Apple has been ordered by a jury to pay damages to Mirror Worlds for infringing patents related to how documents are displayed on a computer screen, reports "Bloomberg" (http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-10-01/apple-loses-mirror-worlds-trial...). The federal jury in Tyler, Texas, awarded $208.5 million in damages for each of the patents infringed. "Bloomberg" says the verdict form was unclear as to whether the amount applies to the three patents collectively or would be charged individually. Lawyers for closely held Mirror Worlds declined to discuss the verdict. In 2008 Mirror Worlds Technologies, a Texas based company, accused Apple of violating four distinct but related patents that touch on creating "streams" of documents that are automatically sorted according to time stamps, including future dates assigned to calendars and other reminders. The company said that just about all of Apple's product line infringes on a system for organizing data by time, "but draws its closest...

A message from do_not_reply@itunes.com has been plaguing iTune users' inboxes, reports "WKBN" (http://www.wkbn.com/content/news/local/story/iTunes-Virus-Hits-Emails/rq...). It claims you owe money -- and even some without iTunes accounts have received the email, the article says.  Representatives from Apple said this is a very new virus and they are working to get the issue under control.They said to delete the email from your inbox and do not click on any of the links provided.   

Contrary to popular belief, the iPad isn't causing cannibalization in the PC market because iPad owners don't exhibit the same buying and ownership patterns as the typical consumer electronics customer, according to the new "iPad Owner Survey" from market research company The NPD Group (http://www.npdgroup.com). According to the report, only 13% of iPad owners surveyed bought an iPad instead of a PC, while 24 % replaced a planned e-reader purchase with an iPad. iPad owners, especially the consumers who purchased an iPad within two months of launch, are significantly more likely to own Apple products and newer technologies, such as e-readers and smartphones. iPad owners are much more likely than the overall population to own Apple computers, with 48 % owning a Mac desktop or Mac notebook, while NPD's "Online Household Penetration Study" fielded earlier this year found Macs in only about 11% of households. In fact, of consumers who bought iPads in the two month initial launch phase 50%...

Another day, another lawsuit. A private Delaware company by the name of Olympic Developments AG, LLC, has filed a patent infringement lawsuit in the California Central District Court Los Angeles Division against several major technology companies, including Apple, reports "Patently Apple" (http://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2010/10/olympic-developments...). The lawsuit appears to involve the sale of goods through Apple's iTunes and App Stores via an iPad or iPhone, the article adds. According to court documents, "this is a patent infringement action to stop Defendants' infringement of Plaintiff's United States Patent No. 5,475,585 entitled "Transactional Processing System" (the "''585 patent"; a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit A) and United States Patent No. 6,246,400 entitled "Device for Controlling Remote Interactive Receiver" (the"'400 patent"; a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit B) (collectively, "the patents-in-suit"). Plaintiff is the exclusive...

Sintek Photronics has reportedly sent samples of projected capacitive touch panels to Apple to be incorporated in upcoming iMac, reports "DigiTimes" (http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20100930PD213.html), quoting "industry sources." Since current capacity for 20-inch and above projected capacitive touch panels is limited and the technology involved quite complex, Sintek, which is equipped with 5.3G generation production lines, has a good chance of becoming a supplier of the new models, the article says. The next iMac is rumored to have a "good vertical and horizontal viewing angle, and its projected capacitive touch panel will adopt a one-glass solution, which integrates the touch sensor and cover glass, to reduce thickness and weight," says "DigiTimes." In August it was revealed that Apple had filed a patent for "transitioning between modes of input" that hints at an "iMac touch." Transitioning between a high-resolution input mode, such as a mouse-based interface, and a low-resolution...

Metakine says Hands Off! 1.0 for Mac OS X (http://www.metakine.com/products/handsoff/) will be released on Monday, Oct. 4. It's an US$24.95 is an application to monitor and control the access of applications to your network and disks. Being able to monitor the normally unnoticeable activities enables you to make informed decisions regarding the transfer of your private information, hence avoiding confidential information leakage, according to the folks at Metakine. When connected to the Internet, applications can send any information stored on your computer to whoever they want without you ever knowing. Using Hands Off!, you can monitor and control Internet connections from all applications as to expose hidden connections and prevent them from sending data or phoning home without your consent. Applications present on your computer can freely read, store or erase information on your computer without your knowledge. Using Hands Off!, you can monitor and control disk access from all...

