Apple opens iTunes Music Store in 56 new countries, four get movies too

Just days after finally pushing out its redesigned iTunes 11 software, Apple has thrown open the doors to its iTunes music store in 56 new countries today. The list of countries includes Russia, Turkey, India and South Africa where customers can download DRM-free tracks from both major labels and local acts. Additionally, movies from a number of distributors large and small are now available in Russia, Turkey, India and Indonesia, with "select additional countries" gaining access soon. That brings the iTunes store count to a total of 119 countries where it's pushing media, while the App Store offers 700,000 apps in 155 countries around the world. There's a few more details (although oddly not an official list of all the countries, but MacRumors appears to have worked them out if you're interested) in the press release after the break, international listeners can just open up iTunes and see if that buy button is clickable.

[Source: Engadget]

Bob Mansfield sells over $20 Million in AAPL stock

Apple Senior Vice President of Technologies Bob Mansfield sold 35,000 shares of Apple stock at a price of $582, netting him a cool $20 million. This financial transaction was detailed in a SEC filing spotted by MacRumors.

Earlier this year, Mansfield sold another chunk of Apple stock for $12.5 million. Shortly after Mansfield sold his stock in February, the executive announced that he was retiring from his role as head of hardware and would serve the company in an advisory role. After a brief hiatus, Mansfield recently returned to lead a new Technologies group that was formed after the ouster of iOS chief Scott Forstall.

This latest transaction does not mean Mansfield is ready to exit the company again. Executives regularly cash in stock they receive as compensation for their work at Apple. Mansfield also has incentive to stay at Apple as he is slated to receive another 150,000 shares that will be disbursed in two equal allotments with the first arriving in June 2013 and the second in March 2016. He also has 100,000 shares of restricted stock that'll vest in 2014.

[Source: TUAW]

Apple files patent for true wireless charging technology

When it comes to wireless charging, today's options aren't exactly as cord-free as the label would suggest. Things like charging mats or other wireless docking options are fine and all, but adding more accessories and bulky cases to the mix is often more trouble than it's worth. As Wired reports, a patent filed this week by Apple side steps these pesky add-ons and could offer true wireless charging for the first time on Apple hardware.

The patent -- titled Wireless Power Utilization In A Local Computing Environment -- uses near-field magnetic resonance to push power to compatible devices from a central unit, creating what is effectively an invisible bubble where your gadgets can recharge without the need for cords or plugs of any kind. So imagine your wireless keyboard and mouse simply never running out of juice, or even being able to set your phone or tablet down on your desk and have them recharge on their own.

[Source: TUAW - Click here to read the full story]

iFixit's teardown of the 21.5-inch iMac

It's December 1, 2012. The newest iteration of the 21.5-inch iMac has been out for a full day, and the staff at iFixit has already carefully disassembled one of the new all-in-one Macs to determine how repairable it is -- or isn't -- and what makes the latest iMac tick.

The first thing the iFixit team was unhappy with was the use of adhesives to attach the display assembly to the body of the computer. Rather than strong magnets, used in the previous series of iMacs, the display is basically glued on and requires a heat gun and guitar picks to remove.

The display itself sports the same model number (LG LM215WF3) as the previous 21.5-inch iMac, but strangely enough it's 5mm thinner than the older display. iFixit surmises that "Apple took all the same pieces of the LCD and crammed them into a smaller housing."

[Source: TUAW - Click here to read the full story]

Some new iMacs "Assembled in USA"?

Lost in yesterday's writeup of the iFixit 21.5-inch iMac was this small line in the description: "Interestingly, this iMac claims to have been assembled in the USA."

Sure enough, a look at the iFixit image of the back of the iMac shows the fascinating line "Designed in California. Assembled in USA". Why is that fascinating? Apple has closed all of its US production facilities, which were in places like Elk Grove and Fremont, California and Fountain, Colorado.

9to5Mac reports that some earlier generation iMacs have come in boxes printed with "Assembled in USA" on the side. In order for a product to be marked as "Made in the USA," the US Federal Trade Commission states that "A product that includes foreign components may be called 'Assembled in USA' without qualification when its principal assembly takes place in the U.S. and the assembly is substantial. For the 'assembly' claim to be valid, the product's last 'substantial transformation' also should have occurred in the U.S. That's why a 'screwdriver' assembly in the U.S. of foreign components into a final product at the end of the manufacturing process doesn't usually qualify for the 'Assembled in USA' claim."

9to5Mac's Seth Weintraub speculates that perhaps Apple is making an early manufacturing run of the new iMacs in the USA to "get the manufacturing kinks" worked out before handing the proverbial factory keys over to Foxconn.

[Source: TUAW - Click here to read the full story]

New 21.5-inch iMac gets an early teardown in Japan

We're currently putting Apple's latest "skinny" iMac through its paces here in New York, but an eager Japanese customer has already popped open the 21.5-inch desktop's case, revealing a serviceable hard drive, removable logic board and even a bit of room to spare in the tapered silver housing. There's not much in the way of details over at Kodawarisan, a scant Japanese-language site, but there are plenty of interior pics to gawk at, tiding us over until the experts at iFixit manage to dissect an iMac of their own. Head on over to the source link below for a dozen or so undressed snaps of Cupertino's latest creation.

