A showpiece for the iPad, E-book

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People pitch me on new apps all the time, but Al Gore doesn't use it often. In fact, only once – last week.

I took the bait. I met him and his co-workers on "Our Choice," a $ 5 app version (iPhone/iPad,/iPod Touch) by Mr. Gore 2009 best seller of the same name.

Now, I'll be honest with you: I must be sent every other week on some "revolutionary" e-book app that claims to reinvent the book. That usually means a couple of videos in the.

"Our choice," but can actually live up to boast.

A page from Al Gores new book app, "our choice".

As Mr. Gore put it, was his 2006 book "an inconvenient truth" 90% if the crisis climate problem and only 10% of responses. "Our choice" replace this number.

It is about how he thinks we need to take right now to avoid the worst of climate disaster. It examines all factors: solar, wind, nuclear, politics, population, deforestation. It's vintage Gore: compelling, accurate, justified and filled with laymen-I recaps of the latest scientific research. If you did not know if black carbon, albedo and solves, you will after reading "our choice".

Mr. Gore acknowledges skeptics, even summarize their arguments, before trying to tear them. his message still that we must act quickly to avoid really devastating climate problems. "The United States still borrow money from China to buy oil from the Persian Gulf to burn in a manner that destroys the planet. Each bit of the change, "he writes.

The book was published in 2009, but the software version has been updated. It includes discussions of "birther" sceptics, tsunami in Japan and last year's Climategate.

But enough about the book. The bigger news is the app.

It is structured like a book, with 400 photos, illustrations and diagrams. It works best on the iPad, of course, but miniature versions on the iPhone/Touch work surprisingly well, too. In both cases, you can zoom out to see the scroll page thumbnails at the bottom of the window for easy jumping around.

In both apps is the real magic of all Visual elements. You can expand each photo and graphic to fill the entire screen; they look spectacular. Now you can interact with them, you can tap on the corner of each photo, such as looking at the planet was taken there. You can press your finger on a bar in the chart to "explode" in smaller bars, display component data behind the primary bar. (For example, a column chart shows the six gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect. Hold your finger on a bar to see it broken down into smaller bars, where such gas is coming from that show: transport, buildings and so on.)

Some of the images is narrated animations. Some turn out to be movies (there are a total of one hour of video), best narrated by Mr. Gore.

Interactivity, zoom in graphical elements and videos is not a gimmick. They actually give a different experience. The book feels more Web-like. at your leisure, you can walk from the main river in the text to one of these deeper Dives. There is not yet afraid to fall outside the primary idea.

Thanks to all the smoothly integrated multimedia engaging book more parts of your brain than just reading the prose. Consequently, Mr. Gore goes much further in their mission – persuasion – than what he could on the printed page alone.

Another result is that you can spend many hours with this "book," subscript and explore. For once, is this an e-book that truly redefine the net effect of an e-book. It really take advantage of the touch screen, speakers and storage of your gadget to the fullest.

Best of all, "said the small company who created the app (called PushPop Press) that during the past 18 months, not to create just" our choice ". At the same time created a platform, a technology that will allow them and others to publish subsequent rich book apps much faster and easier.

There is room for improvement. You cannot search in the text, or comment on, or copy or select it and Links on the Internet may have been an obvious inclusion. Mr. Gore narration is not ahem…i've spent, the liveliest you have ever heard.

You should also know that it is a great app, over 50 megabytes. When you buy it from the app store, all you get is the introductory video; you are prompted to download the rest of the book in a WiFi hotspot. It could be a rude surprise if you download the book just before heading out on a road trip, for example.

But over all, this is one of the most elegant, fluid, rich apps you have ever seen. It is a showpiece for the new world, touch-screen gadgets.

I told Mr. Gore that, frankly, I was relieved that "Our Choice" is such a great app. ' I was afraid that it would be Lame ", I said. "I would have had to Show at this meeting and pretend I liked it."

Mr. Gore do not miss a beat. -I know, "he said. "I felt the same way about your Nova miniseries."

Funny guy. Also a convincing, thorough writer. He has overseen the creation of a really cool app-book, as an app store reviewer put it, "makes reading an interactive performance and, above all, emotional experience."

Well done, Mr Vice-President.

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Apple revolutionizes video editing with Final Cut Pro X

Final Cut Pro X contains important audio editing and color classification features from Final Cut Studio, so you can now use a single application for the entire post-production workflow. Even more with motion and compressor, is also from Mac App Store.

Final Cut Pro X $ 299; 99motion 5 $ 49.99compressor 4 $ 99buy now 49.

For the first available time, Final Cut Pro, Motion and compressor exclusively from Mac App Store. Click Download and install.

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iPad, 2 stars in holiday videos

WELLINGTON, New Zealand – may vacations bring lots of idle downtime for browsing photo galleries and videos. But how about editing and producing some short film Gems on the fly? By Chris Ratcliffe, Bloomberg News

Apple Store Customer Owen Salisbury uses the camera on an iPad, 2 in London.

By Chris Ratcliffe, Bloomberg News

Apple Store Customer Owen Salisbury uses the camera on an iPad, 2 in London.

Fortunately Apple's iPad, 2 packed for this two-week New Zealand trip. It included the use of e-mail and Skype, plan trips, play endless hours of Angry Birds and shoot and edit HD video on the go.IPad, 's nearly 10-inch screen was a natural sexy to review homemade videos directly on site. Bystanders were amazed when showed newly conquered footage of erupting geysers or Kiwi bungee jumpers.And involvement of Apple's $ 4.99 iMovie app ReelDirector and rival video programs and joint, you can enable these small productions in mini video postcard. IT's then using to get them right to Facebook directly from room Motel. You don't have to wait until you get home. Nor have you worry that your creation will always be rotting in your camera.New Zealand trip gave four finished the iPad,-produced pieces. It would have been better had it been possible to include the video clips shot and imported from other cameras to iPad,. But they don t work in iMovie without going through a serious solution. For more information about this in a moment.First let's talk about the iPad, 2 as a video recording device. The pros are large: the big screen, immediate satisfaction, exceptional video quality in good light. But cons are many: no flash, no Zoom and it's bulky. It does not fit in a pocket or tote. There's no tripod mount for it either, so that your finished video can get very shaky. And unsteadiness are much more on the larger screen.That the issue can be fixed by using instant messaging and positioning of the iPad, on crutches, a fence, a desk, ground, something to keep it steady.On the journey, were also point-and-shoot cameras from Canon, Nikon, Sony and Panasonic, together, are testing for future review, and had all the features the iPad, lacks: Zoom, flash, tripod mounts, removable memory and better lenses.In each case was the video quality from cameras sharper and sharper, especially on Canon PowerShot S95.But no one had the huge Tablet screen to watch the video. Neither the add-on features that people love about the iPad, as the browser and all of these apps. And you can t make a video on a Canon camera, edit it directly on the site, click a button and send it directly to Facebook. So let s go back to the main process for editing. Apple's iMovie, mobile was introduced for the iPhone 4 2010, is built a nifty little program that will trim the excess from your clips and bring into menus, titles, music and sound effects. You will also have the opportunity to record narrations for the narration. But it has some shortcomings.In iMovie, you begin with your raw video and Apple gives you three choices: videos, probably from the iPad, photos from camera roll and music from your iPad, "The bad part is that you won t be able to access video clips shot on other cameras, and imported into the iPad,. So if you plan to edit on holiday, with different video sources, you're out of luck unless you also bring a laptop and that's a pain.Convert, you'll import the footage into a computer and iTunes, click the Advanced tab, and then click convert to iPad, tab. You ll need to synchronize mobile and iPad, to get the video back on the tablet.This step was particularly frustrating, as the clips from Canon and Nikon cameras had already been imported and played just fine on the iPad, but was non-existent in iMovie, I thought, the App Store offers other video applications. Yet there are only a few video editing tools that make that has both a free version but you will need to spend for transitions, background music, and other features and ReelDirector, which goes for $ 1.99, top of the list. Both came in handy on the go through point-and-shoot camera film along with the iPad, footage.These programmes are bare-Bones compared to iMovie, but. ReelDirector is better of the two, but unlike iMovie, you get no menus, audio editing controls or a click additions here.Still, after spending time editing with the iPad, 2 when it came out, then in New Zealand travel videos, here's it would be nice to see in iMovie: simple trimming of videos, more transitions, manual options in photo zooms, more menu Choices, better control of video titles and more fadeout controls.Let s face it, however. Most people may never edit their films. So easy to get the software on a device that allows you to edit anywhere, as well as the iPad, and will hopefully result in more polished videos. This is a good start.But just as with the games, which bring you in for a small fee, then sell you extension, Apple can only have a good market for iMovie completion, using either tool, or a more stable iMovie Pro version.Here's a customer ready to fork over another $ 5 or more before you start the next video.Visit our FAQ for more information about reprints and permissions. To report corrections and clarifications, contact standards Editor Brent Jones. Publication in the newspaper, consideration, send comments to letters@usatoday.com. Include name, telephone number, city and State for the control. To view our corrections, go to corrections. usatoday.com. We have updated conversation guidelines. Changes include a brief overview of the moderation and an explanation of how to use the "report abuse" button. Read more.

