In Europe, it seems like the iPhone is greeted with nothing but tribulation and joy. After initial sales figures of 10,000 units were reported in the mid-afternoon of the first day of sales in Germany, one of the CEOs of T-mobile exclaimed "we're delighted". British sales were not much different. After stores opened their doors to queues seen camping out overnight, the BBC recorded scenes of "mayhem" in London. The iPhone goes on sale in France on November 29th, twenty days later than it did in Germany and the UK. However, the wait will be worth it: by French law, all mobile phones sold in France must come unlocked, to join whatever network the French customer chooses. Apple is working closely with French telecom companies to make sure that French iPhones do not make their way out of France, where a factory-unlocked iPhone would fetch a pretty penny.

Mobile email company Visto has launched a service that delivers corporate mobile email access on the iPhone. The Visto Mobile service lets iPhone users securely and easily access corporate email without downloading any additional software to the iPhone or requiring any changes to security policies or corporate firewall settings. The service is already available in the US and will be made available across Europe from today through Visto's website. Use of the service is free for the first 60 days, a video demonstration of the service in action is also available. Visto Mobile exploits the iPhone's user interface, which already allows users to send and receive attachments, receive rich HTML email and view e-mails as they were originally sent. Visto Mobile adds the corporate directory search capability, so individuals can search for any contact and either place a call, send an email or obtain driving directions by selecting the contact's phone number, email address or physical address.

Despite the utterly deplorable weather conditions in London last night, a small horde of dedicated iPhone enthusiasts was seen waiting in front of the local O2 store. Graham Gilbert, 22, officially has the honor of being the first man to be seen waiting for the iPhone in London. Graham has "been looking forward to the iPhone since it was announced in January." Once Graham has an iPhone, he plans to stick with O2, and not unlock/modify his iPhone. He his efforts to unlock the phone would be in vain every time Apple released a firmware update. The Apple iPhone die-hards will be able to get their hands on the iPhone at 6PM tonight, local time.

It seems as though the mass adoption of Mac OS X Leopard is bringing Apple more than publicity and sales. The German security experts at Heise Security and security blogger Rich Mogull tested OS X Leopard out for themselves, and found some serious problems. The OS X Leopard firewall works by signing applications that aren't already signed by Apple, so that they are given the go-ahead by the firewall. Unfortunately, when a program changes, that go-ahead disappears. Skype is one of those programs that changes itself, and so it comes as no surprise that Skype users are reporting trouble getting Skype to work on their Mac OS X Leopard computers. World of Warcraft also has this problem, though it's not entirely understood why. World of Warcraft forum members report that reinstalling the game clears the bug right up.

After reports early last month of Apple's latest iMacs experiencing random freezes linked to the Radeon HD drivers used by the machines, Apple has released a patch which should fix the problem. It is recommended for all 20" and 24" iMacs using 2GHz, 2.4GHz or 2.8GHz processors, with separate downloads available for both OS X Tiger and the new OS X Leopard.

Apple has quietly updated its MacBook range of notebooks to use Intel's new Santa Rosa platform, accompanied by the introduction of Intel GMA X3100 integrated graphics. The new platform should offer a slight bump in speed to all the MacBooks, which ship with either 2.0GHz or 2.2GHz processors, as well as the option of up to a 250GB hard drive. Apple has also updated to Mac Book Pro range to allow buyers to upgrade to a 2.6GHz processor for an extra $250. You can take a look at the complete MacBook specs here.

Apple today announced that it sold (or delivered in the case of maintenance agreements) over two million copies of Mac OS X Leopard since its release on Friday, far outpacing the first-weekend sales of Mac OS X Tiger, which was previously the most successful OS release in Apple's history. Sales included copies sold at Apple's retail stores, Apple Authorized Resellers, the online Apple Store, under maintenance agreements and bundled with new Mac computers. Leopard is the sixth major release of Mac OS X and is packed with more than 300 new features.

Apple posted a support document on its Web site addressing reports of interminable "blue screen" problems that caused some Mac users upgrading to Mac OS X Leopard no small degree of frustration. Apple said the problem could be related to "application enhancement software" that does not work with Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard. Apple recommended two solutions for Leopard owners attempting to upgrade: novice users should reinstall Leopard using the "Archive and Install" method detailed here. Other solution involves using the command line to get rid of the application enhancement software.

Mac OS X 10.5: "Blue screen" appears after installing Leopard and restarting report

A significant number of Mac owners upgrading to Leopard on Friday reported that after installing the new operating system, their machines locked up, showing only an interminable - and very Windows-like - "blue screen of death."

I'm upgrading my 20" iMac (Core Duo) at the moment and the installation 'completed', then the computer rebooted and it has been sitting on a plain blue screen for the past 30 minutes.

There is no progress indicator of any sort but I can occasionally hear the hard drive seeking.

explains thread posted on Apple forums. Many other Apple users complain from the same issue. Some reports speculate that the glitch might be related to a third-party program that installs a base-level framework that modifies OS X. Unfortunately, Apple was not available to comment on the story. Continue reading the full thread - Installation appears stuck on a plain blue screen.

