The Apple Google Juggernaut - $66 Billion - Overtaking Microsoft?

If Apple and Google merge, the combined company will amass estimated revenue of $66.1 billion in 2009, thereby eclipsing Microsoft, whose estimated annual revenue in 2009 will be $62.4 billion. It will be a merger unlike any other in the history of mergers, and will create a powerhouse that might just topple the mighty Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) from the throne. Google CEO Eric Schmidt loves Apple to say the least, and signaled that Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) is working more closely with Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) at the Morgan Stanley Technology Conference this week. Schmidt joined the board of directors of Apple last year.

Apple, Google and Microsoft are three of the top 20 Innovators of The Innovation Index.

When Schmidt was asked by an investor on whether Google might be developing “Google phone” to compete with Apple's highly anticipated iPhone, Schmidt responded:"I don't want to comment on rumors, I will tell you that Google and Apple are doing more and more things together through the normal course of communications ... We have similar goals and similar competitors."Google and Apple are already working closely together; when Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple, announced the iPhone in January, it came packaged with Google Maps. (Apple Rising)

Apple and Google, or should we say AppGoogle, or GoogApple, will be a force to reckon with.

Rest of the story at:
The Apple Google Juggernaut - $66 billion - overtaking Microsoft?

Apple Innovations Roundup for 03-07-07

Apple Innovation News

Apple could yield $900m from Adobe CS3 launch
Macworld UK, UK
Apple will profit from the launch later this month of Adobe's first design suite built from the ground up for Intel-based Macs, a financial analyst said on ...

Apple TV ei giochi: una conferma da iTunes?
Tom's Hardware Guide, Italy
Nella giornata di ieri Apple ha rilasciato iTunes 7.1 e QuickTime 7.1.5, due software popolari per sistemi Windows e Mac. Tra le novità incluse citavamo il ...

Apple's new iTunes update fails to fix Windows Vista problems
EETimes.com
Apple's latest update to the PC-version of its iTunes music software fails to address a number of compatibility issues with Microsoft's Windows Vista ...

Google perceives closer ties with Apple
Earthtimes.org - NEW YORK: Is Google planning to forge closer ties with Apple? There are indications. Google's chief executive Eric Schmidt almost said so when he was asked ...

Apple to open 35-40 new stores in 2007
ipodnn, CA
Apple is aiming to expand its retail presence in the US as well as abroad, with plans to open 35-40 stores in 2007 with more than 10 of those planned ...

Apple exec disses Vista as no threat to Leopard
Computerworld, MA
Apple Inc.'s CFO yesterday said Windows Vista is no threat to Mac OS X 10.5 "Leopard" and argued that the steep hardware ...

Keyspan Enhances TuneView Remote for Apple iPod
Xtvworld (press release), India
Keyspan updates its new iPod accessory, TuneView, a powerful wireless remote that lets you browse and fully control your Apple iPod. ...

Latest iTunes Release Hints At Apple TV Gaming Future?
Inside Mac Games, TN
As reported on several Mac websites, the recently released iTunes 7.1 apparently includes localized text strings referring to games and the Apple TV media ...

New Apple products soon? Signs point to "Yes"
Ars Technica, MA - I was reminded yesterday that March 24 is considered a "significant" Apple day, and that there may be some possibility of an announcement of some sort on ...

Intel Chief Praises Apple's iPhone
Top Tech News, CA
Apple's iPhone is forcing a new wave of mobile device innovation, and validates the superiority of Unix-like systems on mobile devices over Windows, ...

Apple: Mac Sales Accelerating on Leopard, Adobe Creative Suite 3
Seeking Alpha, NY
Prudential’s Jesse Tortora yesterday raised his rating on Apple to Overweight from Neutral, and increased his price target to $105 from $100. ...

Apple TV: also a casual games console system?
GamePro.com
Announced just two months ago, Apple TV is Apple's newest attempt in bringing downloadable iTunes content from computers to television screens. ...

Apple is most innovative company — Fortune
Macworld UK, UK
The annual Fortune report also puts Apple at number seven among the top twenty companies in the world, and in second place in the computers category (behind ...

Apple releases iTunes 7.1, QuickTime 7.1.5, more
Apple Insider, AL
Apple Inc. on Monday delivered a new version of its iTunes media software that bundles support for the company's upcoming Apple TV media hub. ...

NAND flash to play bigger role in future Mac and iPod models
Apple Insider
Apple Inc . plans extensive use of NAND flash memory in future Mac and iPod models , which will include a new sub - notebook and widescreen video iPod , according to one Wall Street analyst.Citing ...

iPhone will cost at least $499, Apple exec says
Seattle Post Intelligencer
Apple Inc . predicted that 10 million customers will pay at least $499 to buy an iPhone next year because they realize most free mobile phones are worthless." A lot of people pay zero for the ...