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White iPhone arrives tomorrow

Only the iPhone has retina screen, highest resolution on a phone.

Watch TV ad "Sorry, I could not read the contents of the pious page.

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iMac Top choice amongst all-in-Ones

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Sometimes size really does matter. We lauded the latest version of Apple's 21.5-inch iMac for its improved performance and excellent screen. But after setting up its 27-inch sibling in our labs and spending some quality time mousing around, it's clear that this larger-screen model of Apple's ubiquitous all-in-one desktop has a lot more to offer serious computer users.

With this latest line of iMacs, Apple has left well enough alone with the stark-but-stunning exterior design. On the inside, however, there's been a pretty extensive overhaul. The top-of-the-line $1,999 27-inch iMac we're looking at here comes packed with some seriously powerful components that are for the most part a pretty big step up from the last generation of the iMac. In our testing, we found that the souped-up CPU and graphics in this latest generation lead to the kind of performance that we usually only expect to see from the more expensive Mac Pro tower, if you're comparing Apples to Apples, so to speak.

Of course, we would have loved it if Apple had included more entertainment-friendly features, such as a Blu-ray drive or HDMI port. But even without those amenities, when you consider the iMac's powerful performance, gorgeous design, and best-in-class LCD, it still adds up to one big, bad AIO that looks great on any desk.

The body of the 27-inch iMac is about 1.5 inches thick.

With the 2011 version of the iMac, each member of the line gets an awesome boost in processor and graphics power. Our top-of-the-line 27-inch review unit is built around a 3.1GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5 CPU, 1TB hard drive, and AMD Radeon HD 6970M graphics with 1GB of discrete memory. For those looking to save some money and who don't need as much gaming and processor muscle, a $1,699 27-inch model is available with a 2.7GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5 processor, 1TB hard drive, and AMD Radeon HD 6770M graphics with 512MB of discrete memory.

The 21.5-inch models start at $1,199. That entry-level iMac, which we also reviewed, includes a 2.5GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5 processor, 500GB hard drive, and AMD Radeon HD 6750M graphics with 512MB of dedicated memory. You can also opt to upgrade various components at the time of purchase to best suit your needs...for a price, of course.

While the insides of the iMac have gotten a compete overhaul, the outside is almost exactly the same as the 2010 version. But we certainly don't count that as a bad thing. Like all of Apple’s products, the iMac’s design is sleek and minimalist. It's encased in a single-piece aluminum enclosure, much like Apple's other laptops and desktops now sport, giving the whole Mac family a unified look.

On the right side of the screen is an SD-card reader (which also supports the SDXC format) and a slot-loading optical drive. Other than the power button (which sits almost invisibly on the lower-back-left side of the body) and a little patch of ports, you won't  find any other features to interrupt the iMac's mostly bare rear panel.

On the rear of the iMac, you'll find a strip of ports, the power connection, a power cord, an Apple logo...and that's about it.

The minimalist design helps draw your eyes to the gorgeous 27-inch LCD, which is glossy and LED-backlit. Its wide-screen aspect ratio (16-to-9) and 2,560x1,440 native resolution make for an impressive HD viewing experience. Unfortunately, the iMac doesn't come with a Blu-ray player option, which would have been great to pair with such a stunning screen. Like all glossy screens, this one picks up a bit of  glare off of ambient lighting, but colors represent nicely, and, unsurprisingly, we noted no motion blur when viewing video. However, considering this beautiful screen, notably absent from the iMac (apart from the Blu-ray player) is an HDMI port for connecting a gaming console. That said, we've yet to come across another AIO with a 2,560x1,440 native resolution screen. And while this system's asking price may sound pricey, you'd have to pay at least close to $1,000 to get a comparable 30-inch monitor, or $999 for Apple's 27-inch LED Cinema Display. For those considering such a large screen anyway, that makes the price tag of this $1,999 iMac a lot easier to swallow.

The Magic Mouse features laptop-touchpad-like features such as finger swiping.

The iMac’s body sits nicely on an aluminum base that provides a sturdy rest for the screen and components. The display is tiltable, and the adjustment motion is refined and smooth. There's no left/right swivel adjustment, but Apple claims that its iMacs have a 178-degree off-center viewing angle, and that minimizes the need for fine swivel adjustments. (Based on our testing, we believe it; we noted no appreciable deterioration of color or viewability when we looked at both video and still images far off center.)

One new feature that comes to the iMac with this generation is a built-in ambient-light sensor. (You'll find it on the top strip of the screen bezel, next to the Webcam lens, but it's almost invisible to the eye.) This sensor adjusts the brightness of the screen depending on the brightness of the room you are in. (You can turn it off if you're not a fan of this option.) We applaud Apple for bringing this feature, which has been on its MacBooks for a few generations, to its desktops. (You'll know the value of this feature if you've ever tried looking at a bright screen in a dark room. Talk about an instant headache.)

The iMac ships with either Apple's Magic Mouse or the company's Magic Trackpad. You previously had to pay an extra $69 to get the Magic Trackpad separately; now, you can get it bundled with your iMac instead of the Magic Mouse, for no additional charge. The Magic Mouse works almost like the touch pad of a laptop. Looking like a tiny spaceship, the Magic Mouse has no buttons—or rather, like its MacBook touch-pad counterpart, it’s one big button. (Click here for our full review of the Apple Magic Mouse.) The Magic Trackpad, on the other hand, is actually the is the touch pad of a laptop, lifted off and made a free-standing peripheral. If you've used the touch pad on a MacBook Pro, you'll be very familiar with how this unique pointer works. (Click here for our full review of the Magic Trackpad.)

You can now choose to have your iMac ship with a Magic Trackpad instead of a Magic Mouse.

Along with your choice of pointing peripheral, the iMac also ships with a wireless Bluetooth keyboard that adheres nicely to the Apple minimalist aesthetic. About three-quarters the size of a traditional keyboard (partly thanks to the lack of a numeric keypad), it’s almost totally flat except for a rounded area in the back that holds the batteries and props up the keyboard slightly.

Despite its tiny body, we didn’t find the keyboard hard to type on. Like the mouse, it bears a striking resemblance to Apple’s laptops, with the Chiclet-style keys rising only slightly from the body of the keyboard. It's tiny and may take some getting used to, but if you're an Apple fan, it will definitely fit your style.

The super-thin keyboard comes with built-in Bluetooth and requires two AA batteries.

Apple's new 720p FaceTime HD camera lives in the middle of the top of the screen bezel, along with a camera-indicator light, which lights up to warn you when the camera is on. The FaceTime camera features three times the resolution of the iSight camera that came on previous iMacs. We first used the FaceTime camera when it made its debut on the latest line of MacBook Pro laptops, and we immediately noticed the huge improvement in video quality. As far as using the camera, we noticed no lag, and it performed well even in a dimly lit office. You can make FaceTime calls to other Mac devices that have a camera and the FaceTime app installed. (You can download the app from the Mac App Store for 99 cents; it also comes loaded for free on new iMacs and MacBooks.)

The built-in speakers are located on the underbelly of the bezel. They deliver a loud, bass-filled sound that could easily fill a small room. You'll want to consider hooking up some external speakers, though, if you plan on pumping music from the iMac to entertain at a party, as it doesn't quite have the sound to fill a large room.

On the back-left side of the body is a single-file row of ports. From left, they are audio-in and -out jacks, four USB 2.0 ports, a FireWire port, two Thunderbolt connectors (don't worry, we'll get to that probably unfamiliar one in a minute), and an Ethernet jack. In the middle, behind the base, is the power connection. The power cord snakes out through an opening in the base.

