Apple announced today that they’d be producing the popular $79 USD iPod Shuffle in five colors now, including the standard brushed aluminum silver that has been available. The new colors are pink, green, blue, and orange, reflecting the color choices for the iPod Nano currently. The design hasn’t changed, and the specs under the hood aren’t any different from before; the drives are all 1GB and all cost only $79 USD, but the cases just got a whole lot more attractive.

If you’re looking for a decent iPod to give as a gift (free engraving included!) or one of the smallest but best performing digital music players on the market, an iPod Shuffle might be for you, and given the color choices, you can find one to match any wardrobe. I, for one, liked the silver, but I’m a fan of the blue and the green as well.

[ Apple: iPod Shuffle ]

It’s official, Microsoft’s newest version of Windows, Windows Vista, is on the streets, much to the delight of some technophiles. There were release parties around the country last night as some stores stayed open late to sell the software right after midnight, some of them with door prizes and bags of schwag, and others with quite celebration.

But before you head out to the store to pick up your copy of Vista and head home to install it, you might want to wiegh your options. I’m not a huge fan of tackling a brand new OS the day it comes out, and businesses will probably take a good long time to upgrade their desktop infrastructure to Vista, (the company I’m with now still has a few holdout Windows 2000 machines) but some people are clamoring to upgrade now. Where do you fall? Need more information? Check out the following links:

[ PC World: Windows Vista: 15 Reasons to Switch ]

[ PC World: Wait! Don't Buy Microsoft Windows Vista ]

No photo to go with this article, folks-trying to keep it on the work-safe side.

The rise of HDTV, and now high-definition DVD content, has made many adult film stars nervous even though adult entertainment publishers can’t rush fast enough to push their content out in high-def or on HD-DVD. Worries about every scar, scratch, and imperfection being magnified and projected on walls and on 50-inch TVs have adult movie stars worried about the future of their industries and some even rushing to get cosmetic surgery to cover up blemishes, breast implant scars, and the like. Meanwhile the studios have taken a side in the high-def DVD debate (siding with HD-DVD) and are pushing out downloads and videos in high-def as much as possible.

Families with new high-definition camcorders and news anchors being broadcast in HD have already discovered just how revealing the picture quality is. But few professionals bare as much in front of the camera as adult-film stars, and many are nervous abut the new technology.

“We’re all terrified,” said Stefani Morgan, a star at Vivid Entertainment Group, one of the largest adult movie makers. “I want to be a fantasy. I don’t want to show flaws.”

High-definition picture quality is so good that watching sports on HDTV is like being on the field. Adult industry directors compare it to being in the room.

“I think high-definition is good from a fan’s perspective because it puts everything so beautifully,” said Jenna Jameson, founder and the star of Club Jenna. “But from a woman’s perspective, we hate it because you can see every little piece of our body,” she added.

I don’t think the ladies are the only ones who should have something to worry about, frankly. Even so, the adult entertainment industry has always been a frontrunner in both video and web content delivery and technology (as odd as it is to say or believe that) and word is that there might be ways to produce high-def content that’s still…modest and forgiving to the actors and actresses on screen.

[ PC World: HDTV Makes Adult Movie Stars Jealous ]

It’s been several years we’ve had a serious virus or worm outbreak, and the “Storm” worm is already spreading worldwide with the speed that we saw back in 2003 from worms like “Blaster” and “Funlove.” Disguised as a typical email attachment (and proving that we haven’t quite learned all the lessons about safe downloading that we should have learned back then) the “Storm” worm arrives in your inbox with subject lines like “230 Dead as storm batters Europe,” or “U.S. Secretary of Sate Condoleeza Rice has kicked German Chancellor,” and have attachments with names like “Full Video.exe” and “Full Story.exe.”

So far reports say that the worm has infected over 300,000 PCs worldwide, the most in an attack since 2005, and while the worm isn’t really a “worm,” that is, it doesn’t infect a machine and immediately begin emailing itself to other people, it’s managed to infect so many computers because the virus writers are using bot nets to spam people with copies of the virus in large volumes.

