want BlackBerry OS for their next purchase.

NASDAQ shares of RIM were down 2.5% at the close of market, although analysts blame disappointment with the BlackBerry Torch as the key factor, rather than fears of governmental opposition in the Middle East.
Saudi Arabia announces it will block BlackBerry service Friday