Apple's Leopard early bugs

Although most of Mac OS X Leopard,the latest version of Apple's operating system, users seem satisfied, there have been a fair amount of complaints from those who were first down the road to Leopard.

Most are relatively minor, some were quite annoying, and a few raise questions about how Apple's operating system strategy might be different when it's time to ship the next release.

The "blue screen" problem got the most attention.

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IPhone can be used with any carriers now

Want to use other carrierson your iphone? No problem. PhoneSIMFree today claimed that they had created software that unlocked Apple's iPhone, letting users make calls on mobile networks other than AT&T, the official, and exclusive, carrier in the U.S.

"No need to open your phone. No need to solder," the group announced on its Web site. Although iPhoneSIMFree said it would offer both individual and group licenses for the unlocking software next week, it didn't list a price.

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Cisco Sues Apple Over Use of iPhone Name

Cisco Systems sued Apple Inc. in federal court on Wednesday, claiming that Cisco owns the iPhone trademark. Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs unveiled the long awaited Apple iPhone at the MacWorld trade show in San Francisco on Tuesday, but Cisco claims that Apple does not have the right to use the name 'iPhone'.

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iTunes Site Slowed During Holiday Rush

A surge in Web traffic, driven by new iPod owners as well as those who received Apple gift cards, caused delays at Apple's iTunes Music Store on Christmas and the following day. Traffic to the iTunes store was up 413 percent on Christmas Day compared to the same day a year ago.

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Apple iTunes Sales Down 65% in First Half of 2006

Sales at Apple's iTunes Store fell 65% in the first six months of 2006, according to a survey of U.S. iTunes debit and credit card purchases conducted by Forrester Research. The number of monthly iTunes transactions dropped 58% in the first half of 2006, while the average size of purchase also declined by 17%, the report said.

Forrester couched the report's findings by noting that it wasn't clear whether seasonal sales patterns may be a factor. A majority of sales are generally transacted in the second half of the year. Overall, 3% of online households polled by the firm have made an iTunes purchase in the past year, with buyers spending an average of $35 for the year. Half of all transactions cost $3 or less.

"Only Apple knows just how much profit there is at the end of the day on a $1.98 credit card transaction for two songs, but with transaction costs, hosting costs, and the wholesale price of the songs, there's not much margin left," Forrester said.

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