On WWDC Eve, we at TUAW are hard at work keeping an eye out for the unknown and unexpected. We just received a tip showing what appears to be the Mac Nano computer that we've all wanted -- and it looks to be aimed towards the developer crowd.
The pictures appear to show a Mac geared towards developers on Windows and Linux systems. "Leave Windows behind. Build your Apps for OS X" states the title. While we are extremely cautious about rumors like these right before WWDC, we did have a rumor that a "new Mac" or at least an updated Mac might be released.
Over the weekend, the rumor mills went crazy with reports that Apple had bought a new domain name from their registrar (Mark Monitor). The domain name in question: me.com, which would agree with previous reports of Apple re-branding their .Mac service as "Mobile Me."
As we reported earlier it seems Apple is re-launching their .Mac service as an Exchange style service that might even be moving onto other mobile platforms as well as other OSes (including Windows).
As an additional reconfirmation of this rumor, the same tipster that told TUAW first about the .Mac refresh contacted us again to say that the rumors are in fact true. This is still solidly in the rumor category, but it is certainly shaping up to be an interesting WWDC.
3G iPhone rumors are like summer evening mosquitoes: very annoying but also impossible to ignore. Fortune is the most recent buzzing in our ears with a report that the next major iPhone release will include Korea and Japan at the same time.
Specifically, tech news coming from Korea suggests that Apple is in talks with NTT DoCoMo of Japan and Korea's own Telecom Freetel. Both are big players in the 3G market in that part of the world. In fact, NTT DoCoMo is credited with having pioneered 3G mobile phone technology.
Both Korea and Japan are huge markets that Cupertino would certainly love to grab hold of. Of course, this will all be clear in just a few weeks. Most likely.
Likewise, France Telecom stated their intention to extend coverage to "...more than just two countries" via their CFO Gervais Pellissier. As the largest European countries that still lack a carrier, Poland and Spain are obviously attractive to France Telecom.
In related news, French iPhone customers can expect no immediate changes, as France Telecom intends to remain the country's exclusive carrier for the next two years.
To all the TUAW readers in Switzerland, Spain and Poland ... we've got our fingers crossed for you! Let us know if you hear anything from your local news outlets.
All indications point to a large, international distribution of the iPhone that's just waiting for to launch. Earlier in the week, Vodafone announced their intention to carry the iPhone in ten countries, and The Sydney Morning Herald reported that Vodafone, Telstra and Optus will carry the iPhone in Australia.
Today, Reuters is reporting that America Movil will carry the iPhone across Latin America. They're in 16 Latin American countries, plus the Caribbean and the United States. As of March 2008, America Movil held more than 159 million mobile subscribers.
Of course, they were tight-lipped about the details of the arrangement, like exclusivity or plan specifics. We'll see soon enough. Thanks, Rodrigo!
As usual, we have no idea if this is the real thing, a prototype, or just a little Photoshop fakery. The most obvious difference between what Engadget saw first and what's posted here is the color on the back, but then again, why wouldn't Apple release iPhones in different colors? They've certainly done that with iPods.
None of this guarantees anything, but I will say that if I was shopping for an iPhone, the AT&T memo would be enough for me to hold off on a purchase until mid-June at least. There is an iPhone update storm coming, and the thunder and lightning seem to be getting closer together.
Neither company provided any more detail than that, so exactly what those plans will look like and how they'll co-exist is unknown. However, we understand that Italians love pay-as-you-go plans. In fact, Vodafone reports that 91% of their current Italian customers lack contracts.
Perhaps a paid vs. contract-free option? Only The Shadow knows. We'll keep you informed, readers.
iLounge has the scoop about a leaked iPhone template rumored to have been sent to iPhone "launch partners." According to iLounge, the screen size would be 3.5" (inches) instead of a speculated 2.8". It's no doubt that an iPhone redesign (or at least update) looms in the not-so-distant future, but is this template what we'll be seeing?
According to the template, the (new?) iPhone has a slightly different taper and appears to come in different colors, namely white, black, and (possibly) red. iLounge also posted an image of the template for your viewing pleasure.
Apple sources are telling the Business Standard that the iPhone is launching in India on carrier Vodafone, with an expected release date this September. The 8GB version is supposedly launching within the year for sure, with a 16GB version "based on buyer response" in 2009.
These "sources" seem to know quite a bit -- they also claimed that Vodaphone was being considered for an Australian release, and said that "multiple carriers" might even be likely. Of course, don't forget your grain of salt on this one -- Vodafone officials denied any knowledge of the deal. But it's very true that India is one of the biggest players in the "grey market" for iPhones, so a deal there, with Vodafone or another carrier, wouldn't be unexpected at all.
There is one catch -- apparently the price specified by Apple sources is around Rs 28,000, which is a whopping $700 US (for comparison, the price in the UK was £300 on release before the price drops, which comes to $599 US). So if these sources are legit, anyone wanting to take advantage of a Vodafone deal won't be doing so cheaply.
We don't want to use the term "iPhone nano" because we've heard it before, both formally and informally. Yet, it isn't unreasonable to guess that Apple will release additional iPhone models, a small one among them.
