To make your life a bit easier as THE BIG DAY grows near, here is a list of interesting rumors we’ve seen around the Interwebz related to this event:

• Mythical tablet not so mythical after all ?
• AT&T and Verizon in bed with Apple over mythical tablet ?
• iPhone no longer exclusive to AT&T ?
• iPhone for every cell carrier !
• Mythical tablet to have front facing camera ?
• McGraw-Hill and Apple talking about text book deal ?
• Apple talking to other publisher ?
• iPhone OS 4.0 with multi-tasking ?

So far every Apple-related site seems to be convinced of one thing: Uncle Steve is going to announce a tablet-like device on the 27th. Another groups believes that there will be an iLife 2010 announcement as well as information about the new iPhone (or at least the new OS). Could they be right? Is Apple finally releasing it’s larger form-factor touch-screen device? Or maybe they will surprise us all and release a netbook (doubtful). What ever it may be, we shall find out in just a few hours.

Woman: “Yes…uh… err, wait no!”

Officer: “Sorry Ma’am we are a PC only country, We are going to have to put her down.”

::Officer takes out gun, and proceeds to put three bullets into it::

Officer: “You are free to enter the country now.”

Ok, so maybe this Isn’t exactly what happened, but basically its just as stupid.

As I probably lack the ability to accurately describe what happened, I’ll let the woman describe her story herself. But in a nutshell: Woman visits Jerusalem. Gets stopped by boarder patrol because of where shes from. Gets asked a series of ridiculous questions. Border Patrol takes laptop into back room. Border Patrol proceeds to shoot Macbook, and then apologize for doing so.

I hope someone makes a spoof “I’m a Mac” commercial about this. I would cry.

Click the  link to download the new version.

Oh, and keep reading for a full list of changes + screenshots.

Version 2.1 Change Log:

- Lists (create, edit, manage, and more)
- Retweet
- Geotagging
- Report Spam (via new API)
- Tweet stream “gap” detection
- What the Trend
- UI tweaks
- Set history=1 for j.mp
- Definitive quoting syntax
- Handle “@user/list” links
- New video options: Posterous, Mobypicture, Vid.ly
- Handle custom protocol schemes in embedded browser
- User Manual
- Google Mobilizer
- Custom Mobilizer
- Overlapr service
- Post ‘message’ parameter through custom API endpoints
- URL encode data sent to custom URL shortener
- Refactor Settings
- Improved accessibility
- Disable pinstripes option
- Disable “Mark as Read” when no unread
- Generated VCards now link to https
- Improved errors on sending
- Option to disable browser rotation
- Call from linked address book screens
- Improved iTunes Store links
- New protocol handlers (see developer.atebits.com for more)
- Hook for easier custom URL endpoint installation
- Image compression options
- Fix multiple browser popups
- Fix tweetie:/// style handlers
- Fix upside-down browser and image viewer
- Fix rare crash translating tweets
- Fix saved state bugs
- Fix rare conversation threading hang
- Fix TextExpander integration
- Fix problem reposting outgoing tweets
- Fix botched geotag pins
- Fix Japanese posting bug
- Fix Email conversation

And now some pictures:

Do we really remember what listening to and purchasing music was like before iTunes… or the iPod for that matter? These numbers are a testament to the type of transformation that’s been made from an industry which once relied almost solely on going to your local record store and purchasing a CD.

Where else is this type of transformation taking place? Two other industries that are beginning to see a similar shift to digital format are the Print Media and Book markets. Believe it or not the first e-book was actually published back in 1971 through a project called Project Gutenberg. The goal of this project was to digitize and archive cultural works. Ironically, the first document to be digitized through this project is one of our nation’s most important, The Declaration of Independence.

So, if the concept of e-books has been around this long, why today… nearly 40 years later are people finally taking notice? There are many answers to this question, but the most important is that today’s technology has finally allowed consumers to easily take advantage of books and print media in a digital format.

