However, Apple may rely on price and not longevity to lure in customers, according to the magazine. While some rentals will cost $5 each -- placing their rental prices close to those of new releases at retail outlets -- some will cost as little as $2.
No mention is made of the reasoning for the price system, though it may parallel Apple's variable price system for purchased movies, which discounts older titles.
The claimed sources also mirror information reported previously which suggests that Disney and Fox are the only two studios known to be pledging support for rentals. Other studios friendly to Apple's video efforts, such as Lionsgate, MGM, and Paramount, are described as candidates. Conversely, studios such as Sony, Universal, and Warner Bros. have "various competitive reasons" to keep their videos out of the service, Variety adds.
The latter may allude to Apple's spat with NBC-Universal, which has seen NBC TV shows pulled from iTunes. Universal Music Group has also opted out of long-term iTunes music contracts and excluded Apple from its protection-free music offerings.
Like all reports so far, however, the trade publication is certain about the date: its purported insiders state that Apple will announce movie rentals at next month's Macworld San Francisco expo.
Is your Address Book full of web-savvy friends who know what a 
Screencasting is becoming a standard method of conveying software-related information. I'm fairly certain that even my mom knows the word, which is my typical buzz-guage. And here you were, thinking "I wish there was yet another contender in the screencast recording arena", right? Lucky you.News Corp.'s 20th Century Fox is not the only Hollywood movie studio confirmed to be offering rentals of its movie catalog through iTunes, the New York Times reports.
Echoing the Financial Times claim made earlier in the week, the New York paper alleges that multiple sources are aware that "more than one" movie production house is committed to the project, which will reportedly be unveiled during the Macworld San Francisco keynote in mid-January.
Since the initial rumor surfaced, many have suggested the self-evident possibility that Walt Disney and its subdivisions are the most likely candidates: Apple chief Steve Jobs currently sits on Disney's board of directors and is credited with bringing the studio's movies to iTunes for the current purchase-only strategy.
Whichever studios are involved, Apple has not had much success concealing its plans. The company's iTunes feedback system inadvertently revealed rented movies as an option, while other reports have shown rental code within iTunes itself.
iPhone 1.1.3 features leaked through photos?
Apple's version 1.1.3 firmware upgrade for the iPhone will be more than just a maintenance update, Gear Live maintains in a new
Girl opens iPod, finds wacky note instead
Filed under: iPod Family, Odds and ends
A Washington, DC area father gave his daughter a gift of an iPod classic this Christmas, surely thinking she would be thrilled. Sadly, when his daughter opened the iPod she didn't find everyone's favorite MP3 player waiting for her. Instead she found a note which read, 'Reclaim your mind from the media shackles. Read a book and resurrect yourself. To claim your capitalistic garbage go to your nearest Apple Store,' and a few books about leading a more enlightened life.The father returned the iPod to WalMart, where he purchased it, for a full refund. WalMart explains that this had happened to another person,and that Apple is responsible for it (though it seems much more likely to me that someone bought a few iPods, replaced the devices with these letters, and returned them).
First rocks, now letters, what is next to show up in an iPod box?
[via Fake Steve]
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FileSpot 2.1 released: Supercharged Spotlight interface
Filed under: Software
Synthesis Studios has released version 2.1 of FileSpot (formerly MoRU), their advanced interface for Spotlight. It allows you to make advanced, boolean logic queries and makes accessible some of the more complex aspects of Spotlight. Not to make it sound complicated, though, its iTunes-ish interface is pretty simple to use. It also adds file tagging with support for other 3rd party tagging apps like Spotmeta. This release adds two great features: Quick Look support and search results that display as they're located rather than waiting for the search to complete. Both features definitely make my day.
FileSpot has a 30 day trial period and costs $20 to register.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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iPhone v1.1.3 screenshots leaked?
Filed under: Macworld, Rumors, Software, Software Update, Apple, iPhone
Fire up that chunk of your brain known as the Macworld Rumourbuster, readers! With just a little over two weeks before Macworld kicks off, let's officially call the crowd to order, and let the rumour-mongering, blurry 'leaked' pictures, and Photoshop-ing begin. Gearlive kicks off the "fortnight of faux" with a gallery of screen shots appearing to be from iPhone firmware v1.1.3. Among the alleged highlights: rearranging icons on the home screen, and pseudo-GPS (based on cell tower proximity) for Google Maps. Are they authentic? Macrumors points out that Gearlive is new to the Apple rumor game, and "Eagle-Eye" Scott McNulty suggests that the iTunes icon on the pictures is in the wrong spot (although that could be part of the app-moving magic).
Whilst all the features shown in the gallery are certainly welcome, we can't help but feel that if this is the only feature-update to the iPhone at Macworld (barring the SDK in February), folks will be a little underwhelmed.
Thanks to all those who sent this in! The Gear Live servers seem to be having difficulty so you might have to be patient to feast your eyes on the shots.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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AppleScript: Finder commands
Filed under: Features, How-tos
Now that you've mastered the tell command, it's time to introduce some of the other AppleScript commands that you may encounter.Location command
This command will allow you to open a specific location (either on your Mac or on a web server). This command is most often used with the Finder. For instance, if you wanted to open "www.tuaw.com," then you would type:
tell application "Finder" to open location "http://www.tuaw.com"
Remember, when dealing with an application always include quote marks around the application name. When you're typing a URL, be sure to include the prefix (HTTP:, AFP:, FTP:, etc.) and include quote marks around the URL. You can also tell a specific web browser to open the URL:
tell application "Safari" to open location "http://www.tuaw.com"
However, if you use the Finder version of the script, it will open your default browser.
Continue reading AppleScript: Finder commands
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Record ownership for digital TVs
More than 50 percent of households in the U.S. own a digital television, according to preliminary report results released Friday by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA). 
The organization, known for its annual International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, predicted that digital television manufacturers will post an 11 percent growth totaling more than $25 billion for 2007. For 2008, the group expects 32 million more television units to ship, with 79 percent of those televisions being HDTVs.
CEA plans to release the full findings of its state-of-the-television-industry report at a presentation given by CEA analyst Steve Koenig on January 5. The 2008 International CES is scheduled to take place January 7-10.
The organization, known for its annual International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, predicted that digital television manufacturers will post an 11 percent growth totaling more than $25 billion for 2007. For 2008, the group expects 32 million more television units to ship, with 79 percent of those televisions being HDTVs.
CEA plans to release the full findings of its state-of-the-television-industry report at a presentation given by CEA analyst Steve Koenig on January 5. The 2008 International CES is scheduled to take place January 7-10.
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