The iMac's ports include, from left: headphone and microphone jacks, four USB 2.0 ports, a FireWire 800 port, two Thunderbolt ports, and an Ethernet jack.

These iMacs are the first desktops to feature the Thunderbolt port, which replaces the mini-DisplayPort connector from previous iMacs. Thunderbolt is based on Intel's Light Peak technology, which supports both high-performance peripherals and high-resolution displays. You get two Thunderbolt ports on the 27-inch iMac, and one on the 21.5-inch model, to support additional peripherals. (This means, for example, you can hook up two additional displays to the 27-inch iMac.) Apple claims the technology can provide data transfer at 20 times the speed of a USB 2.0 port, and, from what we saw during an Apple-administered demonstration the morning of this computer's release, we believe it. (We'd have tested it ourselves, but no cable or device was available for us to lug back to our labs. Estimates are, though, that Thunderbolt cables and compatible devices will be available by the summer of 2011.)

The Thunderbolt port doesn't just work with Thunderbolt-equipped peripherals; it's also compatible with USB 2.0 and 3.0, FireWire, Gigabit Ethernet, VGA, DVI, and HDMI connectors via an adapter. (Adapters are expected to be available for each connection type soon. Keep in mind, though, that with the adapters, you’ll still be running at the speed of your original connection.) Lastly, the Thunderbolt port also allows you to daisy-chain up to six devices together on a single port, much like old-school SCSI devices.

The iMac's power cord runs through this gap in the stand.

While the outside of Apple's latest iMacs may not have changed much from the previous generation, the inside has been overhauled substantially, with more powerful graphics and CPUs. So not only is the 27-inch iMac beautiful on the outside, but it's brawny on the inside as well. As we mentioned previously, our test unit was the top-of-the-line iMac, built around a 3.1GHz Intel Core i5 CPU and an AMD Radeon HD 6970M graphics card with 1GB of memory. The Intel second-generation "Sandy Bridge" processors have already wowed us on the Windows side, setting all kinds of speed records at low system price points. With this kind of power now backing the iMac, this machine topped its predecessor—and most of the competition—in our testing.

The first test we ran, Cinebench 10, stresses all the cores of a given processor to gauge raw CPU performance. The iMac's score of 16,694 handily beat the previous version of the 27-inch model by more than 30 percent. It did not, however, surpass another recent strong-performing AIO: The $1789.99 HP TouchSmart 610 scored slightly better 18,317 on this test. Our test unit of that AIO was backed by a higher-end Intel Core i7 processor.

Our next CPU-centric test was our iTunes Conversion Test, in which we encode 11 standard audio tracks from MP3 to AAC format. The 27-inch iMac took 2 minutes and 10 seconds to complete this task, blowing both the previous iteration of this AIO (2:50) and the TouchSmart 610 (2:27) right off of the test bench.

Even thought those scores were impressive, it wasn't until will started testing the iMac's graphics power that we were really wowed. Backed by an AMD Radeon HD 6970M card, we knew we would see some powerful gaming brawn here. But when the numbers rolled in, we saw exactly how well-suited this high-end iMac is for gaming. For the sake of comparability with the performance of Windows-based systems, we fired up BootCamp, installed Windows 7, and ran the iMac through our Far Cry 2 test. We achieved a frame rate of 52.26 frames per second (fps) at the system's native 2,560x1,440 resolution under DirectX 10 with most of the game's settings set to high. And when we knocked the resolution down to 1,920x1,080 (the resolution you'll see on most other AIOs), the iMac offered up a phenomenal 74.12fps. For comparison, the TouchSmart 610 managed just 22.2 frames per second at 1,920x1,080 in the same test. As a matter of fact, the 27-inch iMac ever-so-slightly beat even the powerhouse Apple Mac Pro's 51.6fps. While Far Cry 2, now pushing three years old, is far from the most-demanding game out there, the iMac's performance here is high enough that all modern games should be playable, provided you're willing to occasionally drop down the resolution a bit and switch off a few graphical settings.

Overall video-playback performance was solid as expected. DVDs displayed crisp and clear, with no motion blur to be seen. (We would have loved to have watched a Blu-ray disc, but as we noted, alas, there's no support for that.) MOV video files that we shot on our inexpensive Canon point-and-shoot camera also played back without glitches.

Previously, if you wanted to get this kind of performance from a Mac, you had to spend much more for one of Apple's Mac Pro towers. Now, for hundreds of dollars less than you would pay for a Mac Pro (not to mention the display you would need to get with it), you can get a machine that packs in plenty of productivity power as well as the ability to game at high settings. For graphics professionals (who make up most of the target audience for the 27-inch iMac) we see this machine handling high-end image and HD video editing with ease.

The iMac comes bundled with the 10.6 version of the Mac OS X Snow Leopard operating system, as well as iLife ’11 (comprising the superb iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, iWeb, and GarageBand applications). The latter is as good a starter set of media-centric programs as you'll find with any modern desktop computer. The iMac also comes with a one-year limited warranty and 90 days of toll-free phone support. (An extended AppleCare warranty will cover your system for two more years; it costs $169 extra, and that upcharge was not factored into the cost of our test unit.)

With the latest version of its all-in-one desktop, Apple left everything that was great about the 27-inch iMac alone (namely its best-in-class screen and beautiful design), while making some serious improvements to it internal components. In almost every way, this top-of-the line model beats every other AIO on the market. With strong productivity performance and excellent entertainment capabilities (even with the lack of a Blu-ray player and HDMI port), this is an AIO that could appeal to a style-conscious but serious home gamer as well as a graphics professional.

Price (at time of review): $1,999 (mfr. est., as tested)

www.apple.com
800-692-7753

See all of our Apple IMac (27-Inch, 2011 Version) coverage

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Multinational Bank goes Mobile with iPhone and iPad,

Standard Chartered Bank is an international bank with 1800 branches on six continents, dozens of recent industry awards, and steadily increasing profits through organic growth and acquisitions. iPhone and iPad, provide an ideal platform to expand its mobile services, both internally and to customers increasingly tech computer-savvy.

As a result of the global financial crisis 2009 Set Standard Chartered Bank immediately so that together they strengthen customer relationships. "As a leader in the industry, we needed to regain customers ' trust," says Mary Huen, head of the consumer who is Banking in Hong Kong. "And to rebuild trust is not about just press products and services — it is about using the best technology to promote deep long-lasting relationships with our customers. It is about helping them to manage their money better. "

the iPad, and iPhone enables the Bank to forge new customer connections and strengthening existing bonds. "With the iPhone and iPad,, we really look at the next generation of banking services," says Todd Schofield, Global Head of Enterprise mobility at Standard Chartered Bank. "Managing our customers ' money is a responsibility we take very seriously, and our mobile services reflect."

With particular focus on Asia, Africa and the Middle East, Standard Chartered enormous potential to expand its mobile banking services among customers increasingly tech computer-savvy. For consumers, the Bank has developed Breeze, a suite of mobile banking and lifestyle applications. Enterprise customers use its Sraight2Bank platform, which includes a mobile app that provides your State Treasurer's greater control over transactions.

Internally, the Standard Chartered already deployed thousands of iPhone to employees throughout the world. -For us is the obvious choice was iPhone, says Jan Verplancke, Group CIO, Standard Chartered Bank. "iPhone creates an environment that is easy. You can take advantage of the mobile world and get software to people on the move. "

The Bank is growing quickly its internal iPad, use to personalize customer service and simplify day-to-day operations. Standard Chartered is a leader in innovation, says Huen. "iPad, helps us to innovate by improving the way we meet with customers and provide services. Now we can be with our customers wherever they want to be in the branch. "

As one of the first and largest corporate banks standardizing on the iPhone, developed Standard Chartered Bank for more than a dozen native iPhone apps, which qualified employees can download from an internal app store, Standard Chartered App Centre. These purpose-built apps streamline internal processes, securely transfer financial data, improve communication between customers and employees, the bank and also take advantage of back-end systems such as PeopleSoft and SharePoint management approvals and collaboration.

An example is the Bank's proprietary TradePort app, which allows trade finance relationship managers will carry out or supervise the lines on the fly using his iPhone. Another valuable app is FX rates, a tool for real time foreign currency showing Standard Chartered Bank's own internal prices and quotas between currencies. "With FX, a person in our trading room has updated, holistic views of our exchange rates at a given time," Verplancke notes.