Logos Bible Software has released Logos Bible Software for Mac 4.0, an update to their Logos Bible software. According to Bob Pritchett, president of Logos Bible Software, some of the features in Logos 4 include: ° An advanced search system that can return library-wide searches in less than one second; ° Smart searching that suggests synonyms and alternate terms; ° Synchronization "to the cloud" for backup and to keep preferences, notes, reading plans, and your library in sync across all your computers, including Macs, PCs and iPhones; ° A smart tab and window management system for workspace customization and multi-monitor support; ° The Cited By tool, which returns the books from your library that cite the material in your active window; ° 60 new high-resolution maps of the biblical world; ° A custom-built index of all the places mentioned in the Bible; ° A one-of-a-kind family tree diagram for every person mentioned in the Bible; ° A database of every thing in the Bible (like...

Tension Software has updated Password Repository (http://www.pomola.com/products_passwordrepository/passwordrepository.html), a Mac OS X password storage utility, to version 2.12.1 The upgrade improves the internal engine and improves preferences handling. Password Repository lets you save all your passwords in documents protecting them on disk using a single password. Data is encrypted using strong and bullet proof algorithms, and the password protecting a document is not saved in any place. Password Repository costs US$30, though version 2.12.1 is a free update for registered users of version 2.0. The software is Universal Binary so runs natively on both PowerPC and Intel Macs. It requires Mac OS X 10.5 or higher.

Singular Software (http://www.singularsoftware.com), developer of automation applications for digital media markets, says a Mac OS X version of DualEyes, currently a Windows-only audio synchronization application for video production, is in the works. Designed to work alongside almost all video editing applications, including Adobe Premiere Pro, Avid Media Composer, and Sony Vegas Pro, DualEyes employs the same automatic synchronization technology as PluralEyes -- which is currently offered in a Mac version -- to streamline the otherwise tedious and time-consuming process of syncing dual-system recordings with the corresponding video, says Bruce Sharpe, CEO, Singular Software. Unlike PluralEyes, DualEyes works as a standalone application, with an emphasis on the dual-audio workflow. It can be used with software ranging from entry-level consumer editors to comprehensive professional production suites, Sharpe says. Users need simply capture audio on a separate high-quality recorder and...

Nearly lost amid Apple Inc.’s recent product and software rollouts was one of the most significant announcements of all: the arrival of the company’s Airplay audio streaming system, a technology with the potential to become a Top 10 consumer electronics product, according to the market research firm iSuppli Corp. (http://www.isuppli.com). At its Special Event on Sept. 1, Apple CEO Steve Jobs showed AirPlay, a system that streams audio, either wirelessly or over Ethernet, to third-party speaker docks, A/V receivers, speakers and more. Far from just being a way to transmit video from the iPad to the AppleTV, as Jobs demonstrated, AirPlay spans the entire audio industry, says iSuppli. To implement AirPlay, Apple has entered into a partnership with BridgeCo Inc., a U.S. provider of connectivity technologies and solutions. The BridgeCo platform is supported by a growing ecosystem of design partners and Original Design Manufacturers (ODMs), allowing for a rapid incorporation of AirPlay into...

In the second quarter of 2010, shipments of mini-note/tablet computers were down 4% quarter-to-quarter (Q/Q), but up 29% year-over-year (Y/Y). However, without the 3.3 million iPads shipped in the quarter, shipments of mini-note/tablet PCs would have been down 14% Q/Q and 13% Y/Y. Clearly, there was an “iPad Effect” in the portable computer market, according to a new DisplaySearch report (http://www.displaysearch.com), which also tracks tablet computers five inches and larger. The effect might have been even more pronounced, but Apple struggled to fill demand, with shipment times listed as 7-10 business days for all of the second quarter of 2010 (Q2’10), and shipments into Japan and China were just beginning at the end of the period, says the research group. Overall, the portable market posted strong Y/Y unit growth in Q2’10, surging 32% to 50.4M units. However, not all market segments were equal, and it's apparent that the combination of iPads and falling ASPs took share from other...

ProVUE Development has released Panorama 6.0 (http://www.provue.com/panorama), an upgrade to the RAM-based database program for Mac and Windows platforms. New features include: ° A 5x speed boost on Intel-based Macs; ° Live Preview -- complex search and data manipulation operations are instantly previewed as the user types and clicks; ° A new Total Recall feature protects data from power failures and crashes; ° A new Time Lapse feature allowsa database to be “rolled back” to its previous state (to recover accidentally deleted record, for example); ° The ability to drag to re-arrange the order of database fields; ° The ability to temporarily hide database fields; ° The ability to right click on any data cell or column header for context sensitive pop-up menu for selecting, sorting, and other common operations, including a “show me more like this” search option; ° A new search dialog with dozens of new options, live preview, and the ability to save favorite searches; ° Simplified data...