Apple Innovation Blogs

Apple P2P?
Writer Bob Cringely looks at Apple TV media extender and wonders why it needs a 40 GB hard drive. Obviously the drive will be used for video storage, similar to Tivo. But it's not clear why or how it... Continue.
P2P File Sharing - http://www.p2p-weblog.com/

Understanding Apple's DRM
by schneier
Very interesting article about Apple's DRM system, which they call "FairPlay."
Schneier on Security - http://www.schneier.com/blog/

Games on Apple TV, So What?
by Nick Santilli
Apple TV is one of the products from Apple that so many were waiting with bated breath to finally hear about. The unit offers some interesting media options, but ultimately little in the way of new and exciting. ...
The Apple Blog - http://theappleblog.com

Apple TV To Play Games On...TV?
Nothing official yet from Apple on this, mind, but that looks pretty official to me. Which means it looks like you'll be able to play your iPod games on your TV. Why the hell you'd want to is another matter. I believe there are other, ...
Kotaku - http://www.kotaku.com

Apple Mail How to Access Gmail Using Apple Mail
by Scott
Personally, I love Apple Mail. It is such a simplistic email application and is very easy to use. Switching back and forth between Outlook, Entourage, and Apple Mail all day long it makes me really appreciate how simple Mac apps are to ...
Mac Utopia - http://www.scottkellam.com

Apple I-Phone
Something all techies should have seen.
Digg / Apple / digg - http://digg.com/apple

Zune watch out: Apple patented doubleshot
by Ryan Block
Potentially unfortunately for Microsoft, three days ago Apple was granted patent 20070048470, for "Housing of an electronic device formed by doubleshot injection molding". Filed August 16, 2005 by, among others, Johnny "iPhone" Ive ...
Engadget - http://www.engadget.com

Intel Working Against Apple iPhone
by Jonny
Intel make all of the blazing fast processors which belong to Apple and their line of Hardware. However they are planning to work against them in the portable scene where the iPhone is concerned. Battery life is a major factor when ...
Lawsy.net - http://www.lawsy.net

Apple releases Backup 3.1.1 update
Apple today released Backup 3.1.1, the latest version of its backup software for .Mac users under Mac OX...
macminute - http://www.macminute.com/

Apple Innovations Roundup for 02-27-07

Apple Innovation News

Apple TV shipping date postponed to mid-March
Good Morning Silicon Valley, CA
By Troy Wolverton.
Apple customers will have to wait a bit longer for its new Apple TV device. The company now plans to ship the gadget in mid-March. ...

Apple, Samsung, Sandisk sued over MP3
ITworld.com, MA
Little-known Texas MP3 Technologies Ltd. is taking on Apple Inc., Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. and Sandisk Corp. with a patent-infringement lawsuit. ...

Apple COO: iPhone on track for June launch
San Jose Business Journal, CA
Apple Inc.'s chief operating officer, Tim Cook, told conference-goers Tuesday that the iPhone is on track to release in June. ...

Mac OS infused with tools of the corporate IT trade
Macworld, CA
Apple, long a ghost in the corporate-infrastructure mainstream, is beginning to cast a shadow as IT departments discover Mac platforms that are being ...

Is Apple overhauling Logic to be a ProTools killer?
Ars Technica, MA
It might may seem like it, but it's been almost five years since Apple acquired the German company Emagic and made their Logic "music creation" software ...

Apple Attends Europe's Focus on Imaging
The Mac Observer
Apple has a large presence at Europe's largest imaging show being held in Birmingham from February 25th to 28th. Apple UK posted photos of the event on ...

Apple Innovation Blogs

Apple adds Ms. Pac-Man iPod game to iTunes Store
New iPod games have been few and far between in recent months, but Apple just added another one to its iTunes Store. Ms. Pac-Man is the game, and it's a faithful conversion of the classic arcade game. Ms. Pac-Man has four unique maze ...
digg / dig - http://digg.com/

Why Apple should license the iPhone platform
by Jon Fortt
Apple (AAPL) seems to have the most inspired answer yet, ... But that will only happen if Apple will license the touch navigation technology to other companies. ... I predict Apple has three years to decide whether to license the iPhone ...
The Utility Belt - http://blogs.business2.com/utilitybelt/

Apple TV Delayed
BREAKING NEWS I see that Apple shares are trading down in the pre-market. Driving that is the announcement that the company will delay the shipment of its Apple TV device until mid-March. Apple gave no reason why they are delaying. ...
The Digital TV Weblog - http://www.digitaltv-weblog.com/

Briefly: review; Apple FCP patent
In brief: MacNN has reviewed the Speck TechStyle-Puck case for Apple's second-generation iPod shuffle, Apple was granted a new patent for Final Cut Pro covering customized shading of a graphical user interface, Adobe CS3 is rumored to ...
MacNN The Macintosh News Network - http://www.macnn.com/