[ PC World: "Storm" Worm Spreads Rapidly Worldwide ]

Some people will doubtlessly say I’m taking this out of context, but that’s not the case. Back in 2004, Microsoft Executive Jim Allchin wrote a scathing email to Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer, essentially saying that if he didn’t work for Microsoft, he’d buy a Macintosh straight away. Pointing at the beauty, ease of use, and integration of iLife, he described Apple as simple, focused on the consumers and the businesses that make up their customer base, and focusing on their experiences with their products, instead of cramming tons and tons of features into a package that they feel like they probably should deliver. It’s remarkable, because I tend to feel the same way about a lot of Microsoft products, including Windows XP and Windows Vista, for as much as I like them both. They’re incredible products and incredible pieces of work, but tend to be a big tub of features that independently are fantastic, but aren’t very well integrated into a single user experience like I’ve experienced with products from Apple, for example. Microsoft, I feel, is headed in the right direction towards learning those lessons that Allchin recommends that they should take to heart.

Even so, I don’t think that Apple fans are taking this email the right way. I’ve seen some gloating and smug smiles among the Apple and Linux communities, since Allchin describes them as challenges that Microsoft should learn from, but I don’t believe that’s Allchin’s point. I think that while he is indeed praising Apple and Linux developers for their work, his message to Gates and Ballmer also serves as a warning to those same companies that he’s commended-don’t follow in those footsteps. I would specifically direct that warning out to Apple-don’t lose your way. Stay focused on the consumer and the experience of the people who use and buy your products, and you’ll stay on the right track. Unfortunately I don’t think Apple fans will have the kind of patience that Microsoft fans have had with their favorite company.

Even so, Allchin has some serious points, and according to him, after his comments, Ballmer and Gates took his concerns to heart and overhauled the development process for Windows Vista (referred to by its codename in Allchin’s email, “LH,” short for Longhorn) and that Vista is a very strong OS as a result. I would be inclined to agree, and when Steve Jobs welcomed Allchin to the fold in his keynote speech at MacWorld 2007, I found the comment entertaining but unnecessarily snarky. Jobs would do well to, while poking fun, to take the example to heart, and never walk so far down that road that he needs his execs to be so dramatic to drive home the fact that there’s a problem under the hood.

The snippet above is only a part of the entire message, published over at the Seattle Post-Intelligencier.

[ Seattle Post-Intelligencier :: Jim Allchin's Mac Message: The Full Text ]

Microsoft was apparently so concerned about Windows Vista passing the test of IT security and being useful in as many applications as possible that they called in probably the most proficient group of professionals they could find: The National Security Agency (NSA). Microsoft wanted Vista to meet Department of Defense (DoD) and federal standards for IT security, so they enlisted the help of the National Security Agency (NSA) to make sure that Vista would be up to the challenge. Whether or not Vista really is significantly more secure, or secure enough to meet DoD standards is a different issue entirely, but its likely as secure as its going to get, considering the bulk of security-related issues come from lapses in network security, patching, user education, or security policy.

Regardless, it’s rather impressive that Microsoft went to the effort of getting the help of America’s codewriters and codebreakers to help fortify its technology:

“Our intention is to help everyone with security,” Tony W. Sager, the NSA’s chief of vulnerability analysis and operations group, said yesterday.

The NSA’s impact may be felt widely. Windows commands more than 90 percent of the worldwide market share in desktop operating systems, and Vista, which is set to be released to consumers Jan. 30, is expected to be used by more than 600 million computer users by 2010, according to Al Gillen, an analyst at market research firm International Data.

Microsoft has not promoted the NSA’s contributions, mentioning on its Web site the agency’s role only at the end of its “Windows Vista Security Guide,” which states that the “guide is not intended for home users” but for information and security specialists.

The Redmond, Wash., software maker declined to be specific about the contributions the NSA made to secure the Windows operating system.

The NSA also declined to be specific but said it used two groups — a “red team” and a “blue team” — to test Vista’s security. The red team, for instance, posed as “the determined, technically competent adversary” to disrupt, corrupt or steal information. “They pretend to be bad guys,” Sager said. The blue team helped Defense Department system administrators with Vista’s configuration .