In a note to clients -- as reported by "Barron's (http://blogs.barrons.com/techtraderdaily/2010/09/30/apple-stifel-repeats...), Stifel Nicolas analyst Doug Reid today repeats his Buy rating on Apple, boosting his price target on the stock to $360, from $350. He gave three reasons for the higher estimates and target: ° Checks find iPad and iPod shipments are tracking ahead of prior estimates. ° "Increased confidence” in the longer term growth outlook for the iPad following recent competitive product announcements that “appear less menacing for Apple’s competitive position than we previously feared.” ° Higher shipment assumptions for iPhone based on strong data from China and favorable channel checks in the U.S. and Europe.

A former National Assembly representative has launched a one-man campaign protesting Apple's "discriminatory practice" of denying Taiwanese buyers of iPhone 4 protective sleeves, reports "Asia NewsNet" (http://www.asianewsnet.net/news.php?id=14666&sec=2). Kao Chia-yu launched the campaign because buyers of the iPhone 4 haven't received protective sleeves for the latest model of the smartphone as promised by CEO Steve Jobs. Jobs said earlier that those who purchased iPhone 4 by the end of September would get a free protective sleeve from the company to help with the antenna reception problem experienced when you hold the phone a certain way. Taiwan's top three telecom carriers, namely Chunghua Telecom, Taiwan Mobile, and FarEastone Telecom started to sell the iPhone 4 on Sept. 17. However, none have protective sleeves for the iPhone 4.

Ambiera has announced WebsitePainter 1.2 (http://www.ambiera.com/websitepainter/index.html) for Mac OS X and Windows systems. It's an update of the web editor for creating web site without HTML knowledge and programming. WebsitePainter includes a variety of templates and supports web standards such as HTML, CSS, PHP and ASP. Version 1.2 sports: an improved HTML code editor; a new browser window for selecting specific elements in a page; the ability to select files as hyperlink targets; improved scrolling and faster image rendering; and enhanced Unicode file support On the Mac WebsitePainter requires Mac OS X 10.4.1 or later. It costs approximately US$54 for a single-user license and $135 for a company-wide license.

Troi Automatisering has released Troi File Plug-in 5.0.1 for FileMaker Pro an update of the tool for getting access to information outside the FileMaker Pro database. It's a maintenance update with some bug fixes and performance tweaks. A fully functional demo version of Troi File Plug-in 5.0.1 is available for downloading at Troi's web site (http://www.troi.com/software/fileplugin.html). Troi File Plug-in 5.0works with FileMaker Pro 9.x, 10.x and 11.The plug-in can also be used with runtimes from FileMaker Pro Advanced 9 x and 10.sx. The plug-in is available for Mac OS X 10.5.7 or higher, Windows XP (Service Pack 2) and Windows Vista. QuickTime 7 or later is needed for some image related functions. Licenses cost US$89 per user. Details on developer licenses and multi-user discounts can be found on the Troi web site.

A newly announced settlement in a class-action lawsuit against graphics maker Nvidia has entitled owners of a number of notebook computers, including two of Apple's MacBook Pro models, to repairs or monetary compensation, reports "AppleInsider" (http://www.appleinsider.com) Case No. 08-cv-04312-JW relates to Nvidia chips found in some Dell, HP and Apple notebooks sold between 2005 and 2010. For Mac owners, the suit relates to 15- and 17-inch MacBook Pro models sold between May 2007 and September 2008. Owners of an affected Mac system could experience distorted or scrambled video on the screen, or the display may not work when the notebook is turned on, notes "AppleInsider." Some Dell and HP systems also reportedly have additional issues, such as random characters, lines or garbled images appearing on the screen.

"Fortune" (http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2010/09/29/apple-tv-has-2-3-week-shipping-de...) is reporting that the Apple TV has a 2-3 week shipping. It's "not clear whether it's high demand or a production hiccup that's causing it," the article adds. However, I beg to differ. My AppleTV arrived today. Look for a review in the very near future. -- Dennis Sellers

Pearson and the Commonwealth of Virginia has launched what they describe as the nation's first-ever complete social studies curriculum (http://www.pearsonschool.com/index.cfm?locator=PSZy64) for the iPad. Pearson has developed four new iPad Apps plus digital curriculum aligned to the Virginia editions of Pearson's U.S. History and World History programs for seventh and ninth graders. The new iPad program will be piloted in several schools for 12 weeks beginning November 1 as part of Virginia's Beyond Textbooks initiative. "In exploring the instructional potential of digital content, it makes sense to partner with Pearson, whose technologies and traditional textbooks are widely used in Virginia schools," Superintendent of Public Instruction Patricia I. Wright says. "The experiences of students and teachers with the applications and digital history content created by Pearson will help shape decisions and practices as schools move thoughtfully and carefully beyond textbooks and deeper...