Daily Giz Wiz 257: Apple Airport Extreme
by Leo Laporte
On this edition of Turn the Tables Tuesday, a look at Apple's new Apple Airport Extreme. For more details and a chance to win the Mad Magazine "What The Heck Is It? ... Apple's new Airport Extreme, now with 802.11n. ...
TWiT.TV - Netcasts you love from people you trust - http://www.twit.tv

Vista inspires people to switch to Apple
by John Bollwitt People talked about it for years, saying that it was going to be this completely awesome OS that would rival everything Apple has been doing. This is exactly the type of thing that IT folks fear to hear, and with all the different ...
john bollwitt blog - http://audihertz.net/blog

Apple prepping updates for all Mac lines by June?
by Paul Miller - References
It all sounds plenty reasonable, there are a lot of products in Apple's flock that are getting a bit stale, but we're rather doubtful there are any sort of "tipsters well placed at Apple," spilling this info to the MacScoop folks. ...
Engadget - http://www.engadget.com

Apple To Get Into Ringtone Business
by Michael Arrington - References
This video presents a fairly compelling case that Apple will be getting into the Ringtone business with the release of the iPhone. ... My instincts tell me the studies are meaningless, though, and that Apple will sell these things as ...
TechCrunch - http://www.techcrunch.com

Apple files patent for “Cover Flow”
Apple has filed a new trademark application for “Cover Flow”. This covers “computer software for browsing the contents of a library of music or ... Apple Files ‘Cover Flow’ Trademark in US [via macnn]. Original post by Chris Scott Barr.
Gadget Addict - http://www.gadgetaddict.com

Apple and Cisco agree -- both will use iPhone name
Amazingly boring announcement from Apple and Cisco says they will both use the iPhone name and ... In full, it reads: SAN JOSE and CUPERTINO, California--February 21, 2007--Cisco and Apple today announced that they have resolved their. ...
Guardian Unlimited: Technology blog - http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/technology/

First Apple iPhone ad spotted at the Oscars
by Norbert
During the 79th Annual Academy Awards, Apple managed to slip in a very nicely done iPhone ad. The 30-second spot includes clips from different TV shows and movies with about 30 actors (not sure about that) saying "hello" on the phone. ...
MobileGuerilla - http://www.mobileguerilla.com/

Apple Innovations Roundup for 02-21-07

Apple Innovation News

The iPhone Has Very Little New Technology: So Why Does Apple Need ...
InformationWeek, NY
Apple under the leadership of Steve Jobs has been a leader in innovation. Apple didn't invent the MP3 player; they just innovated it and made it mainstream. ...

Computerworld: Apple Macs are the most flexible, compatible ...
MacDailyNews
As competition drives innovation, it’s likely that the virtualization options for Macs will keep getting better and better." ...

The Virtue of Patents
Wall Street Journal (subscription), NY
And, without that money, they will be unable to invest in other new products and technology, meaning that innovation could become the purview of a few large ...

Beware the signs that point to the winner's curse
The Age, Australia
Lacking Apple's constant innovation, Dell's model was based on selling the same stuff that everyone else was flogging but with lower costs and tailoring it ...

Apple Innovation Blogs

Oy, I'ma Mac
by bwedwards
Looks like the Apple vs PC characters are a little different in England than in the US. In my opinion, the PC guy doesn’t look as nerdy as the American version, and the Mac person looks more like a footballer than a Gen-Y hipster—he’s ...
Innovation Science - http://brentblog.typepad.com/brentblog/

The Infinite Loop response that never was
by tom
Well we've been asking Apple to change since 2004. Given Apple changed its entire computer hardware and software range to run on new chips in just a year, it seems that some green innovation from Apple is long over due. ...
Greenpeace - Making Waves - http://weblog.greenpeace.org/makingwaves/

A random guide to DRM
by Mike Mullane These can only be played on iPods, which are protected by Apple’s FairPlay system. ... can be used to view programmes, thus stifling technical innovation. ... Elsewhere, the French Parliament has passed a bill compelling Apple to open ...
MULTIMEDIA MEETS RADIO - http://multimediameetsradio.typepad.com/ebu/

The exhibition: Improving life
by oceanskies79 An innovation doesn't have to be of a grand scale, but it can neverthless contribute ... the odds as they present their designs and innovations to the world. ... I remember that I was playing on one of my uncle's Apple computer and ...
Places - http://oceanskies79places.blogspot.com/index.html

Up Close and Personal with the SupaCam DVi
by Nate ... two events may have been the development and future release of the Apple iPhone. ... for unknown innovation – is overwhelmed by the high-rollers of the industry. ... which is something the already-extra-hyped Apple iPhone can’t say. ...
ShieldZone Covered - http://www.shieldzone.com/blog

Peanuts? Soda? iPod? Mexican Airlines rents iPods

Mexican low-cost Airlines Volaris began renting out iPods for free on Feb 8, 2007, and is planning to charge about $5 per iPod rental per flight soon.