Red Teams and Blue Teams are nothing new to anyone who knows much about penetration testing, white-hat hacking, and security auditing and testing-the red team is the “adversary” or the “enemy,” the black-hat hacker or team of crackers looking to intrude on your network and collect information from your systems and networks. The blue team can either be the responding team, or the team that does the analysis once the red team has done its work, or can be as innocuous as the tech support folks who help set up and configure the network for the penetration test. The red team is where the action is.

It’s rather amusing that both parties are eager to discuss the fact that they helped the other, but neither is willing to discuss exactly how. Ah well, secrets will be secrets, I suppose.

[ For Windows Vista Security, Microsoft Called in Pros ]

Tyranny, they call it! Having to connect your display to your computer using an old-fashioned cable? How old-fashioned is that?

The future, according to some analysts, is wireless forms of USB, Bluetooth, and Ultra-WideBand technologies that allow for high-speed transfers of video and other forms of data from transmitters recievers. The future, these analysts say, is in equipping displays and computers with video cards and adapters that will transmit video wirelessly and eliminate the need for laying cables behind your desk.

Some of these technologies already exist, with Toshiba unveiling a gorgeous slim laptop at CES this year that has a wireless “docking” station that it pairs with over UWB (Ultra WideBand) whenever its in range that extends not only USB functionality and port replication but also adds a DVI port for a second display. The technology is here, and with any luck it’s also functional, but my question is whether wireless video will pass the gaming test (that is, will it be of high and consistent enough quality that PC gamers will buy into it for not just video and movies but also for video games) and will the technology have difficulty with things like multiple displays, multiple people using the technology in close proximity. There are plenty of unanswered questions, but the technology holds a lot of promise.

[ PC World :: Ending the Tyranny of the VGA Cable ]

ChanceXChange.com turned up a few weeks ago. The site promises to allow you to exchange unwanted items like movies, CDs, DVDs, books, and more for credits to obtain the items that you really want and are available from other members of the site. It’s pretty simple: sign up, and list the items that you want to get rid of. The more items you list and eventually get rid of, the more credits you get to “spend” on other items on the site. Think freecycling with a dash of social reward for getting rid of your own stuff. It’s as simple as that.

So head over, sign up, and list some good stuff. I’ve got a lot to get rid of. The site is just getting off the ground and is signing up more and more members every day, but the quality of the items available is only as good as the number of and quality of members signed up for the service, so the more people who participate the better the site is overall. Take a look!

chanceXchange recycle your cds, dvds and books a free exchange service

[ chanceXchange.com ]

While the iPhone took the limelight at the MacWorld Expo, it wasn’t the only thing Steve had to discuss during the keynote speech. Granted he discussed and demoed the iPhone during the speech for the vast majority of the time, but a couple of other Apple products were mentioned at the beginning of the keynote that may be overlooked in all of the hype over the iPhone.

AppleTV

First and foremost, the product codenamed “iTV” is now the “AppleTV,” shown above, and put simply will be everything we had hoped it would be. The AppleTV is a set-top box that sports a 40GB hard drive, an impressive array of ports on the back for connectivity to your television, including USB 2, Ethernet, HDMI, component video, and optical audio, all to either connect other devices to the AppleTV or connect the AppleTV to your television. The device also supports 802.11b, 802.11g, and 802.11n for network connectivity. All of this makes it easier to bridge the gap between content on your PC or Mac running iTunes 7 and your television. Personally, this seems to be an incredibly compelling product, while it’s not along in the home theatre PC market by any means. What the AppleTV does do however, is bring the simplicity of Front Row, the convenience of iTunes, and the ease of use of the Apple Remote that comes with every MacBook, MacBook Pro, iMac, and now-every AppleTV, to the living room. Seriously, it can’t be any easier to download music, movies, TV shows, and more and store them on the AppleTV for playback on your television, stream from the computer upstairs or the laptop on your lap, and enjoy the content on the big screen.

[ MacWorld :: Jobs Announces AppleTV ]

Retailing for $299, the AppleTV will be available in February, but Apple is taking pre-orders for it now.