Technology is a way of life for today’s medical students with the majority choosing clinical references on their iPhone device over teachers and peers to answer questions. The fifth annual Future Physicians of America survey conducted by Epocrates (http://www.epocrates.com/company/?CID=PRFPA10) revealed that medical students not only believe in the value of electronic health records (EHRs), but expect availability when they practice medicine. More than 700 medical students, a third of whom dreamed of becoming a doctor since childhood, shared their opinions about a range of topics impacting the medical profession. Among the survey findings: medical students prefer the latest smartphone devices. Apple mobile devices such as the iPhone and iPod touch have soared in popularity. Seventy percent of students currently use one of the Apple devices. That's a 37% increase of 2009 respondents. Blackberry and Android devices have the second and third highest adoption, respectively. The Future...

GoPro (http://www.GoPro.com), a wearable HD camera company, has released the HD HERO 960, an entry level, US $179 version of the HD Hero camera. It shares the same video and audio capture technology but with resolutions on the HD Hero 960 limited to 960p (1280 x 960) and 720p (1280 x 720) at 30 frames per second, and WVGA (848 x 480) at 60 frames per second. Also removed from the HD Hero 960 is the Hero Bus expansion port present on the 1080p HD Hero. The Bus allows for LCD, secondary battery and additional expansion BacPacs to be attached to the original 1080p HD HERO camera, but not the HD HERO 960. Also featured in the HD Hero 960 is GoPro’s 5-megapixel timelapse photo mode. A new feature on the Hero 960 is “One Button Mode,” which locks the camera into video or photo mode and automatically starts recording once the camera is turned on.

A long-time rumor about a potential Apple store location in Barcelona, Spain, seems to have been confirmed by a newspaper story that points to 1 Passeig de Gràcia in city center.  "LaVanguardia.es" -- as noted by "ifoAppleStore" (http://www.ifoapplestore.com/db/2010/09/29/second-barcelona-store-locati...) reports that Apple will open a store along the street, famous for its unusual architecture by Antoni Gaudi and many international retailers. The seven-level building at #1 dates to the late 1800s and features retail-appropriate space on the ground floor, and apartments on the upper levels, the article adds.

IMVU (http://www.imvu.com/signup/index.php) -- an online community and social entertainment network where members use 3D avatars to meet new people, chat, create and play games -- has released their first Mac client. In addition, the company is also introducing its first iPhone App, IMVU 2Go, for iPhone and iPod touch devices. Both are free. IMVU’s new Mac client delivers social entertainment experiences that have been available on the PC since the company first launched IMVU in 2004. Users new to the IMVU platform can create a free account and select an avatar of their choice. Members can then immediately begin exploring IMVU to meet new people, chat, create and play games with their friends. They can also check out IMVU’s virtual goods catalog of more than four million items in order to begin creating online personas as unique as they are, says IMVU CEO Cary Rosenzweig. The company’s new IMVU 2Go App for the iPhone and iPod touch -- available at the Apple App Store -- gives IMVU...

Hyberbolic Software (http://www.hyperbolicsoftware.com/) has released Tidy Up! 2.2.6, the latest version of their disk, file and folder processing utility for Mac OS X. Tidy Up! can find duplicate files and packages using any criteria. Version 2.2.6 adds automatic installation of the new version when available and fixes some bugs. Tidy Up 2.2.6 requires Mac OS X 10.5 ("Leopard") or higher. Upgrades from version 1.x are $20, and upgrades from version 2.x are free. For new users the cost is US$30 for a limited time.

MacXDVD Software has announced the MacX iPod Video Converter Pack (http://www.macxdvd.com/mac-ipod-dvd-video-converter-pack/), which offers support for the fourth gen iPod touch 4 and iOS 4.0/4.1. Iy'd designed with the purpose of ripping DVD movies to iPod touch 640x480 MP4 videos, and converting among all popular SD and HD video formats on Mac OS. MacX iPod DVD Video Converter Pack comes with several presets. It enables you to convert almost any video and audio formas of your choice from Blu-ray videos, HD camcorder videos and all mainstream videos, including MKV, M2TS, AVCHD, MOD, TOD, AVI, MPEG, WMV, WebM, Google TV, VOB, ASF, etc to MP4, H.264, MPEG-4, MOV and more. MacX iPod DVD Video Converter Pack is priced at US$29.95. A demo is available for download.