Two devices that notably stand out when talking about reading in a digital format are the Amazon Kindle and the Barnes & Noble Nook. Up until this point the Kindle has dominated the e-reader/e-book market mainly because they’ve been able to leverage one of the things they’ve done best since Amazon was founded… selling books. Amazon has been able to do what other companies, such as Sony, haven’t by making available a huge selection of books in a digital format, at a significantly lower price than print, downloadable directly on the device. I like to make the analogy that the Kindle is to the Kindle Store what the iPhone is to the App Store.

So what about the Barnes and Noble Nook? Will this be a significant threat to the Kindle? In my opinion, Barnes and Noble are entering the e-reader market at a perfect time. Amazon has done a great job getting people excited about reading books in a digital format, but Barnes and Noble has one thing Amazon doesn’t, physical locations. When the Nook is released in a little over a week, customers will be able to download any e-book directly from Barnes and Noble, and if they’re in the store they’ll have access to free Wi-Fi from the device and the ability to even read entire books for free while in the store.
The biggest advantage though, is the fact that customers will be able to actually pick up and play with the nook prior to purchasing. Something the Kindle doesn’t have because it’s only available through the online retailer.

It should be interesting to see where the e-book/e-reader market takes us in the months and years to come. Will the Nook overtake the Kindle as the number one e-reading device? Are e-readers going to do to the book/print media market what mp3 players did to the music industry? Will you eventually make the shift towards reading in a digital format?

Guest post by Zach Schmid.

Thoughts/Opinions?

For what it’s worth, Viacom’s General Counsel this week admitted to a group of Yale undergrades that suing P2P-users, “felt like terrorism.”

Also this week, or at least since the last Roundup, Apple Computer scored a major victory over hackintosh purveyors Psystar. Psystar was found to have violated Apple-held copyrights, in addition to violating the DMCA. There is plenty of legal-wrangling yet to be had, but precedent has been set squarely in Apple’s favor.

Finally, in a bit of off-policy-yet-equally-important news, the Large Hadron Collider is back in action. Don’t worry, the thing is still black-hole free. For now.

We’ll see you next week!

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This rumored “God-like portable device” is suppose to do it/have it all: 3G, WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, music and video playback, built-in webcam, eBook reader, the ability to watch TV, play games, surf the web and tons of third party app for it – all of this on a high-res touch screen for no more than $1000.  Sounds great, right?

Potential issue #1 – size: if this device does not fit in your pocket it will not ‘lay waste’ to any other portable gadgets – especially when it comes to the average MP3/video player consumer market.

Potential issue #2 – size: if it fits on your pocket, it will not be an effective eBook reader. Have you tried reading a book on a 3″ or 4″ screen? It sucks. But with all the components this mythical Apple device is rumored to have, it’s pretty safe to assume that it will not fit in your pocket – so good bye mobile music and video market, which Apple still dominates with the iPod so I’m sure they don’t care.

Potential issue #3 – the screen: every other rumor says that this ‘tablet’ will be a cross between the iPhone and a Macbook. If this turns out to be true…good luck taking on the eBook reader market too. Current eReaders have a high-contrast screen which is optimized for displaying text. This eliminates that ‘looking at a screen’ feel and causes less strain on your eyes. Unless the device follows this concept, it will not take off as an eReader either.

Potential issue #4 – battery life: if this device is going to replace everything except my phone – the it better have enough juice to withstand at least 10 hours of constant use.

Another option is that Apple is might be trying to target a totally new market: the traveling business executive. With a device smaller than a laptop that has a built in microphone and webcam, a business traveler could attended virtual meetings while on the go, review documents on a device that has a better form-factor than a laptop and even catch some high-lights from yesterday game while waiting to their next flight.

Could this be Apples esoteric agenda? Maybe they are creating a totally new market all together. Or maybe the tablet is just a rumor and will always stay as such. What ever the case may be, we will just have to wait and see.

The 21.5″ models were available right after the announcement and you could get a 27″ iMac with a Core-2-Duo processor 3-5 business days later – but what about the quad-core amazingness? ‘Pre-orders are open now and it will ship in November’ is what Apple told us. Naturally the pre-orders started to roll in and the waiting game began.

