An Apple employee has posted a listing on the Facebook Marketplace for a job on the iPhone team. The listing starts:

“Software Engineer iPhone Mail Application #2988020

Apple Computer iPhone Technology is looking for a proactive, highly motivated Software Engineer for Software Design and Development on the iPhone Mail Application.”

Source: the facebook listing, the Apple.com job listing

Here’s another video from the D5 conference. In this Steve Jobs and Bill Gates share the stage. Things start out cordially and then there are a few jabs here and there. This will hopefully be the last video I post here about D5, unless you want to see more or I find out important information that relates to Apple. It’s always interesting to find out how things started, and you definitely get some more background info on the Apple/Microsoft connection. This video has excerpts, but you can get all the parts of the full interview from the D5 website here.

Apple has released an SMC (System Management Control) firmware update for the MacBook that improves the internal monitoring system and addresses issues with unexpected shutdowns. This apparently addresses an issue where MacBook’s were randomly shutting down and Apple had to replace the processor heat sink and/or the entire logic board. Some users continued to report shutdown issues and this may be the final fix.

This update is recommended for all MacBook systems, including those that received warranty repair.

If your MacBook is running Mac OS X 10.4.6, you won�t be able to install the SMC Update until you update to Mac OS X 10.4.8.

MacBooks running Mac OS X 10.4.7 will be able to download and install the SMC Update, so it is not essential that you update your system software, although Apple always recommends updating to the latest version of the system software.

After this update has completed successfully, your SMC Version will be: 1.4f12.

According to AppleInsider, Apple said customers who continue to experience trouble with their MacBook after applying the new firmware update, or those whose MacBook is in a state that will not allow new software installations, should contact AppleCare for further assistance.

Download:
MacBook SMC Firmware Update 1.1 - Be sure to read the instructions before you install the update.

InsanelyMac has started running contests to fix what they see as annoying in OS X. Each contest will over cash to the developer(s) who can finish the fix in a weekend, with the amount of money decreasing each week after. The first contest was to create an application that would allow any Mac user to make the red x always quit an app or always hide an app, make the green zoom button always go full screen, and change these settings on a per application basis.

There are several obvious benefits that this app presents. First, it’ll mean one UI action where there are currently thousands, making the OS easier for children and seniors to understand. Secondly, it will save RAM, processor usage, battery life by closing unused apps in one click. Finally, if you’re a stickler for Apple’s HIG rules, you can tweak to your heart’s delight.

The winning application for the first contest is called Stoplight and is a “SIMBL plug-in that works via a Preference Pane.” It allows you to change the window behavior of any Cocoa based applications. You can get it here for free.

I see this as a great move to allow people to fix issues they feel need to be fixed. Many people are attacking InsanelyMac and saying OS X doesn’t need to be fixed, but if a user wants programs to work a certain way they should be able to make it happen. It also could be a great idea for a new site, allowing people to put up donations toward a specific application that they wish existed. I’m anxious to find out what the next contest will be, and I will let you know when it is announced.

Here are a few places that will be covering todays Apple World Wide Developer Conference keynote live. Any information I report will probably be coming from one of these sources.

• MacRumors WWDC 2006 Keynote - Live Coverage
• Apple Matters Live Report | WWDC 2006
• Engadget Live from WWDC 2006: Steve Jobs keynote
• PodTech

Update: You can find the keynote online here.

The latest Apple Store to open in New Jersey will have its grand opening on Saturday, May 27th at 10am. The first 1000 people to visit the Apple store receive a free Apple T-shirt. They will be having educational presentations, demonstrations, and workshops all week long after the opening. They even have a “Grand Opening Sweepstakes to win a Digital Lifestyle Collection valued at $2229″ that incldues a 17-inch Intel Core Duo iMac, iPod Nano, digital camera, printer, and Sony Handycam.

Source: Apple Store - Freehold Raceway Mall

Apple has just launched a new “Get Mac” ad campaign, along with a new website to go along with it. The ads feature two people, one is a PC and one is a Mac (you may notice the Mac as Justin Long from Ed, Dodgeball, and Waiting). They are some great spots spotlighting a few of the differences that make Macs great, such as the ease of publishing content and not having to reboot all the time. You can check out the ads here and the main “Get a Mac” site here. The site lists reasons why you’ll love a Mac, and even has a comparison of the various Intel-based Macs. So go watch the ads and then find out which Mac you are.

I find the ads to be simple, clear, and clever. They just work. Do you agree?