Qoppa Software, which specializes in PDF tools, has updated PDF Studio (http://www.qoppa.com/psindex.html), a PDF editor, to version 6.5.The update improves the way users work with multiple documents. Qoppa adds to PDF Studio's batch document handling capabilities with a new function to Set Initial View. Users may also now transfer data across documents with drag and drop of entire pages or Copy and Paste of images and text. PDF Studio is entirely based on Qoppa Software's proprietary PDF technology. The software has features such as the ability to edit PDF files, fill forms, review and comment, create digital signatures, assemble documents. PDF Studio is cross platform software that runs on Windows, Mac OSX and Linux. It's available in two editions: PDF Studio Standard at US$60 and PDF Studio Pro at $95.

Zevrix Solutions (http://www.zevrix.com) has released LinkOptimizer 4.4.7, an update of its workflow automation solution for Adobe InDesign. The new version addresses some Photoshop CS5 operations and introduces interface improvements. LinkOptimizer lets you reduce InDesign job size and speed up processing by eliminating excess image data and performing essential image adjustments. LinkOptimizer Light 4.4.7 can be purchased from the Zevrix Solutions web site for US$259.95 , as well as from authorized resellers. LinkOptimizer works with Mac OS X 10.4.2-10.5 and InDesign CS-CS4. Version 4.4.7 is free for LinkOptimizer 4.x users and a $98.98 to upgrade from previous versions. A demo is available for download. For new users the costs is $259.95.

Seventy percent of cell phone and smartphone owners aren't interested in receiving FM radio broadcasts on their phone, according to a new survey from the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA). The study, "FM Tuners for Cell Phones -- Measuring Consumer Interest," found most consumers aren't interested in having FM tuners in their mobile devices, and an even broader majority (80 %) doesn'tt support a government mandate that would force manufacturers to include an FM tuner in mobile phones. Published accounts indicate that broadcasters, in conjunction with record labels, have proposed to Congress a compromise performance royalty plan that would include a mandate that all mobile phones sold in the United States include a radio tuner. “With broadcasters asking Congress to force consumers to buy mobile phones with FM radios built in, we thought it was time to ask consumers what they want. This study proves there is little consumer demand for radio-capable cell phones and consumers don’t...

Hulu Plus, the premium subscription service from Hulu, is coming to several devices this fall, including Roku and TiVo Premiere set-top boxes. Alas, the revamped Apple TV doesn't seem to be among them. In addition to Roku and TiVo, Hulu Plus will also be appearing on the Xbox 360 early next year and support is expected to be added to the next Xbox Live beta, reports "Mashable" (http://mashable.com/2010/09/28/hulu-plus-roku-tivo/?utm_source=feedburne...). Additionally, TVs and Blu-ray players from Sony and Vizio are also getting in on act the article adds. Hulu Plus (http://www.hulu.com/plus) is an US$9.99 monthly subscription service that will offer current and past seasons from many ABC, Fox and NBC shows -- and in HD at that. It's currently in an invitation-only testing period. No date hasn't been given as to when the "final" version will be ready to go.

Another day, another lawsuit. Apple has sued Nokia in Britain, reiterating the claims it has already made in a lawsuit in the US, reports "Reuters" (http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE68R45G20100928). The whole legal brouhaha has a convoluted background. In May Nokia announced the filing of another lawsuit against Apple, in Federal District Court in Wisconsin, regarding five of Nokia’s patents. Nokia says those patents are infringed by the iPhone and iPad 3G and involve technology that improves speech and data transmission with new antenna configurations and positioning of data in applications. “Nokia has been the leading developer of many key technologies in mobile devices” Nokia’s Patent Licensing General Manager Paul Melin said in a statement at the time. "We have taken this step to protect the results of our pioneering development and to put an end to continued unlawful use of Nokia’s innovation.” But May's shot was just another volley in the legal battle between Apple and...