In Hong Kong s.a.r., one of its biggest markets, using the Standard Chartered Bank iNeeds, a custom iPad, app that allows relationship managers in bank branches create client profiles and explain the benefits of products, savings account or a mortgage through direct, cuper interactions. With iNeeds on iPad, bank employees gain a clearer understanding of the customer's priorities and can provide more relevant products.

"iPad, redefines how our relationship managers connect with their customers," says Huen. "With iNeeds, they're able to introduce products in a more engaging way, while deepening their understanding of the customer's needs in time. Together they can work with customized solutions in place. Everything is very simple, efficient and user-friendly. "

In order to develop their internal apps, the Bank of a small group of programmers, graphic designers and UI experts – and tools and guidelines included in the iOS Software Development Kit (SDK). "In the SDK is very standardized, which means that our apps are more stable and consistent over many different apps," says Schofield.

With a world of sensitive financial and personal data protection are Standard Chartered vigilant on safety on their mobile devices. "We are a bank, eventually so safety is paramount, says Verplancke. "We are in different markets, different rules apply to us, so we always take the greatest common divisor for security."

Fortunately, the iPhone and iPad, up to the task. "the iPhone and iPad, allows us to safely restrict our internal systems with virtual private network (VPN) access," says Schofield. "We use encryption that is built into the iPhone and iPad, and we use our Exchange servers to implement security policies that remote wipe."

The Bank also offers enhanced mobile security features for their customers, such as a text message confirming the ATM business. -Our job is to give people tools that enable them to feel safe and prevent fraud, explains Verplancke. If a customer receives notification of a transaction, he or she does not, "a tap on the phone and you are connected to our customer service, which is blocking the transaction."

With safety, comfort and ease of use as the iPad, iPhone, and custom apps bring their activities, Standard Chartered is well prepared for the challenges – and opportunities – of this new era bank activities. The Bank has begun to introduce location-based services to its mobile capabilities, and examines new features such as augmented reality to make the user feel more in-depth.

"Many of the things we do there was before," reflects Verplancke. "It's just that you could not create them easily. And that has a value. We want to be at the forefront with units clearly at the forefront of the whole: iPhone and iPad,. "

"iPad, redefines how our relationship managers connect with their customers. Everything is very simple, efficient and user-friendly. "

Mary Huen, head of Consumer Banking, Hong Kong, Standard Chartered Bank

"iPhone creates an environment that is easy. You can take advantage of the mobile world and get software to people on the move. "

Jan Verplancke, Group CIO, Standard Chartered Bank

"With the iPhone and iPad,, we really look at the next generation of banking services. Manage our customers ' money is a responsibility we take very seriously, and our mobile services reflect. "

Todd Schofield, global head, Enterprise mobility, Standard Chartered Bank

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GarageBand at Guitar Center

Even if you don't know an insert from the input data, simple modern technology to produce great sounding recordings at home. Guitar Center free registration Made Easy workshops show you how.

Come in and learn how to record your first song using Mac ? and Garageband ? at a Guitar Center location near you. You'll learn everything from basic tracking to create a finished song. There are four basic workshops. Each week, another. Miss one? Do you want a refresher? No problem. Come on back and catching it again.

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Apple launches new iMac

21.5 "starts at $ 1199.

27 "starts at $ 1699.

Test an iMac and get all your questions answered by our knowledgeable specialists.

Find a store

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Latest iMac looks great, run faster

Computerworld-remember the old ad campaign for Miller Lite? "Tastes great, less filling."

The latest update to Apple's iMac line, which rolled out in may, in a way reminds me of that. Apple left unchanged the minimalist design that aluminium and glass at the switch to Intel Sandy Bridge processors, AMD graphics chips and add the new Thunderbolt port for high-speed connections with peripherals.

The new iMac still looks great, and it is even faster.

Summarizes what Apple has done with his all-in-ones, with the biggest change to the introduction of the Thunderbolt, a technology that is still definitely ahead of the curve but can prove very popular road.

Just like the previous generation starts this iMac lineup in $ 1,199 for a 21.5-in. model with a 1920 x 1080 pixels resolution screen and $ 1,699, a 27-in. version, as the Sport of 2560 x 1440 pixels resolution. There is also an advanced $ 1,999 model, which comes with a 3.1 GHz quadcore i5 processors. This is the model that Apple provides with my review.

All iMacs have Intel's Core i5 quadcore processors (and you can upgrade to an i7 if you need more speed), a 720 p wide-angle FaceTime camera HD video chat, 4 GB of memory and a minimum of 512 MB of memory. The entry-level model uses an AMD Radeon HD 6750M video card with 512 MB of RAM; pricier iMac rely on AMD Radeon HD 6970M with 1 GB of memory. (You can double that to 2 GB on 27-in. iMac, but it'll cost you $ 100.) $ 1,199 model has a 500 GB hard drive, the rest comes with 1TB of storage, expandable to 2 GB, or combined with a solid state drive for a more responsive machinery.

All changes made to the Apple counterpart in the company's previous practice of lineup made up hardware prices and leave untouched, giving a modern all-in-one PC with a sharp, bright screen that is perfect for editing videos, organise/edit pictures, watch streaming video or making your own presentations. Best of all, the iMac shipped with Apple's iLife containing apps--iMovie, iPhoto, Garageband, iDVD, and iWeb. I still haven't found software fairly intuitive--or as easy to use--on the Windows side that beats Suite iLife.

Environmentally conscious, iMac meets Energy Star 5.2 requirements and is classified EPEAT Gold in United States and Canada.

IMac will still form factor in unibody Apple rolled out several years ago. Main iMac chassis is carved from a single slab of aluminum for solid, seamless, quality construction. The design is an immediate getters and this iMac was a draw regardless of who visited, regardless of technical skills. Silver in aluminium and black framed-the glass remains striking; It is best, while still minimalism contains necessary functions. The deep black border around the screen is hidden, for example, HD FaceTime camera and a green lamp, which lights up when the camera is on.

The IMac has the same suite of the ports and wireless networks as before, with a very important addition: the introduction of the new Thunderbolt port.

Thunderbolt was developed by Intel and implemented as DisplayPort connection on Apple products. (If you purchased a new MacBook Pro since February, is the port you have to connect it to a Thunderbolt port.)

The newest iMac sport updated technology, see they still like before. Left: a 27-in. iMac. Right: a 21.5-in. iMac. (Image from Apple) This independent papers from experienced analyst Jon Collins from Freeform Dynamics considers how Web-based security threats evolve, within the framework of the IT trends including mobile data, home and other forms of remote access that could potentially increase the attack surface of the company. It defines the scale and types of threats, what to look in a corporate web security solution and compare different types of engineering method available to businesses and the processes that need to be considered for effective protection.

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Social networking websites have revolutionised how businesses use the Internet. Instead of relying on faltering newspapers to find candidates, companies can use thousands of potential employees via Facebook and Twitter. But social networking sites have also left the company vulnerable to new security threats. So are the tools to be used or security traps to be avoided?

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New iMacs best in class

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Review:

With a fast new second-generation Core i5 CPU, a high-end 3D card, and support for promising Thunderbolt high-bandwidth peripheral connection ports, the new, highest-end iMac has plenty to offer media professionals and enthusiasts in terms of performance and peripheral device flexibility. For consumers, while the iMac still claims industry bests in terms of its display and its design, this system will feel like overkill in some respects, and underfeatured in others. We don't recommend the most expensive new iMac for those looking for an OS X-based alternative to the recent crop of Windows-based all-in-ones that act as home entertainment ... Expand full review

With a fast new second-generation Core i5 CPU, a high-end 3D card, and support for promising Thunderbolt high-bandwidth peripheral connection ports, the new, highest-end iMac has plenty to offer media professionals and enthusiasts in terms of performance and peripheral device flexibility. For consumers, while the iMac still claims industry bests in terms of its display and its design, this system will feel like overkill in some respects, and underfeatured in others. We don't recommend the most expensive new iMac for those looking for an OS X-based alternative to the recent crop of Windows-based all-in-ones that act as home entertainment kiosks. For serious media editors, or those looking for a vanity desktop, the $1,999 Apple iMac remains one of the fastest, most attractive systems available.

Windows all-in-one makers like Dell, HP, and Sony have improved their all-in-one designs over the last year or two, but none of them approaches the iMac for sheer visual appeal. The metal-and-glass unibody chassis, along with the expansive 27-inch display, still have no design peers roughly 18 months after their debut. We actually find it strange that you still won't find a 27-inch all-in-one from anyone other than Apple. We wonder how long that will last.

