Q8mug.com

The Financial Times reports that Apple has signed a deal with the 20th Century Fox studio to launch an online video-on-demand service “that could change the way people pay for online film content.” The new service is set to launch at Macworld Expo, which kicks off on January 15th with Steve Jobs’ keynote speech. The service will allow consumers to rent the latest Fox DVD releases by downloading a copy from iTunes for a limited time.Rumors of Apple adopting a rental-model for movies have been circulating since last year. While no pricing information is provided with today’s rumor, the Financial Times claimed in June that Apple was negotiating a rental service for $2.99/film for a 30-day rental. Pricing details, however, may have changed since negotiations first began.   Source : Macrumors      UPDATE : The New York Times confirms earlier rumors that Apple will be launching an iTunes Movie rental store at Macworld San Francisco. And according to their sources, more than one studio will be signed to the service at launch:

Apple has been trying to interest a number of Hollywood studios in an iTunes rental service, and several people familiar with the negotiations said that more than one studio would appear onstage at the company’s MacWorld exhibition here beginning Jan. 14 to endorse a new Apple movie rental service.

The Financial Times first broke the news that Apple would be launching an iTunes movie rental store. Pricing and terms of the rentals remain unknown. 

Apple has updated Security Update 2007-009 to v1.1, available in 10.4.11 PPC and Universal and 10.5.1 Universal. 

   According to Apple’s documentation, the new version does not affect the security content of the original update, but addresses an issue that may cause Safari to unexpectedly quit when browsing to certain websites.  

 Apple initially released Security Update 2007-009 earlier this week, which included a host of security updates for both 10.4.11 and 10.5.1.

 Power_Boz:   

  Hello everyone and Happy Eid! November and December are usually slow news month for Apple. Nothing significant happened and thus we haven’t been posting regularly as usual. Yet, the rumors are flying around everywhere. Next month, January, his holiness Mr. Steve Jobs will be keynoting Macworld 2008 and so far Apple fanboy sites are going left and right with weird rumors. Among the most significant is the announcement of a new Macbook/Macbook Pro. According to AppleInsider.com new slimier metallic Macbooks have been sited on the Apple Campus. This could be the refresh of the Macbooks or could be the new slimier Macbook Pro 13″ or 12″, the successor to the Powerbook G4 12″. Some industry people are hinting at an all new design with touch screen capabilities, a tablet like Apple notebook. Realistically, the touch screen tablet notebook is more feasible because of the flurry of Apple patents recently filed that are all touch based interfaces. Leopard has a lot of touch screen features as well which also supports that conclusion. Think of it as a Macbook without a Keyboard and a touch pad, just a screen. So far, if you need to buy a notebook our advise is to buy. If you want a new interface then wait till something shows up for January. As for Desktops our advise is to buy. iPods are also a buy. iPhone is a no buy until a 3G version shows up on the market. If you need more help with you buying decision then give us a shout using the Contact Form Page. 

    G-Funk:   

  First of all Happy Eid to All & Happy Hollidays, Second. As Boz said, rumors are flying everywhere so we’ll have to wait and see, If you are in the market for a high-end Mac Desktop (Mac Pro) my advice would be to wait until after January’s keynote, New Mac Pro’s would surface soon as of Intel’s latest processor upgrade , Apple didn’t upgrade their Mac Pro line for quite some time, so my advice is to wait. Also, as for laptops, If you are badly in need of a new Mac laptop get one now, but my brotherly advice is to wait and see what Steve would deliver in Macwold 08. As for other apple devices like (iPod, iPhone, Apple TV and Cinema Displays), The iPods have just received a significant upgrade late this year so we won’t see an ipod upgrade in the foreseeable future. iPhone would receive a 3G upgrade sometime next year(early to mid 2008) so if you are in the market for an iPhone I would urge you to wait. As for apple TV’s and Cinema displays rumors are speculating that Apple TV’s might either receive a major upgrade or discontinue, One way or another we would have to wait and see what would apple decide on the fate of AppleTV, Cinema Displays are dropped in price, so if you really want one nows your chance to get one, but the fate of this design is still yet not determined as for the touch UI patent that was files by apple not long ago.  Once again. If you have any questions that we have not answered please do not hesitate to post your comments below or start a thread on our forum . 

Sources: AppleInsider.com

Apple is likely to introduce two (one minor, one major) iPhone revisions along with a major Apple TV update in 2008 according to Goldman Sachs analysts.

These conclusions are based on meetings with “key component suppliers and manufacturers” in Asia.

The two iPhone revisions are predicted to be
- Increase in Flash storage (minor update, earlier in the year)
- 2nd Generation iPhone with 3G and could have a different look (major update, second half of year)

Meanwhile, the Apple TV is expected to see changes in 2008 that “could include an LCD display”. Other notes include scarce information about the long rumored sub-notebook from Apple with the possibility it may be delayed due to design issues.

Source :Macrumors 

New Get A Mac ads appearing on Apple’s web site. Now What, Misprint, and Podium are among the new ones but my favorite is Misprint especially when he says “Hello Dude ” :-p Anyways check them out and let us know what you think!
Source: Apple.com

According to CNet France, iPhone 1.1.3 is set to arrive as early as this weekend, and will pack some commonly-requested features such as voice memo recording and disk mode.

The disk feature behaves like the equivalent for iPods and will still block users from simply dragging and dropping content to load the phone with playable music, CNET says. Enabling disk mode should still allow knowledgeable users to browse the content on the phone, though this is not expected to be of any use to the hacking community, which has already gained access to the phone’s software.

Apple released iPhone/iPod Touch Firmware 1.1.2 on November 8th, although it did not become available through iTunes until Monday, November 12th.

Apple’s market share in both the computer and cell phone markets is hitting highs according to Net Applications.Last month the Mac OS had 6.8% market share, compared to 5.39% for November 2006. This represents the highest market share in Apple’s steady climb, which appears to be almost directly proportional to a slightly declining Microsoft Windows installed base.

 IDG World Expo officially announced today that Steve Jobs will in fact headline next year’s MacWorld San Francisco conference, with his opening keynote address set to go down at 9:00AM PST sharp on January 15th. Exactly what that keynote will entail remains a mystery, of course, although we’ve certainly heard plenty of rumblings on the matter. Whatever it is his Holiness has in store, you can be sure we’ll have by-the-minute coverage of it, so mark your calenders and watch this space.