Kingston Digital (http://www.kingston.com) has released its CompactFlash (CF) Ultimate 600x memory card. The CompactFlash Ultimate 600x supports UDMA mode 6 and offers read and write speeds of up to 90MB/second, making it Kingston's fastest card to support high-end digital cameras and other devices. The CF Ultimate 600x is available in 16GB and 32GB capacities to support the large file sizes created when shooting in RAW mode or HD video. If paired with UDMA mode 6 enabled cameras and readers, the 600x speed allows for data to write to and read from the card at a faster rate than previous generations of cards. For added peace of mind, the CF Ultimate 600x includes free downloadable data recovery software from MediaRECOVER. Kingston's CompactFlash Ultimate 600x cards are backed by a lifetime warranty and 24/7 live technical support. The cost for the 16GB and 32GB versions are US$154 and $270, respectively.

Seagate (http://www.seagate.com) has introduced what it says is the industry’s highest-capacity, 4-bay and 2-bay, desktop network attached storage solutions to help data-intensive small business address evolving storage needs. The BlackArmor NAS 440 network storage server and BlackArmor NAS 220 network storage server, extend the capacity range of Seagate’s BlackArmor family of storage solutions, enabling businesses to now scale from 1TB to 12TB. Initially, both solutions will come pre-populated with 3TB drives in each bay  and will be offered exclusively for 30-days through Seagate.com and select online retailers. For the first 30 days, CDW will provide the 12TB BlackArmor NAS 440 for a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of US$1,899.99, and NewEgg will sell the BlackArmor NAS 220 6TB for $649.99. Both the BlackArmor NAS 440 and BlackArmor NAS 220 network storage servers are designed to help businesses with up to 50 employees and little or no IT support. The NAS 440 server is...

Xsilva Systems (http://www.xsilva.com) has introduced new way for retailers to engage with their customers and make the sales process more efficient with the release of LightSpeed Mobile, for use with the now available LightSpeed 3.2.  LightSpeed Mobile is a mobile retail extension of LightSpeed, Xsilva’s point of sale platform for the Mac. Retail sales staff can use LightSpeed Mobile to connect to a LightSpeed database and process sales from anywhere in the store with an iPod youch and a Linea Pro “sled” -- the same mobile hardware employed by Apple in its retail stores -- which adds the ability to scan bar codes and swipe credit cards. Once the payment is approved, customers sign on-screen and receive their receipt instantly by email. The LightSpeed Mobile app can be downloaded from the Apple App Store for US$19.99. It's an extension of LightSpeed 3.2, the new version of Xsilva’s flagship retail platform now available that features peed improvements in its POS and multi-store...

As I suspected, Apple's Tim Cook isn't considering going to HP as CEO, despite rumors to the contrary. Eric Savitz of "Barron's (http://blogs.barrons.com/techtraderdaily/2010/09/28/apple-cook-not-going...) shoots down the rumors. He says he talked with Gleacher & Co. analyst Brian Marshall, who follows Apple. Marshall says he had just spoken to Cook about the rumor. -- Dennis Sellers

More than 500 medical students at the University of Leeds are being issued with iPhones which can access online text books, reports the BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-11427317). And the Tasmanian Department of Education and Training has revealed over 30 iPads are being trialled in a number of schools across the state, notes "Computerworld" (http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/362432/ipad_trials_hit_tasmanian...). The Apple smartphones at the University of Leeds -- a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England -- have applications providing students with reference material and prescription guidelines. The university, claiming a first for UK medical schools, says the phones will also be used to keep in contact with students training in hospitals. The iPhones must be returned when students graduate.

 Regarding the iPads in Tasmania (an Australian island and state), "“There are about 30 iPads across 10 schools or thereabouts. We have a...

"Advertising Week" has published the results of a Nielsen survey (http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/consumer/the-connected-devices-age-i...) of 5,000 consumers who own a tablet computer, eReader, netbook, media player or smartphone -- including 400 iPad owners. The survey found, among other things, that iPad owners skew younger and more male. Per the survey: ° 65% of iPad owners are male and 63% are under 35. ° Amazon Kindle owners tend to be wealthier. 44% of them make more than US$80,000/year compared with 39% of iPad owners and 37% of iPhone owners. They also tend to have more education: 27% of Kindle owners have Master's degrees or PhDs. ° iPad owners tend to be more receptive to advertising; 39% say ads on their connected device are new and interesting (compared with 19% of all connected device owners), and 46% say they enjoy ads with interactive features (compared with 27% of the rest). ° Perhaps most important to advertisers, iPad owners are also the most likely to have made...

