Apple® today introduced Boot Camp, public beta software that enables Intel-based Macs to run Windows XP. Available as a download beginning today, Boot Camp allows users with a Microsoft Windows XP installation disc to install Windows XP on an Intel-based Mac®, and once installation is complete, users can restart their computer to run either Mac OS® X or Windows XP. Boot Camp will be a feature in “Leopard,” Apple’s next major release of Mac OS X, that will be previewed at Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference in August.

“Apple has no desire or plan to sell or support Windows, but many customers have expressed their interest to run Windows on Apple’s superior hardware now that we use Intel processors,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “We think Boot Camp makes the Mac even more appealing to Windows users considering making the switch.” 

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Apple Computer could be on the verge of debuting a digital media hub, a new series of photo-capable and multimedia iPods and a movie download service much like the iTunes music service, analysts with the investment firm UBS Investment Research reported Tuesday.

Analysts Jeff Brickman and Ben Reitzes said sources connected with component manufacturers had given them strong indications of a new and bolder direction for Apple as it tries to maintain its dominance in portable, digital media devices.

"As evidenced by the iPod Photo, we believe iTunes can be expanded not only to manage digital photo libraries, but also video or movie downloads with even a video service emulating the iTunes Music Store," the analysts said in a report obtained by The Mac Observer. "As a result, we believe an expanded and free iTunes download represents a 'Trojan Horse' into Windows-based PC’s, expanding Apple’s appeal further and creating more switchers over time."  [ more... ]

This is probably an April Fools gag, but the Mac Observer and Forbes.com are carying an article by Bryan Chaffin who writes that, "In a surprise move, Apple Computer announced Friday, April 1st, that it was licensing Microsoft's Windows Media platform for use with both the iTunes Music Store and the company's market-leading iPod music player. Apple will be replacing its proprietary FairPlay DRM scheme and AAC codec with Microsoft's Janus platform, allowing the company to leverage the more open nature of Microsoft's Windows Media platform across its burgeoning consumer electronics product line.

In addition to managing a la carte downloads from online music stores, Janus has the added bonus of allowing music lovers to take rented music with them in Windows Media-supported devices, something that has helped Napster become the #2 online music service. By licensing Windows Media and Janus, Apple will be able to follow in Napster's footsteps, and the company plans to open a rental section in the iTunes Music Store.

iTunes users will have the option of converting all of their songs to Windows Media in an upcoming update to iTunes, and iPods will be converted to Windows Media players in a firmware update due later today."

Personally, I find it hard to believe that Apple would announce a new feature or product before they were ready to deliver it or that Steve Jobs would be so willing to admit defeat when iTunes supposedly owns 80% of the music download market but I could be wrong...

CNET News.com is carrying an article by Ina Fried who writes, “For the right to display the logo, Apple was at one point looking to get 10 percent of an add-on's retail selling price. More recently, the company has been seeking 10 percent of wholesale pricing, according to people familiar with the situation.

Apple announced its intention to start the "Made for iPod" program at January's Macworld Expo. However, the company has refused to discuss most of the details of the program. Apple has said it applies to gear that connects electrically to the iPod--things like car adapters, power cables and remote controls, but not to cosmetic items such as cases. Word that Apple might be seeking a cut of the action was mentioned earlier this month on enthusiast site AppleInsider.

An Apple representative declined to discuss any fees or royalties associated with the program, what the requirements are to take part, how products earn certification and whether such certification will be required of products sold in Apple stores.”

In a recent ExtremeTech article, Dave Salvator writes, “The mini's price, starting at $499, make Macs suddenly seem a lot more affordable. But as Loyd Case pointed out in a recent commentary on the Mac mini, looks can be deceiving. The base Mac mini underperforms, because too many corners were cut. At a minimum the Mac mini needs another 256MB of system memory to keep the RAM-hungry Max OS X fed and happy. So the real entry-level price tag for this CPU is closer to $575. But wait there's more: You'll still need a display, keyboard, and mouse to get this Mac mini fully operational. If you have those lying around, you're all set. But if not, add those to the total acquisition cost. So the real cost of a truly complete system is closer to $800 to get you all the needed components. We at ExtremeTech decided to look at how much tiny PC can you build for about $800, and pit it against the cute new Mac. We had some choices of similar-size machines, though more will be forthcoming when Pico-BTX motherboards arrive in earnest later this year. Does a Mac mini make sense on your home network or for a less technical friend? Or would a similarly priced and sized Windows machine be a better bet? Let's find out.”

ryan_fung writes "A Hong Kong based company, Pat-rights, is claiming that Apple's iTunes Music Store is infringing their patent on 'Internet User Identity Verification' and is demanding Apple pay 'a reasonable license fee, 12% of gross sales of iTunes music tracks and iPods.'" (They also claim infringement by eBay, porn sites, and others.) Reader bblazer links to a Register article which mentions both the Pat-Rights claim and another suit entirely. From the article: "Apple has found itself facing a pair of intellectual property challenges that separately claim its FairPlay DRM system and its iPod music player contain technologies to which the Mac maker does not have a right. First up, Lake Forest, Illinois-based Advanced Audio Devices (AAD) alleges its patent, number 6,587,403, for a 'music jukebox,' filed in August 2000 but granted in July 2003, covers the kind of thing Apple has brought to market as the iPod."

