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Apple Introduces "MacBook Wheel" Screenshot-sm 268

CommonCents noted an Apple announcement a few hours before the anticipated keynote. He says "Apples' latest must have gadget does away with the keyboard. With the new MacBook Wheel, Apple has replaced the traditional keyboard with a giant wheel."
Windows

Microsoft Discontinues Windows 3.x 384

rugatero writes "The BBC reports that, as of last Saturday, Microsoft is no longer issuing licenses for the 18-year-old Windows 3.x. Many here may well be surprised to learn that anyone still has use for the antiquated software, but it seems to have found a home in a number of embedded systems — including cash registers and the in-flight entertainment systems on some long-haul passenger jets (Virgin and Qantas are cited). Considering Linux's credentials as an embedded OS, this news could very well indicate the possibility of more migrations in the pipeline."
Microsoft

Submission + - Microsoft cancels Yahoo! bid

CurlyG writes: The Age is reporting that Microsoft has canceled its bid for Yahoo:

"We continue to believe that our proposed acquisition made sense for Microsoft, Yahoo! and the market as a whole," Ballmer said in a statement posted on the Microsoft website.

"Despite our best efforts, including raising our bid by roughly $US5 billion ($A5.37 billion), Yahoo! has not moved toward accepting our offer.

"After careful consideration, we believe the economics demanded by Yahoo! do not make sense for us, and it is in the best interests of Microsoft stockholders, employees and other stakeholders to withdraw our proposal," said Ballmer."
Microsoft

Microsoft Told to Pay Tax on License Fee 282

MissingRainbow writes "To avoid paying taxes in India, Microsoft wanted a court to believe that it is selling its product and that there are no royalty payments involved. Their own EULA worked against them in this particular case however as it states, "the product is licensed, not sold". The court ruled against them."
Windows

Submission + - Safari EULA forbids installation on windows/linux (googlepages.com)

Whiney Mac Fanboy writes: "The Register is reporting that the windows version Apple's Safari Web browser has an interesting catch in the EULA. You're forbidden to install it on Windows. This is the same browser that Apple slips in as an 'update' to iTunes. The license was last updated six months ago — proof that noone (even the authors) read an EULA."
Wireless (Apple)

Submission + - Apple's economy with the trutch on specifications

Whiney Mac Fanboy writes: "Apple recently unveiled the Time Capsule, a wireless backup device. Apple advertised the product as containing a server grade Hard Drive. However, as CrunchGear has noted, when an early adaptor tooks their Time Capsule apart, they found a Hitachi Deskstar HDD inside — the desktop version of Hitachi's UltraStar server range."
Media (Apple)

Submission + - Apple Founder slams iPhone, AppleTV, macBook air. (googlepages.com)

Whiney Mac Fanboy writes: "On a recent visit to Australia, Apple founder Steve 'Woz' Wozniak has given an interview in which he comments on the 'dissapointing' iPhone, citing the lack of 3G support and adding that other 3G phones have a good battery life. He carries a Motorolla phone to make up for the iPhone's shortcomings. On the macBook Air: "I don't think it's going to be a hit...I don't feel it's a benefit if you have to carry the Air plus a DVD player plus a couple of extra dongles to connect to Ethernet things and also maybe an extra hard disk to carry your music. On AppleTV: "My life is way too global and unpredictable for that [24-hour time limit to watch shows] — I'll get interrupted by something and I won't finish it; I don't want to have to pay again." He also noted AppleTV's poor video playback quality for youtube content."
Government

Australian Government Considers Copying UK Copyright Law Ideas 190

msim brings word that Australian legislators are considering an anti-piracy measure that would require ISPs to terminate internet access for people who repeatedly download copyrighted material. The legislation would set up a three-strikes system similar to the one proposed in the UK recently. While British ISPs resisted suggestions that they act as internet police, the response may not be the same in Australia, where the government has already tried to censor the internet. "Under the three-strikes policy, a warning would be first issued to offenders who illegally share files using peer-to-peer technology to access music, TV shows and movies free of charge. The second strike would lead to the offender's internet access being suspended; the third would cancel the offender's internet access."
Operating Systems