While the new iMac's design hasn't changed on the outside, its internal components have been completely revamped from those of the previous model. As it upgraded its MacBook Pro laptops earlier this year, Apple has introduced to the iMac Intel's second-generation Core CPU family (formerly code-named Sandy Bridge). It has also added AMD's latest generation of graphics processor, the Radeon HD 6000-series. iPhone users, and those who love them, will appreciate that Apple has brought FaceTime support to the new iMac, which allows for cross-device video chatting over the Internet.

The iMac's new Thunderbolt ports offer exciting potential for digital media professionals.

Lastly, Apple has incorporated the new Thunderbolt data throughput standard into the iMac, and two Thunderbolt ports on the back of the 27-inch models replace the single Mini DisplayPort input found on older iMacs. Developed in conjunction with Intel, Thunderbolt is designed to replace USB and FireWire inputs by offering simultaneous 10Gbps throughput both in and out of the system via the same port. The standard supports both data and video connections, and is on track to both simplify the experience of connecting peripheral devices, and also allow for a greater, more powerful variety of external components.

Thunderbolt devices aren't expected to hit the market until this summer, which means we have to speak mostly about the potential it offers the iMac. Announced Thunderbolt products include external RAID arrays, video conversion hubs, and other devices that will take advantage of the iMac's fat new data pipe. Thunderbolt will eventually roll out to Windows PCs as well, and we may see more consumer-oriented devices before too long, but for now the early supporting hardware is clearly geared toward digital media editors and others who will appreciate Thunderbolt's ability to move large amounts of data between workstations at great speed.

Because it can work as a video port, Thunderbolt, in conjunction with the Radeon HD 6970M graphics chip, also allows you to connect two additional monitors to the iMac. That capability is certainly welcome, and it makes extending the iMac's display easy, but multimonitor support in general isn't unique to the iMac. Among other multidisplay technologies, AMD showed us its Eyefinity graphics card series last year for Windows desktops that can support six LCDs.

1GB AMD Radeon HD 6970M graphics card2GB AMD Radeon HD 5570 graphics cardBlu-ray/DVD burner combo driveGigabit Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n wirelessGigabit Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n wirelessGigabit Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n wirelessApple OS X Snow Leopard 10.6.7Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)

We've compared the iMac here with one of the fastest Windows-based all-in-ones we've tested, HP's TouchSmart 610q 1065qd, as well as a less expensive Dell XPS 8300 desktop.

We bring the traditional Dell box into the discussion particularly to compare its price-performance ratio with that of the new iMac. The XPS 8300 isn't as visually attractive as the iMac, but for those who might already have a large display, it's reasonable to ask how the two compare in terms of raw speed.

From a features standpoint, the iMac and the HP TouchSmart compare well. The large screen remains the iMac's most obvious advantage, but it also boasts a faster graphics card and a more up-to-date CPU than the HP system. HP, in turn, offers a Blu-ray drive, a lower price tag, as well as a touch screen and HP's accompanying suite of touch software. HP can't match the iMac's Thunderbolt ports, but it also offers two HDMI inputs, which means, unlike the iMac, you can connect current-generation home entertainment devices to the TouchSmart without having to buy an adapter.

In truth, comparing the speed-oriented iMac with the Dell feels more relevant than matching it up against the family-oriented HP all-in-one. The iMac does include its user-friendly iLife digital media software, but the TouchSmart all-in-one and its almost kitchy touch software clearly have home users in mind.

Which is not to say that the iMac and its large screen wouldn't make an excellent, attractive media PC for a den, an office, or a dorm room. With the right, though expensive, adapters, you can even integrate a cable box and a game console with the iMac to make a powerful, versatile media hub. We're unclear how a more casual home user would take advantage of the iMac's Thunderbolt ports, though. As well, the fast CPU and graphics card would be going to waste without some robust digital media files to put them to work. The OS X gaming library certainly won't keep them busy for long.

Adobe Photoshop CS3 image-processing test (in seconds)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
Apple iMac 27-inch (3.1GHz, Spring 2011)
Adobe Photoshop CS5 image-processing test (in seconds)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
Apple iMac 27-inch (3.1GHz, Spring 2011)
Apple iTunes encoding test (in seconds)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
Apple iMac 27-inch (3.1GHz, Spring 2011)
Multimedia multitasking (in seconds)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
Apple iMac 27-inch (3.1GHz, Spring 2011)
Cinebench 11.5
(Longer bars indicate better performance)
Apple iMac 27-inch (3.1GHz, Spring 2011)

The new 27-inch iMac offers the best all-around performance among all-in-ones. It loses to the HP only on the Cinebench 11.5 multithreaded CPU test, and that's likely because of the HP's 2.93GHz Core i7 820 chip, which, although from Intel's previous CPU generation, has effectively eight processing threads from Intel's HyperThreading technology. The iMac's 3.1GHz Core i5 2400 CPU lacks HyperThreading, and thus remains a pure quad-core processor.

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As expected, the Dell XPS 8300 and its current-generation Core i7 2600 CPU give the iMac a tougher fight. The iMac excels in converting audio files in iTunes, as well as multitasking between iTunes and QuickTime, but that's no surprise given those are Apple-made programs. The Dell's speed advantages on both iterations of Photoshop aren't too troubling for the iMac's performance outlook since the two aren't that far apart on those tests, but the Dell has a noticeable edge on Cinebench multithreaded testing, with both a faster core clock speed for its CPU, as well as the Core i7 2600's HyperThreading benefits.

The solution for the iMac lies in the Core i7 option available from Apple for an additional $200. With that CPU, the iMac will likely approach, if not bypass, the XPS 8300's performance, and it will still offer a better deal for its complete hardware package thanks to the iMac's large, high-resolution display. We'd only recommend the upgraded CPU option to digital media professionals who know they will see real benefits from an increase in processing threads, however. For others, the Core i5-based iMac's competitive performance, combined with its large display, make it a well-priced high-end desktop package.

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Time demo 2,560x1,440 (in fps)
(Longer bars indicate better performance)
Apple iMac 27-inch (3.1GHz Core i5, Spring 2011)

Game testing on the iMac always feels like a bit of an academic exercise. Apple's gaming prospects brightened when Valve Software's game library and its Steam digital distribution service arrived on OS X last year. The number of games available to the iMac still remains a fraction of what you can find on the PC, though. Yes, Windows gaming on a Mac through Boot Camp or other virtualization remains an option, but if gaming is your goal, we recommend a less convoluted approach.

In any case, this iMac is a capable gaming system. Apple demonstrated Valve's Portal 2 for us to show off the iMac's new Radeon HD 6970 graphics card. Though that title is more up-to-date than Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, the latter still offers a greater 3D-processing challenge, particularly at the iMac's native 2,560x1,440 pixel resolution, and with high-detail settings enabled. At close to 60 frames per second on that test, the iMac is up to the task of Call of Duty 4, and offers the most robust Mac gaming experience of any high-end iMac to date.

Should you demand more performance or features from the iMac, Apple has a few options for you, including up to 16GB of RAM, a larger platter hard drive, a solid-state drive, and even the same Radeon HD 6970 3D card but with 2GB of RAM instead of the default 1GB. As it typical from Apple, all of those upgrades will cost you more than you would pay for the same hardware from Apple's Windows-based competition. The most significant option might be the ability to trade out the Apple Magic Mouse for the Magic Trackpad, with no extra charge. Before, you couldn't opt out of the mouse.

Aside from a pair of Thunderbolt ports replacing the previous 27-inch iMac's single Mini DisplayPort, the rest of the new iMac's external connectivity remains the same. You get four USB 2.0 ports, a FireWire 800 port, an Ethernet adapter, and audio in and out. Apple has bypassed eSATA for Thunderbolt and its legacy FireWire 800 support, a reasonable trade. And while we still miss native HDMI input or output support, adapters like the Belkin AV360 remain a viable, if more expensive, alternative.

Apple iMac 27-inch (3.1GHz, Spring 2011)Annual operating cost (@$0.1135/kWh)Apple iMac 27-inch (3.1GHz, Spring 2011)

Power efficiency is one of the hallmarks of Intel's second-generation Core CPUs, and given the new iMac's performance edge over the previous model, the fact that it consumes only marginally more power speaks highly of both Intel and Apple. Also note that while the Dell XPS 8300 has a small but noticeable speed advantage over the iMac on certain tests, it uses more than twice as much power, and doesn't include a screen. Vendors often say to us that consumers like environmentally friendly hardware but that they're not willing to pay for it. If that's true, kudos to Apple for pressing forward on power efficiency anyway.