Along came the first business day in November and everyone with a 27″ quad-core iMac pre-order (both i5 and i7) were reporting that nothing had changed – orders still marked as ’ships in November’.

During the first week of this month, rumors about heat issues, ATI HD4850 video cards shortages and yellow screen tints on the 27″ models started to emerge from the Mac Rumor Mill. Week-1 ended, no orders had been shipped and rumors kept flying around. Were they true? Was Apple actually struggling to fix the alleged issues before shipping the quad-core awesomeness they promised with these iMacs? Maybe. Or maybe they are sitting back laughing at people go crazy over dates. What ever the reason may be, all we know is that Apple customer service reps did not provide an answer as to when the product would ship, but the did give anyone you asked about their order a free upgrade to over-night shipping – HOORAY! I’ll get my new iMac 24-hours after it ships!…when ever that may be…

Moving forward to present time, most people who pre-order a 27″ iMac with an i5 process started to report that they received “ready for shipping” notifications as early as yesterday morning (November 9). This morning those same i5 pre-orders had been outfitted with tracking numbers and the i7 pre-orders have began reporting that their status has been changed from “ships in November” to “prepared for shipping”.

This would seem to indicate that most (if not all) pre-orders would be filled by the end of this week. Still no news on when these sexy quad-core iMacs will be available in retail stores, but my guess would be as soon as the middle of next week.

Have any information on this topic to share? What’s your take on Apple’s delay?

For those of you thinking, “I don’t need a new computer yet”… take this into account: – the average lifespan of a computer is only 3-5 years, according to this article. However, in terms of compatibility with software and new hardware it’s more like 2 – 3 years, depending on what it’s being used for. That’s not to say you can’t continue to use 10 year old PCs; however, it probably will not support newer programs and hardware.

There is a decent majority of people today in this technology driven world who have little-to-some knowledge of computing hardware. But even if you don’t, the chances are high that you probably know someone close to you who does.

Computers today are a necessity. They have become an integral part of everything we do and it’s because of this we can spend countless hours deciding on what to get next in our attempt to support our ever-changing needs.

So… do you build or do you buy?

Buy Pre-Built: Let’s start with the “easy” way out. For some, this method is quick, easy, and painless. Either walk over to your nearest Best Buy, log onto HP’s homepage, or break into your friend’s apartment and steal his $2,000 dollar machine. Of course when he tells you the story you will suggest that the government came and took it because of all the movies he downloaded.

Either way, many of you have more than enough knowledge and common sense to know what you want out of a machine will opt to talk to a Sales “Expert” and have them pick the right pre built pc out for you. The problem? Most times you’ll end up paying $100 – 500 more than the actual hardware in the machine is worth. Not to mention the useless software it comes riddled with that only makes the computer slower and less effective. The benefit? Saves time, effort, and most computers come with a decent guarantee. Many people who opt for this method are either lazy like my fellow blog writer Will Kievit, or are intimidated by testing the waters of building their own machine.

Build: I am probably the worst person to describe the cost benefits of building your own rig. This is mainly because if I had the money I could easily drop $4 – 5k on a gaming computer without flinching. The main reason for the high prices though, is that I would build a computer with extremely high specs to prolong the short “lifespan” of a gaming rig.

Just to give you some numbers too look at, a fast pre-built gaming rig with the following specs: 2.93 GHz Core i7, 8GB DDR3 1333 Ram, 1TB HDD, Blu-ray drive, GTX 295 with 1792MB of ram 800 watt PSU, Keyboard and mouse, will run you about $1839.99 before taxes. These numbers will change based on the type of computer your building. I chose a gaming rig because they are the most difficult to save money on. Lower end computer will have a larger gap in price for pre-built vs. personally built, especially with companies like Apple, Dell or HP.

Laptops can fall into either of these categories. Although the freedom of designing a custom laptop isn’t as high as designing desktop computer, you still get a lot more options. However, in the case of custom laptops, you will end up paying more because it’s the manufacturer who builds them, not you. Of course there is Apple, who makes very good computers, but will cost you way more than the equivalent powered PC.