Analysts at Goldman Sachs Group have told clients -- as reported by the San Jose Business Journal (http://sanjose.bizjournals.com/sanjose/stories/2010/09/27/daily19.html?a...) that Apple may roll out a thinner iPad with a built-in camera and mini-USB drive by June, later than some others have projected. The Sellers Research Firm (that's me) thinks we'll see a new iPad sooner than June, but not in time for the holiday season as some have predicted. My forecast: look for a new iPad around March. Also, I'm 99% sure the next iPad will have a built-in camera. I'm less certain about a mini-USB drive (though that would be great) and the rumored seven-inch iPad. Sales of tablet computers from Apple and others could reach 16 million units this year and 35 million in 2011, Goldman Sachs forecasts. -- Dennis Sellers

Toshiba (http://www.toshibastorage.com) has introduced the CanvioM 3.0 portable hard disk drive (HDD) featuring a SuperSpeed USB 3.0 interface. It's available in storage capacities of 500 GB, 750GB or 1TB for US$119.99, $129.99 and $179.99, respectively. Canvio 3.0 drives are backward compatibility with personal computers and other devices equipped with USB 2.0 ports. Which is good for Mac users as Macs don't currently support USB 3.0. Canvio 3.0 drives offer password-protection with up to 256-bit data encryption. On the inside, an internal shock sensor and ramp loading technology keep data safe during day-to-day movement from a desk, pocket, bag, or beyond, says Manuel Camarena, product manager for consumer storage at Toshiba Storage Device Division. The product maintains the same dimensions as previous Canvio products.

Wondershare Software has released Wondershare Video Studio Express for Mac 1.0 (http://www.applemacvideo.com/mac-video-studio-express.html), a video editor and converter. It allows users to edit and customize their video clips, including merging, trimming, splitting, cropping, adding effects and rotating. Wondershare Video Studio Express automatically detects DV cameras, camcorders, iPhone, iPod, and imports video clips from these devices. It largely facilitates the video editing effects with three timeline tracks to organize and manage video, audio, background music separately. Wondershare Video Studio Expres enables users to edit videos while previewing. It comes with 48 transition effect templates and allows users to play media files on the iPod, iPhone, iPad, Wii, Zen, Zune and PlayStation Portable, regardless of format compatibility, as well as to upload to YouTube. Wondershare Mac Video Editor requires Mac OS X 10.5 or higher. It costs US$35 for a single user license.

The Jabra GO 660 (http://www.jabra.com) is described as the first Bluetooth headset with Noise Blackout Extreme, which eliminates background noise without compromising voice quality. It has a manufacturer's suggested retail price of US$110. With the Jabra LINK 320 USB Bluetooth adapter, it simultaneously connects to a personal computer and mobile phone, so your need just one headset. Noise Blackout is dual microphone technology that eliminates background noise.

DVDthemePAK.com has released all its ThemePAK collections and button products with widescreen formatting and theme family features. Each theme now includes two templates instead of only one. Each theme comes with a template for the main screen and a template for the chapter's screen. In addition all DVDthemePAK's iDVD products are now downloadable. All themes in each collection are now sold separately in addition to the standard ThemePAK collections. iDVD ThemePAK collections are priced between US$29 and $39. Individual themes are prices at US$9. All ThemePAKs are NTSC and PAL compatible and may be shipped anywhere in the World. The new themes can be purchased through the DVDThemePAK web site (http://www.dvdthemepak.com). Users must have iDVD 6.0 or 7.0 (iLife ’06, ’08, ’09) or later.

The Nielssen research group says the rapid rise of digital music sales has stalled in the United States, the world's biggest and most important market, with sales in the first half of 2010 flat compared with a year before. However, digital music sales were up 7% in Britain, up 13% in Germany and up 19% in France. Nielsen says digital sales were flat in the U.S. market after a 13% increase from 2008 to 2009 and 28% growth from 2007 to 2008. Jean Littolff, managing director of Nielsen Music, told "Reuters" (http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE68Q2FM20100927) the flat U.S. sales could be due to weak consumer confidence, the appeal of new music releases and confusion over the many different ways people can buy music online. "I think this is a plateau, it doesn't mean that this digital consumption is going to drop significantly," he said. "It's a plateau, but it's not yet saturation."

The Department of Justice announced that it has reached a settlement with six high technology companies -- Apple, Adobe, Google, Intel, Intuit and Pixar -- that prevents them from entering into no solicitation agreements for employees.   The Department said that the agreements eliminated a significant form of competition to attract highly skilled employees, and overall diminished competition to the detriment of affected employees who were likely deprived of competitively important information and access to better job opportunities. The Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division filed a civil antitrust complaint today in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, along with a proposed settlement that, if approved by the court, would resolve the lawsuit.                   According to the complaint, the six companies entered into agreements that restrained competition between them for highly skilled employees. The agreements between Apple and Google, Apple and Adobe, Apple and...