CNET has an article that says that bloggers hate the “MacBook Pro” name. Yet they link to no sources. Either they forgot to put them in the template, or they were hoping to find some sites to backup their stance before the article was set to go out.

CNET Article

Seriously, what does it matter as long as Apple makes another great product? So far the reactions I’ve read have been positive.

Update: 5 hours after the article was first published and it looks like they finally filled in the missing comments and links.

Apple has an Intel/Mac ad online here. I must say it gives me goosebumps. Reminiscent of the 1984 ad, but more elegant and spacey. It’s all about the Intel chip getting to live inside a Mac.

The first Intel Mac was announced today at Macworld. It is an updated iMac. It will cost the same as the PowerPC version, but will be two to three times faster because it uses Intel’s Core Duo processor. Each core is faster than a G5.

The new iMacs will go on sale today. And Apple will transition their entire product line to Intel chips during this year.

Live Macworld Coverage: MacRumors, CNET

MacGrab is giving away software every 5 minutes during the Macworld Expo, and the site has already started. So head on over and see if you win a copy of Menuet or AppZapper. Menuet is a skinnable audio player. AppZapper is an easy way to uninstall programs, and it removes all remnants of it.

(Via Digg)

I will let you know if I win. And I may put the software up for grabs here if I win anything.

Who said Microsoft doesn’t have originality? Well I have. Once or twice before. Or more. I’m not counting anymore.

Although, I have to hand it to them this time for out-doing themselves. While most companies will mistakingly just come out and say we’re better than X product, buy our product (i.e. Napster) - Microsoft has successfully masked that blatant advertising as a helpful online guide. This guide generously gives you “Six Tips for Buying an MP3 Player with Flash Memory” and boy do they accomplish that. Stopping short of bad-talking the flash memory technology itself - Microsoft states you should basically be looking for everything the iPod shuffle doesn’t have. For instance, #3 on the handy list; “You’ll want a display.”. Thanks Microsoft. I was a bit weary if I actually wanted a display on my flash player. But thankfully, you’ve stepped in and solved out that little problem for me. Microsoft also says it’s better to have a voice recorder, FM recorder, or a stopwatch built into your player. Kind of the opposite of what the iPod shuffle offers isn’t it? Yeah, just using MP3 players to listen to music - that’s so last year.

Continue reading the list, which also includes the entry; “Don’t get locked into one online store”. Thanks Microsoft.

With all these boring predictable rumors surfacing lately (like the release date for Tiger, new Apple mouse, etc) - where are all the crazy off-the-wall rumors we’ve been accustomed to? It’s amazingly disturbing when Apple rumor sites are reduced to posting just about almost common knowledge-type things. You can thank Bob Brunner for filling the gap. Bob Brunner, original PowerBook designer (think early 90s - pre Jonathan Ive era) has thankfully brought back the absurd but good looking concept designs. Enter the ‘podWatch’, a “wrist-worn iPod would keep time and play music, using Bluetooth to wirelessly beam tunes to earbuds or headphones”. Then of course the iPhone, “a simplified wireless phone married to an iPod would feature Apple’s signature scroll wheel for navigation and a slide-out keypad”. Thank you Bob, thank you.

Not included: transparent PowerBook

[ Re-Imaging Apple ]

Almost too fast. But conspiracy theories aside, this fist fight back and forth between DVD hacker Jon Johansen and Apple is getting to be pretty exciting. Exactly 1 day after Jon posted app and source code for a way to get past the iTunes encryption - Apple released an update to the iTunes system. This “update” forced all users to upgrade to iTunes 4.7, or else. Thus, leaving PyMusique without a means of stripping DRM. The DRM wasn’t stripped as much as it was just bypassed. The encryption actually happens while you’re downloading the song. Makes sense when you think about it, considering the song has to be encrypted with your username.

PyMusique found a way past this. While still requiring you to actually pay money for the songs, it let you share them with whomever you wished. At least for one day anyway. Until Apple firmly showed them what-for (my words, not Apple’s).

The ‘what-for’ has since been promptly been shown back to Apple - in the form of a PyMusique update. Only going as far to say that he “reverse-engineered” the new iTunes encryption - Jon released the update. The site was still down (from mass bandwidth usage I presume - not Apple’s force). This not only puts Apple at a disadvantage for the obvious reasons but also they’ve now shut out a fairly large portion of their users for no reason with the “iTunes 4.7 or-else update”. Let the games begin.

[ PyMusique ]

I haven’t seen this anywhere else and thought it was an interesting mock-up to what the the supposed new Apple 2-button mouse will look like.

No, this is not turning into a photo blog

[ Via Flickr ]