Submission + - Linus pans OSX, HFS+

CurlyG writes: Apple's much-touted new operating system, OS X Leopard, is in some ways worse that Windows Vista, says the founder of the Linux open source project, Linus Torvalds. Torvalds was in Melbourne last week for the linux.conf.au conference and was invited to pass judgement on OS X versus Windows Vista in a wide-ranging interview. "I don't think they're equally flawed — I think Leopard is a much better system," he said. "(But) OS X in some ways is actually worse than Windows to program for. Their file system is complete and utter crap, which is scary."
OS X

Apple 10.4.11 Update Can Brick Macs With Boot Camp 425

g-san writes "Some Mac users are having problems with the latest 10.4.11 update, yours truly included. The problem seems to be caused by the presence of a Boot Camp partition and renders the Mac unable to reboot after the update fails. Note the Geniuses at the Apple stores are recommending a full disk wipe; but data can be recovered via Firewire." MacNN has a note up that if you fall victim to this "known issue" and need to reformat the disk, you can't reinstall Boot Camp because it is no longer available to OS X 10.4 Tiger users.
Privacy

Submission + - Aussie Software Pirate Extradited to USA

rjodwyer writes: "Hew Griffiths, an Australian is has been extradited for trial in America for crimes committed outside of the USA, and to a country to which he has never set foot in. Leader of the infamous Drink or Die cracking group, he has been extradited to the USA, in what only seems to be Australia bowing under pressure from America. As Australian Senator Ellison had the power to refuse extradition, this looks like Australia handed him over to satisfy corporate interests in America. His fellow crackers had their trials conducted in their own countries."
The Almighty Buck

Submission + - Steve Jobs highest paid CEO - $646 Mil

Whiney Mac Fanboy writes: "Fans of Apple CEO Steve Jobs are quick to point out that he is only paid a $1 salary for his role at Apple. However, according to Forbes he's the highest paid executive in the US — to the tune of 646 Million dollars for 2006. From the article

Forbes said the highest-paid CEOs were not always those that delivered the most to shareholders.Forbes said by its analysis, Apple's Jobs was 36th. Topping the list was John Bucksbaum of General Growth Properties, a real-estate investment trust. Over the past six years, Bucksbaum was paid $US723,000 a year while delivering a 39 per cent annual return to shareholders.
I wonder how much of that $646 Million was from improperly backdated options?"
It's funny.  Laugh.

Submission + - Goofy to upgrade his media room

aluminumangel writes: "I'm ecstatic over the news that Disney is back to producing shorts in good-old fashioned 2D cell animation. One of the first shorts to debut this fall is Goofy in "How to Hook Up Your Home Theater." Yes, a return to the classic "how to..." series! Remember when Goofy (or multiple Goofies) would attempt a sport or pastime — with a dead-pan/throat-clearing/stuffy narrator providing instruction? It is back! We could see Goofy try to figure out 1080i vs. 1080p and component cables vs. HDMI cables... will he choose plasma or LCD? I don't know, but Goofy seems more like a LCoS guy to me. I can't wait until Goofy demos his new room! Let me venture a guess and say that Goofy will choose Blu-ray over HD-DVD."
Space

Submission + - Speed key to all galaxy formation

QuantumCrypto writes: "The All-wavelength Extended Groth strip International Survey (AEGIS), a collaborative effort involving nearly 100 scientists in half a dozen countries, revealed a new principle in the formation of all galaxies, from disk-like spirals, cloud-like ellipticals, and just irregulars. In essence the morphology of the galaxies depends on total mass involved and the internal speed it generates. "By defining a new speed indicator, their analysis has managed to make sense out of very chaotic-looking objects", said Sandra Faber, professor of astronomy and astrophysics at the University of California, Santa Cruz."

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