Monotype Imaging Holdings is accepting entries through Nov. 7, 2010 for the first Web Font Awards, an international competition designed to recognize web sites that incorporate exceptional use of web fonts. Prizes include two US$3,000 cash awards, iPads and various typeface offerings from Monotype Imaging. Winning entries will be determined at a live judging event on Nov. 16, during the Future of Web Design conference, Nov. 15-17, in New York City. Contest entries can be built with web font technology from any provider, including self-built solutions, as long as the site or web page uses actual fonts that are served to Internet-connected machines through the @font-face declaration. There is no limit to the number of entries that an individual can submit. All accepted designs will be displayed in a gallery at http://www.webfontawards.com, where site visitors can rate each entry one time based on the quality of typography, creativity and usability. The entry with the highest score at...

You can listen to music and have conversations using six new Sennheiser headsets (http://www.sennheiserusa.com) specially designed for the iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS and other Apple products. All six versions -- the MM 70i (which has a street price of US$99.95), IE 8i ($449.95), PX 100-IIi ($89.95), PX 200-IIi ($109.95), HD 218i ($79.95) and HD 238i ($129.95) --are based on Sennheiser’s “Portable Entertainment” series. The microphone and smart remote control unit are integrated into the cable, and allow the Apple product to be controlled at the push of a button or by voice commands. A range of functions can be controlled with a single button. Depending on how often and how long the button is pressed, music tracks and videos can be played, paused or skipped to the next/previous song. The same button can also be used to receive and end phone calls and to activate the voice control function. This Apple function makes it possible to use voice commands to retrieve songs or phone numbers on the...

European Union competition regulators have dropped a probe into Apple, after the company agreed to relax restrictions on the iPhone, reports "Macworld UK" (http://www.macworld.co.uk/ipod-itunes/news/index.cfm?newsid=3241048). Apple has agreed to introduce cross-border iPhone warranty repair services for EU purchasers and relax restrictions on development tools for iPhone applications. Apple has now appointed service providers to "offer cross-border iPhone warranty services in those member states where Apple does not directly take charge of repairs," the Commission said. The change in Apple policy should make it easier for iPhone customers to get repairs under warranty in a EU country other than where the smartphone was purchased, notes "Macworld UK."

Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo! have swiftly lost share in the U.S. mobile advertising market to Apple's new iAd, reports "Bloomberg Businessweek" (http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/sep2010/tc20100926_023792...). Apple will end the year with 21% of the market, according to estimates provided to Businessweek.com by researcher IDC. Google's share will drop to 21% from 27% last year, when combined with results from AdMob, the ad network it bought in May. Microsoft will drop to 7% from 10%. "Apple's acquisition of Quattro and Steve Jobs's launch of iAd put a spotlight on mobile advertising," Paran Johar, chief marketing officer at rival mobile ad network Jumptap, told "Bloomberg." Apple's push into mobile ads may be a reason for its rivals' market-share declines, the article adds. Since June, the number of brands that have agreed to run ads through Apple's iAd network has doubled, according to Natalie Kerris, a spokeswoman for Apple. On June 7, Apple said it had US$60 million...

hendrickson software components has released their first REAL Studio plug-in, the Outlook Message Parser Plug-in (http://www.hendricom.com/omppreview.html). It enables REAL Studio (REALbasic) developers to parse Microsoft Outlook Structured Storage (.MSG) files in a cross-platform development environment, including Windows, Macintosh OSX, and Linux. According to the folks at hsc, parsing Microsoft Outlook Structured Storage .MSG files can be a challenge, even in a Windows development environment. The Outlookk Message Parser plug-in enables REAL Studio developers to easily parse Microsoft Outlook Structured Storage .MSG files cross-platform from the REAL Studio development environment. REAL Studio developers can easily access the following properties of a Microsoft Outlook Message: From, Subject, Date, To, CC, UUID, SMTP Header, Body as Text, Body as HTML, Body as RTF, Number of Attachments, Attachment Name, Attachment MIME Type, Attachment Data as Binary Stream, and Attachment Length...

In February, there was some speculation about Microsoft having a very good chance at landing a deal with Apple to make Bing become its default search engine for the iPhone. However, Google will apparently remain the default search engine for now. Google CEO Eric Schmidt says their search contract had been "recently extended," but didn’t get into any particulars, reports "Search Engine Journal" (http://www.searchenginejournal.com/google-apple-extend-search-deal-for-i...). Apple was reportedly receiving about US$100 million a year in search revenue from Google with the deal it previously had inked with them.