Apple's phone support receives high customer satisfaction ratings, but as always we wish it were available to customers beyond the first 90 days of purchase without having to pay $169 for an AppleCare coverage plan. Apple's network of in-person help via its Genius Bar and its authorized services providers remains unique as well, but for desktop customers in particular, extended phone-based help would be far more convenient.

Conclusion
A fast new Intel CPU and an AMD graphics chip provide Apple's new 27-inch iMac with competitive performance for its price, and the advent of Thunderbolt offers the iMac the potential for exciting peripheral devices later this year. Apple seems less concerned with engaging family users than some of its Windows-based all-in-one competition, but for digital media professionals, or others in need of a fast, serious-minded all-in-one with a large display, we can make no other recommendation.

Find out more about how we test desktop systems.

System configurations:

Apple iMac 27-inch (3.1GHz, Spring 2011)
Apple OS X Snow Leopard 10.6.7; 3.1GHz Intel Core i5 (second generation); 4GB 1,333MHz DDR3 SDRAM; 1GB ATI Radeon HD 6970M graphics card; 1TB 7,200rpm hard drive

Apple iMac 27-inch (2.8GHz, Summer 2010)
Apple OS X Snow Leopard 10.6.7; 3.1GHz Intel Core i5 (second generation); 4GB 1,333MHz DDR3 SDRAM; 1GB ATI Radeon HD 6970M graphics card; 1TB 7,200rpm hard drive

Dell XPS 8300
Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit; 3.4GHz Intel Core i7 2600; 8GB 1,333MHz DDR3 SDRAM; 1GB AMD Radeon HD 5870

HP TouchSmart 610q 1065qd
Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (64-bit); 2.93GHz Intel Core i7 870; 8GB 1,333MHz DDR3 SDRAM; 2GB AMD Radeon HD 5570; 1TB 7,200rpm Seagate hard drive Sony Vaio L21SFX
Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (64-bit); 2.0GHz Intel Core i7 2360qM; 8GB 1,333MHz DDR3 SDRAM; 1GB Nvidia GeForce GT 540M; 2TB 7,200rpm Western Digital hard drive

Update May 4, 2011:

Update May 4, 2011: This review initially listed the memory incorrectly for the Apple iMac 27-inch (3.1GHz, Spring 2011). Previous page

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Watching TV on an iPad,

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Couch Potato on the Go: Watching TV on an iPadMay 4, 2011 at 6:02 pm PT

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Television programs, like music and books, are migrating from their traditional form of delivery to transmission over the Internet for consumption on computers, tablets and smartphones. A growing number of people, at least some of the time, are choosing to watch shows on these devices rather than on television sets.

Right now, this transition is something of a mess. Media, cable and technology companies are battling over what can be shown on which platforms in which time frames. Various shows and networks are available on some digital services and devices, but not others. Some services have commercials, others don’t. Some have current shows, others mainly older ones. They use different payment models. Networks and shows can appear and disappear from digital services unpredictably.

Despite all this industry jockeying, consumers can easily watch TV shows on their digital devices, legally. Apple’s iPad, which dominates the new tablet category, has become a capable device for doing so. It made its debut a year ago with a TV app built in, and it continues to gain new TV apps. For instance, HBO just released one. These apps mainly offer delayed, not live, viewing.

You can certainly watch shows on computers and smartphones, but I find the iPad especially good for this purpose. It is a lighter, thinner and more immersive device than a laptop, yet it has a large enough screen and strong enough battery life to make TV viewing satisfying. It can even transmit shows, via a cable or wirelessly, to big TV screens if you like. Competing tablets also will be good platforms for this, but, so far, they have far fewer TV-watching apps, so the iPad is by far the best tablet for TV watching now.

Here is a quick guide to how to view traditional TV shows on an iPad. It focuses on apps rather than the browser, because apps seem to be the main method distributors have chosen for making TV available on the device. I also focused only on TV you can obtain directly on the device, rather than via transfer from a computer. For this survey, I tested eight apps that bring TV to the top tablet.

iTunes: Since this service is owned by Apple, it was on the iPad from the start. It has a wide selection of TV programs, in both high definition and standard definition. Many of the shows are current, available just a day or so after airing on cable and broadcast networks.

Unlike other services covered here, iTunes sells TV by the episode, rather than by all-you-can-watch subscriptions. Episodes typically cost $1.99 for standard definition and $2.99 for HD. There are no commercials. You buy them via the iPad’s iTunes app, and play them via its Videos app.

In my tests, both apps worked well, and playback was smooth and crisp. The shows are downloaded to your device, which means you can watch them even when you lack an Internet connection, as on most airplanes. But it also means that they eat up lots of storage until you delete them and can’t be watched instantly.

Netflix: Once just a DVD-by-mail outfit, Netflix has become a video-streaming giant available on numerous devices. Its iPad iteration costs $8 a month for an unlimited number of ad-free TV shows.

These start playing instantly upon selection, requiring just an Internet connection. There’s no need to add them to a queue.

The MLB At Bat app is beautifully done and lets paid subscribers watch almost every regular-season Major League game, live.

In my tests, Netflix shows looked sharp on the iPad and only rarely froze or stuttered, even on slower Internet connections. But the selection is old, at least by a season and some much older. For instance, under “new arrivals,” the app currently lists “The Cosby Show” from 1984. “Glee,” a current blockbuster, has only 2009 episodes listed. Also, the interface is crowded and a bit confusing. But I use the app to watch old favorites.

Hulu Plus: This app, another streaming service that costs $8 a month, is the paid counterpart to the free, but computer-only, Hulu website. It has more current shows than Netflix. But it often has few episodes and seasons at any one time, and it includes ads. That may be because it is backed by most of the major broadcast networks, which are cautious about departing from the traditional TV system. (One backer, News Corp., also owns The Wall Street Journal and its websites.)

It was one of only two apps I tested (the other was HBO) that wouldn’t work when the iPad is connected via cable to a TV. The app just posted text on the TV screen saying the company was “working hard” to enable the feature.

But the interface is clean and attractive, and the programs looked sharp and played smoothly.

ABC Player: This handsome app, available for the iPad from the start, streams shows free and in good quality, albeit with commercials. It has many top network series, such as “Desperate Housewives” and “Grey’s Anatomy.” But it usually offers only a handful of episodes from the current season, and sometimes not the freshest ones. For instance, the latest episode of “Modern Family” is from April 20.

Xfinity TV: This well-organized app is free to verified Comcast subscribers, and is part of a trend whereby cable companies make programs available on other devices, free, but only to people who are already paying customers. (I could test only this one cable app, as Comcast is my cable company.)

Because of disputes between the networks and the cable companies, this app has only a handful of the networks Comcast offers on TV, and the show selection is incomplete. For instance, ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox are absent. And while HBO is present, its new series “Treme” isn’t.

Some other cable apps offer live shows, when the iPad is on a home network, but this one doesn’t, yet. Still, I found the interface easy to navigate and the playback quality very good, though the app only works over Wi-Fi.

HBO GO: The newest TV app for the iPad, this one is also tied to a cable subscription and isn’t available to customers of every cable operator. It appears to have a good selection of past and present favorites and worked well in my tests. The interface is clean and easy to use.

WatchESPN: This is technically an iPhone app, but it plays on the iPad, and the quality is decent. It is also limited to cable subscribers or to customers of Verizon’s high-speed Internet. It offers shows live. But it only works for subscribers to a handful of mostly smaller cable services.

MLB At Bat: This isn’t an app that brings you a variety of shows, but it’s beautifully done and allows you to watch almost every regular-season Major League baseball game, live, for a one-time payment of $15, provided you are a subscriber to MLB’s TV service, which costs $90 a year. Video quality is excellent, and you also can view highlights of each game, even while the game is in progress. The main downside: As with television, some games are blacked out based on location.

The iPad has been out just a year, and comparable competitors are just appearing. I hope eventually tablet offerings are more complete.

Write to Walter S. Mossberg at walt.mossberg@wsj.com

Corrections & Amplifications:

An earlier version of this column erroneously stated that the MLB At Bat app provided access to every major league game, live, for just a $15 one-time fee. While that is the price of the app, the column should have mentioned that watching live games on the iPad also requires a $90 annual subscription.

