Apple:

Apple® today announced that developers have created over 100,000 apps for the revolutionary App Store, the largest applications store in the world. iPhone® and iPod touch® customers in 77 countries can choose from an incredible range of apps in 20 categories, including games, business, news, sports, health, reference and travel. App Store users have downloaded well over two billion apps, continuing to make it the world’s most popular applications store.

With about 80-million users, 100,000 apps, and over 2-billion downloads, is it safe to say that the iPhone is now a full-fledged platform?

It had to happen. First, Apple launches Mac OS X Snow Leopard. Then, a few weeks later, Microsoft launches the long-awaited Windows 7. ComputerWorld’s Smackdown declares a clear winner.

Clear? Not at first, at least until you traverse all 10 pages of detail to get to the summary conclusion, which is more perspective than analysis or feature comparison.

My final verdict in this smackdown? It’s not even close: Snow Leopard is the better OS.

Sadly, this is another example of technology journalism in the 21st century. At least Michael DeAgonia came to the correct conclusion.

Screed journalism is alive and well in the technology industry. Witness Rob Enderle’s latest digital version of yellow journalism in Why Apple should license Windows 7. The logic (or lack of) is stunning.

Let’s start out by saying that hell would likely freeze over before this happened but then I can recall just a few years ago…

You can see it coming, right? Apple moved the Mac to Intel and licensed Exchange from Microsoft. Add to that Apple’s official blessing of running Windows on a Mac via Boot Camp, VMWare Fusion, or Parallels and anything can happen.

So it shouldn’t be surprising that impossible things can happen between these two companies.

The catch here is that impossible things do not happen. Why? Because they’re impossible. Improbable things happen, even more so when they make perfect sense.

How does it make any sense that Apple should license Windows 7?

...last week VMware servers were brought to their knees as a result of downloads for Fusion 3.0 a product that is used to run Windows on Mac hardware. This would suggest that an incredibly large number of recent Apple customers are putting Windows 7 on their Macs anyway and not waiting for Apple to license the product from Microsoft.

There’s that inescapable Enderle thinking process wreaking havoc with logic and reason. Because VWware’s servers were slow to deliver downloads for a new version of Fusion must mean that a large number of Mac users are tired of waiting for Apple to license Windows.

Therefore, Apple needs to license Windows. Yes, Rob, but why? Enderle doesn’t say, of course, because there are no good reasons why, and relative to the one million new Macs being sold each month, those running Windows on a Mac constitute a tiny, tiny minority.

If the enemy of my enemy is my friend, then what are Microsoft and Google to Apple? Enderle thinks Apple and Microsoft need to defend themselves from Google.

Google’s strategy is to render both operating systems irrelevant and perhaps the best way to avoid that is for both Apple and Microsoft to work together to make sure that, by working better together, they never can be.

That’s an interesting thought. Is Google the enemy of both Apple and Microsoft? Or, is Microsoft the enemy of both Apple and Google? Or, is it that Apple is the enemy of both Google and Microsoft?  See the problem there?

Google represents a real threat to both companies because it is working to change the fundamental model that underlies the margins both Microsoft and Apple live under. Google believes in commodity hardware, advertising funded free software, and the web as a platform and once 4G becomes wide spread, Google’s model should reach a point that they could largely displace both firms.

I do not disagree that Google represents a threat to both Apple and Microsoft. There are questions to ask and Rob Enderle is the wrong person to ask them, let alone answer them. For example, how much of a threat is Android to the iPhone or Windows Mobile (I submit that it’s more to the latter than the former). From such analysis and questions can arise a premise:

“Apple and Microsoft should band together to thwart Google’s attacks.”

That’s a much more appropriate consideration than the long-winded, ill-advised, nonsensical, Apple should license Windows 7 smokescreen-designed-to-get-page-hits from Enderle.

What should Apple do instead of licensing Windows? Continue to build better products. I have no doubt that Google is no longer a friend of Apple, but a true-blue enemy of the state. Google gives away free that which Apple needs to sell to survive and prosper. There are reasons why the iPhone has no Flash support. There are reasons why the iPhone has no Google Phone support.

It’s called competition.

Fake Steve on the problems Disney faces with consumer groups over Baby Einstein.

I’m on record opposing this refund to idiots who bought Baby Einstein and now are claiming that they thought plopping their kids in front of videos would make them smart. Frankly, if you’re stupid enough to believe that, then you’ve already done your kids irreparable harm by passing your DNA on to them. Whatever harm that video might do is nothing compared to the harm of inheriting your hillbilly genes…

Maybe these same consumer groups could apply similar pressure to politicians when their claims don’t pan out.

Robert Scoble on why he might switch from an iPhone to an Android phone, and why it probably won’t happen.