[Source: Engadget]

Variable iTunes gift cards hit retailers just in time for holiday shopping

Instead of combing through the gift card aisle for just the right iTunes denomination, you'll soon be able to get one of these newly released variable gift cards. Just bring the card to the cashier, pick an amount between $15 and $500, and it'll get validated for that amount. The Cupertino company has offered variable pricing for regular Apple Store gift cards for awhile now, but iTunes cards had previously only been available in $15, $25, $50 and $100 options. These cards should also be compatible with an iTunes 11 feature that lets you redeem gift cards by scanning the code with your computer's camera. We're not sure which third-party retailers are offering these just yet, but it sounds like a decent last-minute impulse gift for your iOS-loving pals.

[Source: Engadget]

New 21.5-inch iMac now available through Apple’s online store, 27-inch models ship in 2-3 weeks

The eighth-generation iMac was announced at the company’s late-October media event, where Apple Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing Phil Schiller called it, “the most beautiful iMac we have ever made.” Right on track, the 21.5-inch iMac is now available on the company’s online store and is also available across a slew of third party retail stores this afternoon. The 27-inch model will ship starting in 2-3 weeks in the US and Canada while overseas (Australia/EUare 15-19 days) you are looking at up to 20 days, making a Christmas deliveries tight.

Apple makes the 21.5-inch iMac available in two versions. The 2.7GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 model (Turbo Boost up to 3.2GHz) is available for $1,299, featuring 8GB of 1600MHz DDR3 memory, 1 TB (5400-rpm) hard drive, and a NVIDIA GeForce GT 640M graphics processor with 512MB of GDDR5 memory. The 2.9GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 model (Turbo Boost up to 3.6GHz) is available for $1,499, featuring similar specs, except a 1TB (5400-rpm) hard drive that can be configured into a Fusion Drive. All models feature a 5mm edge, edge-to-edge glass, LED-backlit display with IPS technology, a FaceTime HD camera, dual mics, four USB 3 ports, two Thunderbolt ports, OS X Mountain Lion, Bluetooth 4.0, and more.

[Source: 9to5Mac]

Apple revamps Apple TV firmware, iOS Remote app to play nicely in an iTunes 11 world

If you're the early adopting type living in an Apple ecosystem, you probably upgraded to iTunes 11 almost as soon as the bits reached the servers. You might not have noticed that Apple gave its iOS Remote app and Apple TV firmware shots in the arm to match. Of the two, Remote 3.0 is the larger update and brings a simpler UI that also takes advantage of iTunes' new Up Next feature to add or prune out songs in ongoing playlists on a host computer. iPad owners reap the most rewards -- the album view now expands in place to quickly drill down to a specific track. Apple TV viewers aren't quite so coddled, although they too get Up Next support for iTunes 11 (and iTunes Match) as well as the usual rounds of speed-ups and bug fixes; we imagine a solution to some of the troubles with 5.1 is part of the package. No matter which update fits into your vision of musical harmony, you'll find details at the source links.

[Source: Engadget]

Internal Apple video documents Apple Store philosophy

Washington Square Films (NYC) gives us a rare look at one of the internal videos that Apple has shown its Store employees. This one is obviously over a year old with Ron Johnson at the helm (the date says 7/7/2011). The video is a pretty impressive piece of work from director Peter Sillen for something that never aired publicly. Among other interesting tidbits, the video shows store mock-up inside Covent Garden (London) space in 2008 before construction with Apple execs examining design elements.

The video seems to be the type you might see on TV and – just guessing here – with the departure of Ron Johnson may have been scrapped without stable store leadership to fill in. Bob Bridger, Apple VP for Retail Development, gets significant ‘face time’ as well.

To watch the video, click here.

[Source: 9to5Mac]

Apple had to acquire Lightning trademark from Motorcycle manufacturer Harley-Davidson

In order to get its new Lightning technology out on the market, Apple had to acquire the trademark “Lightning” from the popular motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson. According to Patently Apple, two trademark applications published on Sunday by the EU Patent & Trademark Office show the transfer of the trademark officially went down on Saturday. The term “Lightning” is still protected until 2013 under the original filing, and Harley-Davidson still owns some rights to the term. Still having access more than likely gives the Motorcycle manufacturer the right to use Lightning on some of its products, which includes helmets and electrical parts, while Apple also has free reign. It seems kind-of odd a term like “Lightning” can be trademarked.

[Source: 9to5Mac]

Cupertino posts tweaked Apple spaceship campus plans as launch risks slipping to 2016

Have you wanted as direct a look as possible at Apple's latest plans for its spaceship-like campus? You've got it -- although you may not be in love with the reason why. Details posted by the city of Cupertino reflect a potential delay in an environmental impact study that might not wrap up until June 2013. If the analysis takes that long, Apple may have to push back the halo-shaped office's opening until 2016, roughly a year later than expected. It's hard to be sympathetic when most of those who'll see the campus first-hand will have to wear an employee badge; even so, it's slightly disappointing to realize that the renderings and schematics at the source link may be our only only glimpse at the company's solar-powered donut for quite awhile.

[Source: Engadget]