Brad Stone for MSNBC reports that the long awaited iTunes phone will be released by Motorola this Thursday.

engadget reports that “there’s a good chance the next version of the iPod which is expected out this fall is going to get a big boost in battery life, so if you can wait a few months, you probably should. PortalPlayer, the company that makes the chipset used in the iPod, iPod mini, and iPod photo (another company, SigmaTel, makes the chips used in the iPod shuffle) has just announced a new version of their chipset called the PP5022 that is more energy efficient than their current PP5020 chipset (the one that’s currently used in all those iPods). How much more efficient? Supposedly the PPC5022 would make it possible to make a hard drive-based digital audio player with triple the battery life of a player using the PP5020, which could conceivably mean an iPod photo that could last as long as 45 hours before it needed recharging (and a battery life of as long as 54 hours for the new 2G iPod mini)."

In a recent article from Macworld.com, “While Oppenheimer admitted some consumers may be interested in media center PCs and that a Mac mini might be suitable, he said that "most customers" would prefer to have a more powerful computer in their office or den and leverage wireless networking to stream content to their home entertainment system.”

An anonymous Slashdot reader writes: "In a case with implications for the freedom to blog, a San Jose judge tentatively ruled Thursday that Apple Computer can force three online publishers to surrender the names of confidential sources who disclosed information about the company's upcoming products.”

Peter Cohen at Playlist.com reports “Apple on Wednesday announced that more than 300 million purchases and downloads have been made from its iTunes Music Store. The company also used the occasion to note that "Across the Universe," a benefit single recorded live during a stage performance at this year's Grammy Awards and available exclusively through iTunes, debuted on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart at number 22 -- the most successful exclusive digital track ever in its first week of release, according to Apple.

Available for Mac and Windows computers, the iTunes Music Store now operates in 15 countries in North America and Europe. In the United States the service features more than one million songs from major music companies and 600 independent record labels, as well as more than 9,000 audiobooks. It was in late January when Apple announced the iTunes Music Store had passed the 250 million song mark.”

According to CNET News, Apple no longer sells iPods with a FireWire cable citing cost cutting measures. 

Tech info Blog! writes: "Just like rumors have hinted Apple today updated its iPod photo lineup by introducing a new 30GB model, holding up to 7,500 songs, for $349 and a new 60GB model, holding up to 15,000 songs, for $449. Both iPod photo models have high-resolution color screen for displaying photos. Both models hold up to 25,000 digital photos and will feature the ability to import photos from your digital camera via the new iPod Camera Connector for instant viewing and slide show playback on iPod photo (not being able to do this has been one of the major problems of the first-generation iPod photos).

UPDATE: It's worth noting that the 30GB iPod photo has replaced the 30GB regular iPod."

Tech info Blog wites: "Just like rumors have stated (nice grab Think Secret!) Apple has just introduced the second-generation iPod mini lineup with a new 4GB model for $199 and a new 6GB model with increased hard drive space over the first-generation iPod mini priced at $249. Both iPod mini models feature increased battery life of up to 18 hours. The 4GB and 6GB models of iPod mini for Mac or Windows are available worldwide immediately in a choice of silver, pink, blue or green. Gold has apparently been discontinuted. Also if you look at the picture above you can see that Apple has colored the icons on the click-wheel to match the color of the iPod. And don't the colors look a bit more vibrant?"

Appleinsider reports that: "Apple will soon introduce an iPod with Bluetooth wireless capabilities, according Bogdan Nedelcou, an automobile product manager for Motorola."

Think Secret reports: "Following our Friday report on a color-screen 6GB iPod mini, insider information points to six new colors making their debut. Pricing on the new mini is said to be $199, although this may be for a 4GB model that Apple will continue to produce and not necessarily the new 6GB mini, which we originally reported will sell for $249.

Two new iPods could debut Wednesday for $349 and $449 as well, a source says. Unknown is whether the new price points will represent the fifth-generation of iPods or if they are a sequential update and price cut to the existing iPods; we suspect the latter."