I met the guy who runs the iPhone app team (he asked to remain anonymous) and he told me his team approves hundreds of new apps every day. So, that’s HUNDREDS of new reasons every day that I will remain unreasonable. Sorry to Nokia, Palm, Microsoft, RIM, and all the other players.

Apple is the master of the gilded cage, the velvet rope, golden chains, also known as the lock in. We’re lock in. We love it.

Arizona is not the UK. Besides a bridge, this week they share in common a grand opening. Arizona is home to the first Microsoft Store. Brighton, UK is home to yet another Apple Store. The stunning difference is captured in video.

Microsoft’s store opening in Arizona, and Apple’s store opening in the UK.

The Daring Fireball take on Rob Enderle:

I’m coming around to the idea that Enderle’s really a genius and his doofus routine is a Stephen Colbert-esque schtick.

How embarrassing for Colbert.

In a technological age where anyone can say anything to anyone in the world at any time, there are bound to be abuses. So it is with Rob Enderle, the principal analyst of the one-person technology pundit company known as the Enderle Group.

Just in case you thought that Apple’s Steve Jobs had cornered the Reality Distortion Field field, remember that copy cat crimes abound in the tech industry.

The Enderle Group provides an unparalleled look inside breaking technology events to identify the core reasons that buyers and builders of technology should care.

Technology events? Sure. During a worldwide recession cum depression, Apple sells more products than ever, has higher revenue than ever, and higher profits than ever. Microsoft? Not so much, since the Windows maker’s revenue and profits are down. Again. How does the Microsoft-infested-and-invested media explain things?

Microsoft Corp. benefited from increased consumer demand for personal computers and videogames, helping offset weak business spending that pulled its quarterly profit down 18%.

Profits were down and investors benefited. Explain that, in light of Microsoft’s virtually flatlined stock price over the past five years.

The software giant’s results provided some additional optimism that a recovery is beginning to help the technology sector and that Microsoft has strengthened its mix of products after stumbling with the Windows Vista operating system.

Uh huh. And how is that such good news that MSFT goes up instead of down, yet is eerily the same over the past five years?

The results, which followed two of the worst quarters in the Redmond, Wash., company’s history, were a welcome change for investors, who bid Microsoft shares up 5.8% in afternoon trading Friday to $28.12 on the Nasdaq Stock Market.

Now we have three worst quarters in Microsoft’s history compared to the three best quarters in Apple’s history. How do the technology pundits, many seemingly on Microsoft’s payroll, respond?

How Microsoft blindsided vulnerable Apple with Windows 7 from none other than the nemesis of logic and reason, Rob Enderle. Wait for it. Here it comes. Hear it? It’s called sour grapes.

Their big news this week was a couple of PCs, a new keyboard and a multi-touch mouse. This last will likely go down in history as one of the lamest devices yet as they should know, given the iPhone, that touch is connected to the screen and not anything else.

Except, of course, that over half of all PCs sold are notebooks, many of which now use touch trackpads. Users love ‘em. Rob does not. Instead of competent and insightful analysis, all Rob can do is hurl insults.

They likely would have done better putting fir on the damn thing and building it to fart the star spangled banner at least that would have been patriotic.

And people pay this guy for his knowledge and experience. Wait. There’s more.

Windows 7 is coming out of the gate with only one known issue… In edition (sic) Microsoft didn’t blow their entire budget before the product actually hit the stores and has a substantial sustaining marketing budget. This means, this time, both the product and the marketing program is in relatively good shape and instead of being tired and vulnerable, Microsoft is ready for war.

That’s good to hear since, well, you know, revenue is down (again) and profits are down (again) and Apple has as much money and nearly as much market cap as Microsoft. It’s not as though Microsoft didn’t have any money to spend to compete against Apple the past 10 years. Alright, it’s war. Is Apple ready for war?

Steve Jobs and Apple clearly planned for the same traditional behavior and were completely unprepared for both the quality of Windows 7 and the fact Microsoft has a war chest this time.

This time? Microsoft has had even more money than now, and probably has more than most countries of the world (including the U.S.). But now Microsoft is somehow ready for war? That means Apple must be the poster child of beleaguered companies, right?

Verizon, Google and Motorola have opened a second front with the Droid iCan’t campaign (this is actually rather funny) that targets the iPhones weaknesses. None of these companies has any love for Apple.

Duh. How can poor Apple compete on so many different fronts? Oh. Wait. They’ve been doing that for years already. Mac vs. PC. iPod vs. Zune and some other media players. iTunes Store vs. what? Amazon? iPhone vs. BlackBerry, Nokia, Motorola, Microsoft, et al. How has Apple performed to date against all that competition and all those fronts, Rob?

This combination of the Microsoft budget and the Droid attack splits Apple’s resources and focus and makes it vastly more difficult for the firm to respond timely or well. The end result is an unprecedented exposure.