Just one day after its release, Apple's new OS X Leopard has already been hacked to work on standard Intel-based computers. Admittedly it isn't guaranteed to work 100% yet, and is more than likely illegal in some way, but all you need to give it a try is a patched DVD image, a zip file with a patch and a USB flash drive. After that you're just three easy steps away from running the new operating system on your Intel PC (SSE3 and later) but unfortunately there's no AMD support available yet. As many PC owners have a slight dislike for Macs this may not be too appealing to everyone, but you can take a look at the procedure here.

Apple has begun limiting sales of its popular iPhone to two per customer and no longer accepts cash for payment.

We're requiring a credit or debit card for payment to discourage unauthorized resellers,

said Apple spokesperson Natalie Kerris, calling the demand for the iPhone "off the charts." The previous limit was five iPhones per person, which tempted hackers to buy in quantity to resell or unlock them from their intended use with AT&T Mobility. This precaution is intended to lower the sale rate of phones, bought to be unlocked. The new restrictions are also aimed at ensuring enough iPhones for increased holiday sales. The iPhone will soon launch in Germany, the United Kingdom and France.

Apple is now the most valuable computer maker in the world. At the current US$186 per share, Apple's value as a company is US$162B. That's now larger than IBM ($159B) and Intel ($155B) and fourth in terms of computer companies behind only Cisco ($189B), Google ($208B), and Microsoft ($290B). Read the full report in Saul Hansell's New York Times blog.

Despite all the bad press the iPhone has been getting in response to such allegations as locking people to a certain network and preventing third party applications from going on the iPhone, 82% of all people who've ever bought an iPhone are reported as being "very satisfied". The iPhone also makes up two percent of all phones on the street today, and 16% of all phone customers who plan on buying a new phone within the next six months are planning on getting an iPhone.

Big deal, most would say, every console or device that hopes to catch on needs an SDK (Software Development Kit), so that popular games and applications can run on the device. However, for quite a while, Apple seemed to think it was impervious to this law of the market. With the latest iPhone controversy however, involving lawsuits of network-locking and possible toxicity, Apple decided it was for the better if they let third-party developers put their stuff on the iPhone. An SDK will be shipped to anyone who wants one as soon as all the kinks are worked out, which Apple estimates to be some time in February 2008.

Apple has dropped the price of its iTunes Plus songs that have no digital rights management (DRM) software protection and allow owners to move song files freely from one device to another. The 256kbps DRM-free song files were originally priced at $1.29 per song with a lower per-song average price for buying an entire album. iTunes now seems to be offering the same files for 99 cents per song, the same price it charges for its usual 128kbps DRM versions.

iTunes Plus has been incredibly popular with our customers, and now we're making it available at an even more affordable price,

Tom Neumayr, senior manager for iPods, Apple TV and iTunes, said in a statement. The change closely follows Amazon.com's launch of its own digital-music store.

Apple confirmed Tuesday that Mac OS X Leopard will go on sale Friday, October 26 at 6:00 p.m. at Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers, and that the company's online store is now accepting pre-orders for the software. Available for $129 (single user) and $199 (family pack), Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard is packed with over 300 new features, installs easily, and works with the software and accessories you already have. Additionally Mac OS X Leopard introduces a brand new desktop with Stacks, a new way to easily access files from the Dock; a redesigned Finder that lets users quickly browse and share files between multiple Macs; Quick Look, a new way to instantly see files without opening an application; Spaces, an intuitive new feature used to create groups of applications and instantly switch between them; and Time Machine, an effortless way to automatically back up everything on a Mac.

Lawyers filed a class action lawsuit against Apple and AT&T seeking $1.2 billion in damages because the iPhone is locked to AT&T's wireless network. The suit also notes that Apple will not allow unauthorized applications on the iPhone. Filed on behalf of Paul Holman in the State of Washington and Lucy Rivello in California, the lawsuit explains that in the United States the SIM chip is locked to the wireless carrier, not the hardware device. Damian Fernadez, the attorney who filed the state suit explains in court documents what Apple is accused of:

Apple punished consumers for exercising their rights to unlock their iPhones. Apple issued a software update that 'bricked' or otherwise caused iPhone malfunctions for consumers who unlocked their phones and installed the update. Apple's unlawful trust with AT&T substantially lessens competition and tends to create a monopoly in trade and commerce throughout the entire United States.

Apple and AT&T both declined to comment on the story.

Apple Inc. has halted shipments of MagSafe power adapters for its MacBook Pro notebook line as a result of quality design issues and is presently working on a fix. Apple began pulling inventory of the 85W power supplies from its retail stores a few weeks ago. Apple also discontinued shipments to third party retailers ahead of "redesigned" models that are expected to ship in about 2 to 3 weeks. Reports claim that the thermal insulation of the adapter cords has a tendency to heat up and fray near both the power brick and the MagSafe connector, creating a potentially serious hazard. Another issue is a tendency for the tiny pins inside the MagSafe connector to improperly spring back into place, resulting in a faulty connection between the MagSafe connector and the MacBook Pro's built-in power adapter port. And lastly, some adapters are showing signs of a defect where the LED indicator light on the MagSafe connecter will intermittently shut off even though the adapter continues to charge the MacBook Pro.