It all comes down to you and your wallet:

Lazy and rich: Buy pre-built.
Broke and constructive: Build your own.
Constructive and rich: build a $4,000+ rig and then give it to me.

Oh and there’s one other category I forgot to mention: Those who are afraid that they will have wasted their money on pieces of hardware that might not work once they get it all together. To you I say: READ MY NEXT POST, you may just get over your fear.

Here are my thoughts on the Smartphone market. When you start a jigsaw puzzle and all the pieces are scattered across the table, you know that there is a beautiful picture in there somewhere, but the parts are in all the wrong places. Well that’s the Smartphone market. Think about it.

HTC
On one side of the table you have HTC: one of the few companies that got the “sleek form factor” piece of the Smartphone world right with their HD2 phone. Too bad they left the usability piece (aka Android OS)  back on the other side of the table. Instead they force fed WinMo 6.5, a piece that looks like it fits, but really won’t. In the end, it ruins the puzzle’s beautiful picture.

Motorola:
Back to the other side of the table, you have Motorola. They’ve got the usability concept down, taking the extremely versatile Android OS and building it into their new release the Motorola DROID. But they seem to have forgotten that puzzle piece that likes to fall off the table and onto the floor: form factor. I might be the only one, but I want to break off every slide out keyboard I see on a phone. I would love to rip the keys off and put them back on, spelling “your a tool”. Seriously, why bother with a touch screen if your going to put physical keys on it. It defeats the purpose. Touchscreens are designed to eliminate unnecessary moving parts…

RIM
Which brings me to another point: The Storm. This is an especially touchy subject for me as I am an original Storm owner. So believe me, I know first hand of all its short comings, but I may also have a biased opinion so feel free to comment.

I think RIM did good in a lot of areas here. Form factor, usability, and even the service provider (Verizon); all fairly decent. Not top of the line mind you, but decent none the less. Not to stray back to my cheesy analogy… but think of the storm as your 50 piece puzzle instead of your 1000 piece puzzle. You have to remember the Blackberry OS was not designed to support a touchscreen so I give RIM a handicap in that area, and the sure-press click typing thing; a ballsy move in my book, so I give them points for effort despite it’s tremendous failure.

Apple
I am definitely not an Apple fanboy, far from it in fact, but over the past few years the iPhone has set the bar for Smartphones and they set it pretty damn high. But even Apple didn’t get all the pieces together right away. Stupid things like picture messaging and landscape keyboards in initial releases didn’t make the cut. Which make me wonder; will any of these companies ever get this right? Thoughts anyone?

We have all seen Google come out with great services and success of these can even be shown by the company’s stock price of 315.76 (up 5.18% even with the current market status). Chrome currently accounts for 3.1% of the market and that is just while it is in its beta stage. That is more then Apple’s Safari (2.7%), which has been released for a good deal of time now.

Many people, especially web developers, are sick and tired of the compatibility issues with Internet Explorer and are welcoming Chrome with open arms as another standards compliant browser. Now with word that Chrome may be leaving beta status soon, what should we expect? Hopefully some toolbars. For many people, that has been the only thing holding them back. But on the browser front, people switching to Chrome are going to have to switch from something.

Personally, I think the main reason IE holds such power right now is due to its loyal base of users who don’t know better and just use what is on their computer. These people will not switch unless they are shown the light.  As Gizmodo puts it:

“What does it take? Cash money. Many of you know that Google is the reason Firefox did so well in the first place: As far back as 2005, Google was paying major dollars to those who referred Firefox downloads that included the Google Toolbar. But Firefox never seems to have had the cash to buy its way to the PC makers’ desktops. The kind of payola that puts heinous crapware on Dells, HPs and other PCs will soon be put to work in the new browser war, one where Microsoft will for the first time have a serious threat on its home turf.”

Hopefully the combination of cash, simplicity, ease of use, and “new generation” clout will give Chrome the advantage it needs to beat Microsoft out of its thrown for the better good of…pardon the corniness… “webkind”.