Tagged with ABC, Apple, Apple Tablet Feature, Disney, entertainment, ESPN, HBO, iPad, iPad 2, MLB, Netflix, streaming, television, TV, video

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Mac OS X Lion available in July from Mac App Store

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Apple reports second quarter results

CUPERTINO, California — April 20, 2010 — Apple ? today announced financial results for its fiscal 2010 second quarter ended March 26, 2011. The company posted record second quarter revenues of 24.67 billion dollars and record second quarter net profit of 5.99 billion dollars, or $ 6.40 per diluted share. These results compare revenue at 13.50 billion dollars and quarterly net profit of $ 3.07 billion, or $ 3.33 per diluted share for the year-ago quarter. The gross margin was 41.4 per cent compared to 41.7 per cent in the year-ago quarter. International sales accounted for 59 percent of the quarter revenues.

Apple sold 3.76 million Macs during the quarter, equal to 28 percent increase over the year ago quarter. The company sold 18.65 million iPhones during the quarter, 113 percent unit growth over the year ago quarter. Apple sold 9.02. million iPods during the quarter, a decrease of 17 percent from the year-ago quarter. The company was sold also 4.69 million iPads during the quarter.

"With quarterly revenue growth of 83% and profit growth at 95%, we are firing on all cylinders," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "We will continue to innovate on all fronts during the rest of the year."

"We are very pleased with our record March quarter revenue and earnings and cash flow from operations of over $ 6.2 billion," said Peter Oppenheimer, Apple's CFO. "Looking ahead to third fiscal quarter of 2011, we expect revenue of about 23 billion dollars and we expect diluted earnings per share for about $ 5.03."

Apple will provide live streaming for its second quarter 2011 financial results conference call beginning at 2: 00 p.m. PDT on April 20, 2011 at www.apple.com/quicktime/qtv/earningsq211. The webcast will also be available for replay for approximately two weeks thereafter.

This press release contains forward-looking statements including, without limitation, those of the company's estimated revenue and earnings per share. These statements involve risks and uncertainties, and actual results may vary. Risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, competitive and economic factors and the company's response to these factors, the impact on consumers and businesses are buying decisions with respect to the company's products. continued competitive pressure on the market; the ability of companies to deliver to the market and stimulate customer demand for new programs, products and technological innovations in time, that the product introductions and transitions, changes in product pricing or mix or increase in component costs may have on the company's gross margin, inventory risk associated with the company's policy or to confirm that the product components in advance of customer orders; the continued availability of acceptable terms, or to all specific components and services that are essential for the company's operations currently obtained by the company from sole or limited sources. that the company's dependence on manufacturing and logistics services provided by third parties may have on the quality, quantity and cost of products manufactured or services. risks associated with the company's international operations. The company's reliance on third party intellectual property, and digital content. the potential impact of a finding that the company has infringed on intellectual property rights in other countries. The company's dependency on performance for distributors, transporters and other distributors of its products. to product and quality problems may have on the company's sales and operating profits. for continued service and availability of key managers and employees. war, terrorism, public health issues, natural disasters and other circumstances which could disrupt supply, supply or demand of products. and unfavorable results of legal practices. For more information about potential factors that could affect the company's financial results is included from time to time in the "risk factors" and "management's discussion and analysis of results and financial position" portions of the company's public reports filed with the SEC, including the company's Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 25, 2010 in its Form 10-Q for the quarter ended 25 December2010, and its Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 26, 2011 will be submitted to the SEC. Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements or information, which speak as of their respective dates.

Apple design Macs, the best PCs in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPod and iTunes online store. Apple has changed the mobile phone with Revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced the iPad, 2 which is the future of mobile media and computing devices.

Press Contacts:
Steve Dowling
Apple
dowling@Apple.com
(408) 974-1896

Investor Relations Contacts:
Nancy Paxton
Apple
paxton1@Apple.com
(408) 974-5420

Joan Hoover
Apple
hoover1@Apple.com
(408) 974-4570

Apple, the Apple logo, Mac, Mac OS and Macintosh are trademarks of Apple. Other company and product may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

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iMac is blowing away the competition

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Don't you just hate overachievers? Like that good-looking, star athlete in high school, the Apple iMac, year after year, outshines all the other all-in-one (AIO) desktops—Windows or Mac—in its class. It gracefully sprints ahead in performance, and it looks good in just about any situation. (Grumble, grumble.)

Still, we can't help but feel respect for, rather than jealousy of, this AIO computer. This time around, the iMac proves itself the prom king of AIOs, with stronger CPU and graphics power, along with the new Thunderbolt port that promises high-speed data transfer. We'd like to see some additional entertainment features to pair with the iMac's gorgeous screen, but we recommend this AIO to anyone focused on productivity and performance, and willing to work within Mac OS X.

The body of the 21.5-inch iMac is about 1.5 inches thick.

With this first 2011 update of the iMac, each member of the new iMac line gets a strong boost in processor and graphics above 2010's machines. Apple is offering two 21.5-inch models. The $1,199 base model (our test unit) packs in a 2011-model 2.5GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 processor (from the new generation of Intel chips known as "Sandy Bridge"), a 500GB hard drive, and an AMD Radeon HD 6750M graphics card with 512MB of discrete memory. For $300 more, you can upgrade to a 2.7GHz Intel Core i5 processor (also a quad-core chip), a 1TB hard drive, and AMD Radeon HD 6770M graphics with the same dollop of memory.

Apple is also offering two 27-inch models: a $1,699 version with the same specs as the higher-end 21.5-inch iMac, and, for another $300, a beefed-up model that features a 3.1GHz Intel Core i5 quad-core CPU, a 1TB hard drive, and AMD Radeon HD 6970M graphics with 1GB of dedicated memory. You can upgrade various components of all of the models at the time of purchase...for a price, of course.

While the guts of the iMac have gotten a compete overhaul, the exterior is almost exactly the same as the previous version. But that's certainly not a bad thing. Like all of Apple’s products, the  iMac’s design is sleek and minimalist. It's encased in a single-piece aluminum enclosure much like the ones that the Apple MacBook Pro and Apple Mac Mini lines also sport, giving the whole Mac family a unified look.

On the right side of the screen is an SD-card reader (which also supports the SDXC format) and a slot-loading optical drive. Unfortunately, the latter is not a Blu-ray reader, something that Apple has yet to feature on any of its systems. That's a shame, with this beautiful screen. Other than the power button, which sits almost invisibly on the lower-back-left side of the body, and a little patch of ports, you won't find any other features to interrupt the iMac's mostly bare rear panel.

On the rear of the iMac, you'll find a strip of ports, the power connection, a power cord, an Apple logo...and that's about it.

The super-spare design helps draw your eyes to the gorgeous 21.5-inch LCD, which is glossy and LED-backlit. Its wide-screen aspect ratio (16-to-9) and 1,920x1,080 native resolution make for an impressive HD viewing experience. Like all glossy screens, this one is prone to some glare off of ambient lighting, but the colors represent nicely, and, unsurprisingly, we noted no motion blur when viewing video. However, considering this beautiful screen, notably absent from the iMac—apart from the Blu-ray player—is an HDMI port. That would be useful for connecting a gaming console and making dual use of the display.

One new feature that comes to the iMac with this generation is a built-in ambient-light sensor. (It lives, almost invisibly, on the top strip of the screen bezel, next to the Webcam lens.) This sensor governs the brightness of the screen depending on the brightness of the room you are in. We applaud Apple for bringing this feature, which has been on its MacBooks for a few generations, to its desktops. (You'll know the value of this feature if you've ever tried looking at a bright screen in a dark room. Talk about an instant headache.)

The Magic Mouse features laptop-touchpad-like features such as finger swiping.

The iMac’s body sits nicely on an aluminum base that provides a stable anchor for the rest of the body; it's the very same base as on the previous model. The screen is tiltable, and the adjustment motion is refined and smooth. There's no left/right swivel adjustment (apart from moving the whole machine, base and all), but Apple claims that its iMacs have a 178-degree off-center viewing angle, and that minimizes the need for fine swivel adjustments. (Based on our testing, we believe it; we noted no appreciable deterioration of color or viewability when we looked at both video and still images far off center.) Plus, the iMac is light enough to drag around your desk, if need be.

