The Week in Mac News

For this Monday, here's a recap of last week's most important Mac news stories:

-We've learned that in choosing a cellular network and provider for the upcoming iPhone, Apple's first choice was not Cingular, but rather Verizon Wireless. Two years ago, Apple approached Verizon with the offer of making Verizon the exclusive provider for the iPhone upon initial release. Well, it seems that Apple's deal was a little too "exclusive" for Verizon's liking. USA Today reports that in the proposed deal, Apple wanted Verizon to accept terms such as collecting a portion of the monthly fees charged for iPhone users, having complete control over where and how iPhones could be distributed to end-users, and be the only party who decides what to do in the case an iPhone malfunctions. Verizon's response? "We said no. We have nothing bad to say about the Apple iPhone. We just couldn't reach a deal that was mutually beneficial." Yes, so it seems that Steve Job's has a partial conception of what "mutually beneficial" is...

-In a victory for Mac journalists everywhere, Apple will not be appealing the 2006 Apple v. Does ruling, a ruling which stated that that sites like AppleInsider do not have to disclose the sources from which they acquired unreleased information regarding future Apple products. Whilst Apple argued that "amateurs" from sites like AppleInsider don't have the same 1st amendment protections as "professional" journalists, the court appropriately dismissed Apple's reasoning as nonsense, stating that "'We can think of no workable test or principle that would distinguish 'legitimate' from 'illegitimate' news,' and that the the rumor sites appear 'conceptually indistinguishable from publishing a newspaper, and we see no theoretical basis for treating it differently.'" So now that Apple has decided to accept the court's decision, they'll be compelled to pay up a sum of $700,000 for the opposite party's legal fees. It seems that a good precedent has been set, which may in the future, help protect InsanelyMac in unexpected ways as well ...

-Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple, is a tad dissapointed by the first generation iPhone. Wozniak is reportedly puzzled as to why the iPhone will be network bound to Cingular, and looks forward to seeing improvements in future generations of the product, including highly welcomed support for 3G. Meanwhile, Apple is trying its hardest to resolve the trademark issue with Cisco, which has reportedly reinstated and extended out-of-court talks before the nasty legal battle ensues.

-And the legal troubles don't stop there: the US government has asked Apple to turn over more information and documents regarding the options fiasco uncovered earlier this year. Apple has stated that it intends to fully cooperate with the federal investigation, but that in doing so there will be detrimental effects upon it's business and management. We can only hope that Jobs hasn't tangled enough rope for Apple to shoot itself in its own foot.

-In an absolutely unforeseen turn of events, Sony has done the unthinkable and released a docking station for Apple's iPods. It seems that if you can't beat 'em, you can make accessories for them.

-And finally during the week, Microsoft launched their long-awaited operating system Windows Vista alongside their revamped Office 2007, both of which have received mixed ratings everywhere. PC World, CNET, and Paul Thurrott offer in-depth reviews and testing results, while The Inquirer shows how Microsoft's list of 7 Vista high points is actually quite "low". In the end, behind all the smoke and Aero Glass™, it seems that the only clarity brought to our world is how costly migrating to Vista will be for many people. Apple seems to agree with this point in a new

Putting aside the fanboy arguments flowing forth from both sides of the line, neither Jobs nor Gates should be making such self-superior statements about the other. True that Apple computers have unique and positive features better than PCs, but to characterize all PC users as boring and conformist is a rhetorical and arguably, hypocritical argument that adds no value in promoting Apple's products. And to, in response to inaccurate statements, write-off the other side as total liars is a shallow, sweeping generalization that makes you no better than the "liars" you're condemning.

Here's to another week of great Mac happenings.