Volaris chose the 30 Gigabyte iPods to rent to the airline passengers. Volaris made the entrepreneurial decision to simply buy many iPods and begin renting the iPods to passengers.

"We're the first to use iPod's. We like it because no one else has it," said public relations officer Alfonso Collantes for Volaris.

According to the press release, the iPods are packed with Mexican TV shows and popular music, but the airline plans to load on U.S. sitcoms and other music genres. Also, the iPod's are not integrated into seat-back video screens, like the U.S. carriers are planning.

Insight:

There is a real market for iPod rentals across many industries. Airlines market is prime owing to the total time passengers have during the flight. Airports could be next. Amtrak and Bus Transportation services are also the low hanging fruit for iPod rentals. Perhaps coffee houses such as Starbucks may also begin the iPod rental service in the near future. Even libraries can begin an iPod rental service, and create a profitable cash flow.

For the complete story, click here.

Apple Innovations Roundup for 02-19-07

Apple Innovation News

Rising chorus against DRM
p2pnet.net, Canada
That week, which began with Apple CEO Steve Jobs calling on the industry to drop DRM and concluded with the Canadian Private Copying Collective (CPCC), ...

The Future of Computing: the Flash Key
IT Management, CT
And Apple owns the portable device market and is known for their innovation. In the upcoming years, we will be seeing much more integration between our ...

Three books look at effects of egos on businesses
Miami Herald, FL
The result is that Apple, even with its comparatively small share of the personal computer market, is its industry's clear leader in innovation. ...

Apple to re-enter the sub-notebook market
Apple Insider - 16 Feb 2007
A tiny sub - notebook on its way from Apple Inc . is expected to re - establish the Mac maker as a leader in the field of compact computing while drawing parallels to the legendary PowerBook ...

Apple security update patches iChat, disk image flaws
Apple Insider - 16 Feb 2007
Apple Inc . on Thursday issued a security update that stomps out four critical flaws within its Mac OS X operating system , all of which were first revealed last month as part of the " Month ...

Apple may turn to induction for iPod docking, charging
Apple Insider - 15 Feb 2007
Apple Inc . is attempting to develop a revolutionary dock connector for handheld consumer electronics gadgets that will allow the devices to be docked in any orientation and , in some cases , ...

DigiTimes reiterates claim of 15.4-inch Apple 'MacBooks' in Q2
Apple Insider - 15 Feb 2007
A technology publication situated in Taiwan is reiterating its claim that Apple Inc . next quarter will expand its consumer line of ' MacBook ' notebooks to include a 15.4 - inch model.Citing ...

ATI Radeon X2800XT with CrossFire rumored for Apple's next Mac Pro
Apple Insider - 14 Feb 2007
The centerpiece of ATI's next - generation graphics card line may make its first appearance as part of an upgrade to Apple Inc . ' s Mac Pro line of professional desktop computers , according ...


Apple Innovation Blogs

The iPhone Highlights The Difference Between Invention And Innovation
by mmasnick
Over at Computerworld, Mike Elgan has written up a great piece highlighting how the iPhone is a fantastic piece of innovation that really has very little new in it. As we pointed out when we questioned Apple's claim to 200 patents ...
Techdirt Corporate Intelligence:... - http://news.techdirt.com/news/wireless/

Make way for music
by Julie Bryce
For most of us, our first experience with digital music was with Apple’s iTunes and some version of the Apple iPod. Given the history of technology and the trend that competition encourages innovation, is that a good thing? ...
Red Hat Magazine - http://www.redhatmagazine.com

Innovation in wireless handsets: a David and Goliath story (?)
by Jorge Fernandez
While calling Apple a ‘David’ these days is a bit of an understatement, ... The WSJ ran a story last week that detailed how Apple and Steve Jobs were able to turn our ... Picker could design a new course called “Apple and the Law”? ...
Network Industries - http://picker.typepad.com/network_industries/

The cost of being cool
by Dennis Howlett
I was discussing this with Scott Converse, the only ex-Apple exec with whom I’ve ever spoken. Scott roomed with Steve Jobs at college and worked at Apple for 10 years so I guess he has a unique insight into both ... Innovation. Share This.
AccMan - http://www.accmanpro.com

GMP 3GSM Wrapup
by Mark McQueen
Apple had no formal presence at 3GSM although this is surprising given ... The general perception of handset competitors is that the hype surrounding Apple is a ... There was a lack of hardware innovation as discussed earlier in this ...
Wellington Financial Blog - News,... - http://www.wellingtonfund.com/blog