Unprecedented? 1997 was unprecedented in Apple history. So is 2009. Apple seems to have rebounded nicely while every one of those competing companies has faltered. Is there a lesson to be learned from how Microsoft supposedly blindsided Apple with Windows 7?

Even when you are on top it is very foolish to under estimate a competitor with Microsoft’s resources because they can actually get it right, and picking too many fights at once can take out the most powerful of entities just as it took out a nearly unbeatable Germany in the second world war.

They can get it right? When will they start? Windows Mobile? The money-losing XBox? The money-losing Zune? Or, the desperation of Windows 7?

I love the juxtapositioning here. Apple is on top. Like the Nazi regime of WWII. Beleaguered Microsoft has become the underdog who must have allies to defeat the enemy. Google, Verizon, Motorola et al, are the allies aligned against poor, defenseless Apple. Is there no way that Cupertino’s darling gadget maker can, you know, make it against such odds?

With Steve Jobs in Apple the firm can respond to threats like this one very quickly but only if they see it coming in time. I think they are likely to repeat the 1995 mistake and that means they probably won’t be either quick enough or effective enough to dodge this bullet. However, this is Apple after all and this fight is still young, it would also be very foolish to count them out early.

Weasel.

Let me look to the future, say, the end of 2010, not quite 18 months away. The world will be climbing out of a recession and prosperity will be visible. Microsoft’s revenue and profits return. Meanwhile, what of Apple, Inc.? May I suggest, Rob, that record revenue and profits during a recession might bode well for continuing record revenue and profits out of the recession.

Looking back, Rob’s record for identifying trends and performance is abysmal. Looking back from the future I suspect it will be the same.

Google’s Chrome browser for Mac reaches developer pre-release status. From Ars:

The developer preview is based on the upcoming version 4 of Google’s upstart browser, and it’s important to note that although it’s publicly accessible, it’s still not quite a beta. Several versions have already been released for Windows, but none have been released for Linux or Mac OS X. This is the first time an official release—build 4.0.223.8—has been available for Mac OS X outside of nightly development builds.

This version works better than any previous Chrome browser.

If you’ve been wondering how Apple would respond to Microsoft Windows 7, just remember all the broken promises of the past. The money quote:

Trust me. This time it’s going to be different. Trust me.

Wait! There’s more Windows 7 fun. Teeter Tottering. PC News.

Perfect.

Today is a monumental day for Microsoft. The first retail store opened in Arizona. The Microsoft online store was remodeled (it first opened in November 2008) and now sells PCs and 3rd party software and accessories.

Microsoft shill Mary Jo Foley sounds worried:

I have to admit I’m doubtful Microsoft is going to be able to pull off anything as sleek and hip as Apple has with its retail stores. And launching stores in major retail areas is an expensive proposition. But I’ll try and keep an open mind. Who knows: Maybe the Redmondians will find a way to one-up the Apple store, minus the attitude….

Attitude?

Oh, one more thing. Windows 7 debuts today, too.

Without question, Windows 7 will do better than Windows Vista. XP is just too long in the tooth to make business users suffer much longer. I’ll go on record and state that Microsoft’s brick and mortar stores will not be as popular or as successful as Apple’s retail stores. The newly revamped online Microsoft Store is another vain attempt to thwart Apple’s online sales success.

You’ve seen it spelled both ways, disc and disk. Which one is correct? Are they pronounced the same way? Do they have different meanings? Apple knows:

They’re pronounced the same, but, technically speaking, there is a distinct difference between a disc and a disk.

So, what is a disc?

A disc refers to optical media, such as an audio CD, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, DVD-RAM, or DVD-Video disc… All discs are removable, meaning when you unmount or eject the disc from your desktop or Finder, it physically comes out of your computer.

How does that differ from disk?

A disk refers to magnetic media, such as a floppy disk, the disk in your computer’s hard drive, an external hard drive… Disks are usually sealed inside a metal or plastic casing (often, a disk and its enclosing mechanism are collectively known as a “hard drive”).

Apple delivers a little more clarity in a confused and complex world.

I finally got my hands on a Magic Mouse and don’t want to let go. It’s sweet. But, unlike Gizmodo’s Jason Chen, I won’t go so far as to say it’s the best mouse Apple’s made in years. Why? I don’t remember a better mouse.

The Magic Mouse is undoubtedly the best mouse Apple’s made in years. They’ve taken their knowledge in trackpad finger gestures and one-piece manufacturing and made this delicate, yet sturdy, bridge-shaped mouse. The question is how it compares to other mice.

When was the last time that Apple made a better mouse than Magic Mouse? It wasn’t Mighty Mouse, though it was good. It wasn’t the one-button mouse. It wasn’t the original iMac’s hockey puck mouse.

It also can’t manage to stay free from scratches, similar to white MacBooks that also get scratched very easily. But the blemishes don’t interfere with the mouse’s functionality—it’s just painful to watch any new product lose its pristine finish so quickly.