The iMac ships with either Apple's Magic Mouse or the company's Magic Trackpad. You previously had to pay an extra $69 to get the Magic Trackpad separately; now, you can get it bundled with your iMac instead of the Magic Mouse, for no additional charge. The Magic Mouse works almost like the touch pad of a laptop. Looking like a tiny spaceship, the Magic Mouse has no buttons—or rather, like its MacBook touch-pad counterpart, it’s one big button. (Click here for our full review of the Apple Magic Mouse.) The Magic Trackpad, on the other hand, actually is the touch pad of a laptop, lifted off and made a free-standing peripheral. If you've used the touch pad on a MacBook Pro, you'll be very familiar with how this unique pointer works. (Click here for our full review of the Magic Trackpad.)

You can now choose to have your iMac ship with a Magic Trackpad instead of a Magic Mouse.

Along with the Magic Mouse, the iMac also ships with a wireless Bluetooth keyboard that adheres nicely to the Apple minimalist aesthetic. About three-quarters the size of a traditional keyboard (partly thanks to the elimination of the numeric keypad), it’s almost completely flat except for a rounded area in the back that holds the batteries and props up the keyboard slightly in the rear.

Despite its diminutive body, we didn’t find the keyboard hard to type on. Like the mouse, it bears a striking resemblance to Apple’s laptops, with the Chiclet-style keys rising only slightly from the body of the keyboard. It's tiny and may take some getting used to, but if you're an Apple fan, it will definitely fit your style.

The super-thin keyboard comes with built-in Bluetooth and requires two AA batteries.

Apple's new 720p FaceTime HD camera lives in the middle of the top of the screen bezel, along with a camera-indicator light, which lights up to warn you when the camera is on. The FaceTime camera features three times the resolution of the iSight camera that came on previous iMacs. We first used the FaceTime camera when it made its debut on the latest line of MacBook Pro laptops, and we were immediately impressed with it. This could have been one of those improvements that might not matter to the average consumer, but we think the dramatic difference won't go unnoticed. As far as using the camera, we noticed no lag, and it performed well even in a dimly lit office. You can make FaceTime calls to other Mac devices that have a camera and the FaceTime app installed. (You can download the app from the Mac App Store for 99 cents; it also comes loaded for free on new iMacs and MacBooks.)

The built-in speakers are located on the right and left side of the underbelly of the bezel. They deliver a loud, bass-filled sound that could easily fill a small room. (As a matter of fact, our neighbor in our office asked if we were having a dance party in our office during our testing.) You'll want to consider hooking up some external speakers, though, if you plan on pumping music from the iMac to entertain at a party, as it doesn't quite have the sound to fill a large room

On the back-left side of the body is a single-file line of ports. From left, they are audio-in and -out jacks, four USB 2.0 ports, a FireWire port, a Thunderbolt connector (don't worry, we'll get to that probably unfamiliar one in a minute), and an Ethernet jack. In the middle, behind the base, is the power connection. The power cord snakes out through an opening in the base.

The iMac's ports include, from left: headphone and microphone jacks, four USB 2.0 ports, a FireWire 800 port, the new Thunderbolt port, and an Ethernet jack.

These iMacs are the first desktops to feature the Thunderbolt port, which replaces the mini-DisplayPort connector from previous iMacs. Thunderbolt is based on Intel's Light Peak technology, which supports both high-performance peripherals and high-resolution displays. You get one Thunderbolt port on the 21.5-inch iMac, and two on the 27-inch model, to support additional peripherals. (This means, for example, you can hook up two additional displays to the 27-inch iMac.) Apple claims the technology can provide data transfer at 20 times the speed of a USB 2.0 port, and, from what we saw during an Apple-administered demonstration the morning of this computer's release, we believe it. (We'd have tested it ourselves, but no cable or device was available for us to lug back to our labs. Estimates are, though, that Thunderbolt cables and compatible devices will be available in the late spring or early summer.)

The Thunderbolt port doesn't just work with Thunderbolt-equipped peripherals; it's also compatible with USB 2.0 and 3.0, FireWire, Gigabit Ethernet, VGA, DVI, and HDMI connectors via an adapter. (Adapters are expected to be available for each connection type soon. Keep in mind, though, that with the adapters, you’ll still be running at the speed of your original connection.) A final aspect of it is a serious flashback: The Thunderbolt port also allows you to daisy-chain up to six devices off of it, much like old-school SCSI.

The iMac's power cord runs through this gap in the stand.

While the outside of the latest iMacs may look identical to the previous generation, the inside has seen a wholesale component revamp, with more powerful graphics and CPUs. As we mentioned previously, our test unit was the base model of the line, built around a current-generation 2.5GHz Intel Core i5 CPU and an AMD Radeon HD 6750M graphics card with 512MB of memory. The Sandy Bridge processors have already wowed us on the Windows side, setting all kinds of speed records at low system price points. And with this kind of power now backing the iMac, this machine blew its predecessor—and most of the competition—straight off the test bench in our testing.

The first set of trials we ran tested the iMac's raw CPU performance. We started with our Cinebench 10 test, which stresses all the cores of a given processor in rendering a test image. The iMac scored 13,631, a 56 percent increase over the previous version of the 21.5-inch iMac. This number is also impressive next to comparable Windows-based AIOs. It bests the Gateway One ZX6951-53's score of 10,031, while it didn't quite measure up to the HP Omni 200 Quad's 14,658. (The HP Omni 200 was running a 2.8GHz Intel Core i5 processor, though, which we would expect to be a little faster than this iMac's CPU.)

Our next CPU-centric test was our iTunes Converstion Test, in which we encode 11 standard audio tracks from MP3 to AAC format. Here, the iMac's time of 2 minutes and 16 seconds to perform the test task beat the previous version's time by almost a full minute. It also handily beat the HP Omni 200 Quad and Gateway One ZX6951-53 by more than 20 seconds.

The new, more-powerful graphics in this line of iMacs also impressed us in our testing. With the previous version of the iMac line, Apple for the first time brought a dedicated graphics processor to its low-end iMac. This time, the trend toward better graphics continues with the AMD Radeon HD 6750M in our test machine. This bump up in graphics power prompted us to run one of our more intensive game tests on this machine in Boot Camp. We used the test game Far Cry 2, which has a built-in benchmark test; we achieved a frame rate of 29.4 frames per second (fps) on our 1,920x1,080 DirectX 10 run of the test. When we dropped the resolution to 1,680x1,050 (while keeping the rest of the graphics settings pushed to High), we got a more playable 32.6fps. (30fps is our typical threshhold for playability.)

What this tells us: You’ll likely have to dial back the resolution and graphics settings a fair bit in cutting-edge gaming titles, but this machine should make most current games playable. If gaming is a priority for you, though, we’d upgrade the system to one of the higher-end graphics-card options.

The FaceTime camera, ambient light sensor, and camera-live indicator are located at the center-top of the bezel.

Overall video-playback performance was solid. We watched a DVD copy of The Bourne Identity; the film displayed crisp and clear, with no motion blur to be seen. (We would have loved to have watched a Blu-ray disc, but as we noted, alas, there's no support for that.) MOV video files that we shot on our inexpensive Canon point-and-shoot camera also played back without glitches.

While this kind of performance isn’t up to the same level you’ll find in an Apple Mac Pro tower or another high-end desktop, this system delivers plenty of CPU muscle for multitasking, as well as demanding tasks such as high-end image and HD video editing. Professional users will, of course, want to step up to one of the faster CPUs for the time that they’ll save in rendering, but for everyone else, even this low-end model’s CPU should be more than sufficient for just about all mainstream tasks.

The iMac comes bundled with the 10.6 version of the Mac OS X Snow Leopard operating system, as well as iLife ’11 (comprising the superb iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, iWeb, and GarageBand applications). The latter is as good a starter set of media-centric programs as you'll find with any modern desktop computer. The iMac also comes with a one-year limited warranty and 90 days of toll-free phone support. (An extended AppleCare warranty will cover your system for two more years; it costs $169 extra, and that upcharge was not factored into the cost of our test unit.)

With a little new on the outside and a lot new on the inside, the 21.5-inch iMac continues to be our overall top pick for an all-in-one desktop computer. Dramatic improvements in CPU and graphics power send it hurtling to the front of the AIO pack, and its stylish design would fit perfectly in a living room as well as an office. Even though its improved graphics performance makes it a viable gaming machine, we'd like to see more entertainment features, such as an HDMI port or a Blu-ray drive. But as a productivity PC, the iMac is as powerful as it is beautiful.

Price (at time of review): $1,199 (mfr. est., as tested)

www.apple.com
800-692-7753

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