Second anti-iPhone lawsuit in two weeks alleges that Apple violated antitrust laws. A California man filed a lawsuit accusing Apple Inc. of violating antitrust law because its iPhone forces buyers to use AT&T Inc. as their wireless carrier and the company "bricked" phones that had been modified to call over other networks. Timothy Smith filed the lawsuit Friday with a California state court in San Jose seeking class-action status. The suit demands that Apple be barred from selling locked iPhones and that it be required to provide warranty service for owners of unlocked devices. The lawsuit also asks for unspecified monetary damages. In the lawsuit Smith alleges that Apple violated several California antitrust statutes when it tied the smart phone to AT&T and prohibited customers from using other carriers. Click here to read the full story.

With Firmware v1.1.1, Apple aimed to do more than prevent users from accessing other networks: they were trying to fix critical security holes. While their efforts did work temporarily, hackers recently are proclaiming that they are cracking those security measures. Hackers claim that a special TIFF file can cause a buffer overflow error in Mobile Safari, rendering the iPhone itself vulnerable. While these hacks are nowhere near as easy to use as what was happening in previous versions of firmware, it's definitely a start. There is no word as to when firmware v1.1.1 will be hacked to the point where alternative networks are available for the iPhone.

Seeking to improve its portable devices, Apple has applied for a patent that could lead to touch-sensitive Macs or handhelds which react to the level of force, rather than just contact. Originally submitted in March of last year but only published on Thursday, the patent for a "Force Imaging Input and Device System" describes today's touchscreens and touchpads as limited by their relatively simple input, which tracks just the location of the finger or stylus on the surface. A method of detecting the strength of the user's input would add a new element of control, according to Apple. The patent's inventors Brian Huppi and Steven Hotelling have suggested lining touchpads with a set of traces joined together by a sandwich-like spring membrane layer underneath the surface. Touching the pad would deform the traces and create a capacitive image in circuitry, indicating where contact has been made. But unlike traditional capacitive or resistive touch surfaces, the membrane would help create a second image that recognizes just how much pressure has been applied at a given point; the harder the user pushes, the closer the membrane reaches conductive elements inside the layer and the more force would be registered with each press. Computers, phones, PDAs, and control panels are listed as candidates for the technique, although Apple is not obliged to manufacture any products using its invention.

Apple has taken another swing at fixing a troublesome spate of QuickTime vulnerabilities. The company released an update for the Windows version of QuickTime media player on Wednesday afternoon to patch what Apple calls a "command injection issue" in the way the media player handles URLs. The flaw, which affects Windows XP and Windows Vista, was first disclosed in September of 2006 by Petko D. Petkov, a penetration tester. Petkov noted in a blog post this September that he reported two QuickTime bugs in the early fall of 2006. Only one, however, was patched. To bring attention to the year-old vulnerability, Petkov posted several proof-of-concept exploits on his blog last month. The issue does not affect computers running Mac OS X, according to Apple.

Apple's latest iMacs suffer seem to suffer from a graphics card problem that causes the computer screens to lock up. Numerous discussion threads on Apple's support forums report that, while the iMac display becomes unresponsive, the Mac itself appears to work normally. Apparently indicating the fault relates to the iMac's ATI Radeon HD card. iMac users suffering the screen freeze can get their Mac working again with a hard restart. Some users claim the fault appeared after they had installed recent software drivers (v1.1) for the Radeon HD card -- others claim that restoring the iMac to factory settings fixes the machine. While Apple is alleged to be aware of the issue, no fix for the flaw has yet been made available.

Apple has issued a warning to Boot Camp users that their beta software is on track to expire this month. The company's latest tech support posting for the software warns: "As indicated in the license agreement for Boot Camp Beta, the Boot Camp Beta program expires when Mac OS 10.5 Leopard becomes available publicly in October, 2007." The note explains that the license to use Boot Camp Beta 1.2 or earlier expired on 30 September, requiring users to upgrade to Boot Camp 1.4, which will work a little longer. The Boot Camp 1.4 license is set to expire when Mac OS X 10.5 is made available to the public. Apple has not yet disclosed a date for this release. "To continue using Boot Camp at that time, upgrade to Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard," the company warns. Previous reports have indicated Apple may release a version of Boot Camp for use with Mac OS X 10.4, but the company's existing technical support warning offers no information as to such future plans

IPhone firmware version 1.1.1 did a particularly nasty trick on anyone who had unlocked it via software: it rendered the iPhone unusable on any network other than AT&T in some cases, and in others, it "bricked" them, rendering them useless. Discussions on Apple boards were quickly locked down, and now a community of angry users is planning on suing Apple. The small group did not specify how much they plan on suing Apple for, but chances are, Apple is going to settle out of court.