How do you scratch the top of a mouse? If it’s a ring causing the scratches, then it’s your own fault. A gold plated mouse would have the same issue. So, is it a good mouse?

Yeah, it is. The Magic Mouse is much better than the Mighty Mouse, which people hated, and might actually be good enough that non-Mac users might want to pick it up as well, supposing that they don’t really care about ergonomics.

Alright, Jason. Guess what? All people didn’t hate Mighty Mouse. Only elitist techno nerds hated it. It sold by the tens of millions. I loved mine, even preferring it to an expensive and well-used Microsoft Intellimouse.

It’s not ergonomic? What mouse is ergonomic? Compare it to something.

The Magic Mouse doesn’t have the crazy tracking ability that Logitech’s MX mice just introduced—so it can’t track on glass, and it can’t track on glossy surfaces like the 13-inch MacBook.

Right. That makes sense. Don’t use Magic Mouse on a window or on top your white MacBook. Are there any negatives?

As good as the swiping gestures are, they’re limited in what you can actually accomplish with them. You can’t use more than three fingers at a time, because you won’t have enough fingers left to hold the mouse.

Damn that human anatomy. If only we had more fingers then Magic Mouse would be Gizmodo worthy. Did Apple do anything right?

The one thing Apple did completely right in the Magic Mouse was the touch scrolling. It’s fluid, natural and works with any amount of fingers on over 75% of the mouse surface (all the way down to the Apple logo). Flicking up and down gets you up and down web pages fast, as long as you have “momentum” turned on in the settings.

Thanks to Wil and a patient friend from the 5th Avenue Apple Store (the shrine), I’ve been playing with a Magic Mouse for about an hour (long lunch). First, it’s strikingly beautiful. That’s Apple’s forte.

Second, Magic Mouse is incredibly smooth, altogether similar in movement to the glass trackpad on my MacBook Pro. My first problem was accidentally activating right-click while scrolling. It’s sensitive and requires a finger tip pressure adjustment that’s different than Mighty Mouse.

Magic Mouse surface is far smoother to scroll than any scroll wheel I’ve ever used. Two finger swiping is more awkward than on my MacBook Pro, probably because the trackpad has a larger surface area, and the notebook doesn’t move as I swipe, which Magic Mouse is prone to do. Jason is correct.

Using two finger swiping to navigate web pages, on the other hand, is a bit more awkward. You’ll need to pinch the mouse on the sides with your thumb and fourth/pinkie finger while you’re scrolling, forcing you to make a painful eagle claw all the time.

For the first time ever you can scroll in a circle. Photoshop users will love it. On the other hand, if you have a problem with swiping on a MacBook Pro trackpad, you’re likely to have similar issues with gestures on Magic Mouse. There’s not as much surface, and even with a smooth swipe, the mouse itself can move. That takes getting used to.

Unlike the iPhone, Magic Mouse’s Multi-Touch surface doesn’t allow you to pinch or squeeze to zoom in, or stretch to zoom out. Magic Mouse is also much smaller than expected, especially when placed next to the brick-like Logitech or Microsoft mouse.

One hour does not a review make, because it takes time to unlearn old habits and learn a slightly different way to do the same things, but Magic Mouse is smooth as silk, and very sensitive to a precise touch. Even with two batteries inside it doesn’t feel heavy. It remains to be seen how long the batteries last. I’ll do a more detailed review as soon as I can buy a Magic Mouse and give it a run through (awaiting Mac OS X 10.6.2).

One day after announcing stellar financial results, Apple updates the iMac, MacBook, Mac mini, and introduces a new Magic Mouse.

• iMac: featuring brilliant LED-backlit 21.5 and 27-inch widescreen displays in a new edge-to-edge glass design and seamless all aluminum enclosure. The new iMac line, starting at $1,199, is the fastest ever with Intel Core 2 Duo processors starting at 3.06 GHz, and Core i5 and i7 quad-core processors for up to twice the performance.
• MacBook: a new, durable polycarbonate unibody design featuring a brilliant LED-backlit display, a glass Multi-Touch trackpad and Apple’s innovative built-in battery for up to seven hours of battery life.
• Magic Mouse: the first mouse to use Apple’s revolutionary Multi-Touch technology. Pioneered on iPhone, iPod touch and Mac notebook trackpads, Multi-Touch allows customers to navigate using intuitive finger gestures. Instead of mechanical buttons, scroll wheels or scroll balls, the entire top of the Magic Mouse is a seamless Multi-Touch surface.
• Mac mini: the world’s most energy-efficient desktop computer. When idle, it uses less than 14 watts, something no other desktop can do. Now with a faster processor, more memory, high performance NVIDIA graphics, and built-in 802.11n wireless.

Nice, but evolutionary, not revolutionary.