According to Everything iCafe, Apple has applied for a patent which describes a hinged phone with a "dual sided trackpad", implying that it could be operated (at least certain functions) with the "lid" open or closed. When the iPhone was first introduced, prior to its release, I imagined the lack of a lid would be a detriment (I'm scratch-phobic). Yet, the only scratches my iPhone has acquired are on its rear (poor little guy).
Of course, Apple -- like so many other companies -- patents ideas and such that they'll probably never use. So, take the whole thing with a grain of iSalt. Thanks, Allen!
Just as many of you thought the Mac mini would die off in favor of a new class of consumer Macs, the rumor mill starts up again. AppleInsider is reporting that the Mac mini may receive an upgrade -- and fairly soon, too.
According to AppleInsider, the Mac mini may receive the following upgrades:
45-nanometer Core 2 Duo mobile chips starting at 2.1Ghz
800MHz front-side bus
Stepped-up Intel graphics processor (comparable to the one in the consumer MacBook)
AppleInsider remains speculative on a release date, but they're sure of the forthcoming upgrade. They go on to say that "Penryn-3M-based systems reportedly remained within the engineering build stage as of mid-month."
ifoAppleStore is reporting that plans are in place for a third Apple Store in Australia.
While construction on the Sydney store is underway and a Melbourne store is rumored to be planned for the Chadstone Shopping Centre, it looks like a third store will be build in Chatswood (north of Sydney).
Several readers have written to let us know that Apple's Time Capsule is listed in the current Best Buy flyer. It is scheduled for a February release, so this could mean that we'll see it in stores this week.
If any TUAW readers visit a Best Buy this week, let us know if you find a Time Capsule on the shelves, and if you buy one!
So is this the name of Apple's new subnotebook? Of course, we won't know for sure until Steve says it on stage, but while it's not, on the surface, Apple's best naming choice, it could work, in an "Airport" and "Air Tunes" kind of way. It could be worse-- the thing could be called the MacPod. Or the PodBook. Or the PodMac. Or the Lisa.
Update: macbookair.com isn't owned by Apple, but by some merry prankster. Let the speculation continue!
MacNN is reporting on a patent filed by Apple that describes a laptop docking station that looks a lot like a hollow iMac. According to images filed with the patent, a laptop is slid into a compartment on the side of the dock, leaving the laptop's ports accessible.
There's no indication as to how the display works. Perhaps the docking station itself has a display that's powered by the laptop, though it seems silly to have two displays. It could be that the laptop in question is actually a tablet that docks with its own display facing the user.
The patent also mentions liquid cooling and a "telephonic handset." It's all interesting, but who knows if any of this will come to fruition. Perhaps we'll see next week.
Over the weekend, the rumor mills went crazy with reports that Apple had bought a new domain name from their registrar (Mark Monitor). The domain name in question: me.com, which would agree with previous reports of Apple re-branding their .Mac service as "Mobile Me."
3G iPhone rumors are like summer evening mosquitoes: very annoying but also impossible to ignore. Fortune is the most recent buzzing in our ears with a report that the next major iPhone release will include Korea and Japan at the same time. 
Here's some good news for people in Switzerland, Spain, Poland who are awaiting iPhones. According to Fortune, all three countries may sell them soon.
All indications point to a large, international distribution of the iPhone that's just waiting for to launch. Earlier in the week, Vodafone announced their intention to carry the iPhone in ten countries, and The Sydney Morning Herald reported that Vodafone, Telstra and Optus will carry the iPhone in Australia.
Earlier today we learned that Vodafone has been tagged to carry the iPhone in ten countries, including Italy. Shortly after that announcement Italian communications company Telecom Italia announced that they, too, will carry the iPhone. 
iLounge has the scoop about a leaked iPhone template rumored to have been sent to iPhone "launch partners." According to iLounge, the screen size would be 3.5" (inches) instead of a speculated 2.8". It's no doubt that an iPhone redesign (or at least update) looms in the not-so-distant future, but is this template what we'll be seeing?
Apple sources are telling the Business Standard that the iPhone is launching in India on carrier Vodafone, with an expected release date this September. The 8GB version is supposedly launching within the year for sure, with a 16GB version "based on buyer response" in 2009.
We don't want to use the term "iPhone nano" because we've heard it before, both formally and informally. Yet, it isn't unreasonable to guess that Apple will release additional iPhone models, a small one among them.
Just as many of you thought the Mac mini would die off in favor of a new class of consumer Macs, the rumor mill starts up again. AppleInsider is reporting that the Mac mini may receive an upgrade -- and fairly soon, too. 
ifoAppleStore is reporting that plans are in place for a third Apple Store in Australia. 
Several readers have written to let us know that Apple's Time Capsule is listed in the current Best Buy flyer. It is scheduled for a February release, so this could mean that we'll see it in stores this week. 
MacNN is reporting on a patent filed by Apple that describes a laptop docking station that looks a lot like a hollow iMac. According to images filed with the patent, a laptop is slid into a compartment on the side of the dock, leaving the laptop's ports accessible. 