[ Apple :: AppleTV ]

Airport Extreme

(image courtesy of Apple Insider)

Additionally, Apple announced a new Airport Extreme wireless router and base station, which normally wouldn’t be a big deal except for the fact that the new Airport Extreme supports 802.11n, the draft wifi standard noted for its high speed and transfer rates. Apple has been slipping 802.11n Airport cards into the new Core2 Duo MacBook Pros and 24-inch iMacs recently, and it looks like Apple is full-steam ahead on the draft-n standard. Apple took the lead on wifi from the beginning, and it’s not surprising that they’re taking the lead on the next-generation standard now. The new 802.11a/b/g/n compatible Airport Extreme base station sees the best speeds if the devices on the network are 802.11g or 802.11n, and sports 4 ethernet ports on the back (one for uplink and three for connectivity) as well as a USB port to connect anything from network attached storage, a printer for network printing, and any other USB connected device that can be managed and used over a network.

The Airport Extreme base stations are available now and retail for $179, well within the range of competing products, but impressive because they not only support the 802.11n standard but also toss in that USB port for network managed appliances.

[ MacWorld :: Apple Intros 802.11n-Based AirPort Base Station ]

[ Apple :: Airport Extreme ]

(image courtesy of the Cult of Mac blog at Wired)

No sooner than did Steve Jobs walk off the stage after announcing the iPhone to the world than did Cisco file suit for trademark infringement over the use of the term “iPhone,” as Linksys (a Cisco brand) had released a VOIP phone called the “iPhone” only a few weeks prior. (A completely forgettable product, I’m afraid.) Cisco does indeed own the trademark in the United States for the term “iPhone,” and while Apple owns the trademark in various other countries, if Cisco’s position is backed up by a judge, then Apple has a serious problem on its hands. In reality, Cisco and Apple were apparently in negotiations to use the term “iPhone” down to the wire before MacWorld Expo, and negotiations reportedly “broke down.”

In all honesty, this seems a little fishy. It would appear that Cisco had to know that Apple was planning on developing an iPhone long before it registered the trademark, and it couldn’t have been good for the so-called “negotiations” when Linksys revealed its VOIP iPhone. Apple then turns around and unveils its own iPhone at the MacWorld Expo, which also can’t be good for those same “negotiations,” if indeed they were still going after Linksys announced its product. It’s remarkable how easily the Apple haters (usually in the camp of those who don’t have a reason to dislike Apple, they just think it’s cool to hate Apple these days. I think Penny Arcade covered the point in this comic) remember Apple’s violation of the trademark, and violation it is, but forget that Linksys likely stabbed Apple in the back during negotiations for use of the trademark.

Even so, this battle will likely come to an incredibly unfulfilling end for the Apple fanatics as well as the Apple haters, Apple will likely pay Cisco a large sum of money to just go away and allow Apple to continue selling the iPhone as is without a name change, and the matter will make a few headlines for a while, and that will be that. The Apple iPhone will sell like hotcakes, the Linksys iPhone will largely be forgotten in a field of largely superior VOIP/home phone integration devices, and everyone will move on to find another reason to love or hate Apple. Neither company is operating out of altruism here, they’re operating to get your money. There’s no reason to expect anything less, no reason to expect some blowout battle with fireworks and flashy special effects, no reason to expect Steve Jobs and John Chambers to get out their pistols and meet at dawn. This is a business matter, pure and simple, and either company would have done this to the other (and in fact, each company very much did do this to the other) if they should they could make money by doing it.

[ PC World :: What's in the iPhone Name? Cisco Sues Apple ]

In the end, Leander Kahney, writing for Wired.com and the Cult of Mac blog there, has an excellent analysis from his discussions with a trademark lawyer about the issue, namely that both companies like probably wind up keeping their respective product names, thus rendering Cisco’s trademark impotent in the face of Apple’s product engineering and marketing juggernaut-like power. Similarly, Apple will probably have to pay Cisco off in the long run for the privilege, and the whole thing will be rightfully forgotten as an unimportant debate:

[ Cult of Mac (Wired) :: Ask an Attorney: Apple and Cisco Will Share 'iPhone' ]