Verizon has released a Mac version of its Media Manager software that allows stream iTunes media directly to your TV via your FiOS TV DVR. Features include streaming your iTunes Music and Photos.

New iPhone app allows you to watch LIVE NBA games over 3G.

NBA LEAGUE PASS MOBILE, $39.99 by MobiTV is the official app from the NBA that lets you watch same live games that are available on the TV and Broadband versions of NBA LEAGUE PASS, on your iPhone over WiFi or 3G connections.

Seems the Apple/AT&T executives seem to allow “live” TV over 3G connection, for some apps and not others (EyeTV and SlingPlayer were not allowed on 3G). The MLB.com At Bat 2009, $9.99 also allows “live” games.

Apple has updated iTunes adding support for the new Apple TV 3.0 software. iTunes 9.0.2 also adds an option for a dark background in the Grid view. See iTunes Prefs -> General -> Grid View.

iTunes requires OS X 10.4.11 or later, and 10.5 or later to play iTunes LP or iTunes Extras content. Your iTunes LP and iTunes Extras will need to be updated before they will work with the Apple TV.

Oh yeah, it breaks the Palm Pre syncing again. Your turn Palm.

Apple has released Apple TV 3.0 (requires iTunes 9.02) today. This new version brings support for Tunes LP and iTunes Extras content for albums and movies, Internet Radio, Genius Mixes and Photo ‘09’s Events and Faces (but not Places) along with a new main UI.

After updating the two Apple TVs in our house, I can tell you this update is nothing to get excited about. My take is the Apple TV is still nothing more than a hobby. Performance is still terrible with connecting to stream from your computers taking waaaay too long (especially for users with large iTunes libraries). Syncing still takes forever (even on my gigabit WIRED network). Apple TV still has no support for plugins, widgets, or new content.

Continue reading Apple TV Update Reminds Us Its Still A Hobby…

Google has unveiled Android 2.0. The software is expected to officially debut on Verizon’s Motorola Droid smartphone announced today. Is Ballmer throwing chairs yet?

Verizon and Google unveiled the new Motorola Android 2.0 phone today. If I were RIM or Microsoft I would be very scared. Standalone navigation makers like Garmin and TomTom may also have just witnessed the end of their expensive standalone GPS navigation business.

Google is delivering this at an unbeatable price, FREE. It is included in the new Verizon/Motorola Droid phone, but word has it this navigation app from Google will also end up on the iPhone as well.

Microsoft, Windows Mobile standing still is NOT an option!

Think the ad is kidding? Think again, see here.

They are still great ads.

Microsoft seems to have no shortage of ideas – Apple’s ideas actually. Examples, come to mind like the ZuneHD copying the most they could on the iPod touch, Windows 7 photo app and Dock, oops I mean task bar, and take a look at the new Microsoft Store. It is another example of the blatant copy machine Microsoft is.

The employees may be wearing different color shirts and the tables are a bit darker, but the videos shows a retail store that looks like every Apple Store you have ever visited. Same decor, Gurus instead of Geniuses, they hired Apple executives and store staff, even the same opening store festivities. As I always say about Microsoft, years later and not as good!

ReelDirector, $7.99 now available in the AppStore is the closest thing to having iMovie right on your iPhone. Add titles and credits to your clips to editing and arranging clips to a timeline. Also add transitions, arrange positions for text, and offers four different text styles you can apply to your clip. Very cool see the video.

Busy day for Apple fans as they watched updates to iMacs with better displays, faster Mac mini with addition of a OS X Server edition and redesigned MacBooks with Unibody. Apple also released a new wireless mouse they are calling Magic Mouse and a new Apple Remote.

Bad news is Blu-ray seems to STILL be a “bag of hurt” as it is nowhere to be found.

See all the new toys after the jump.

Continue reading Apple Updates iMac, Mac mini, MacBook adds Magic Mouse…

Apple posted revenue of $9.87 billion and a net quarterly profit of $1.67 billion, or $1.82 per diluted share. These results compare to revenue of $7.9 billion and net quarterly profit of $1.14 billion, or $1.26 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter.

Apple sold 3.05 million Macs during the quarter, representing a 17 percent unit increase over the year-ago quarter. Apple also sold 10.2 million iPods during the quarter, representing an eight percent unit decline from the year-ago quarter. Apple sold 7.4 million iPhones in the quarter, representing seven percent unit growth over the year-ago quarter.

Amazing numbers.

When I saw this, my first reaction was, about time. Than I thought about the slew of apps for editing pictures already available for the iPhone and I realized this is actually a crowded field. I am happy to see Adobe jump in.

Photoshop.com Mobile for the iPhone is free app that offers some nice touches including:

• Basics: Crop, Rotate, and Flip
• Color: Exposure, Saturation, Tint, Black and White
• Filters: Sketch, Soft Focus
• Effects: Vibrant, Pop, Border, Vignette Blur, Warm Vintage, Rainbow, White Glow, Soft Black and White

You can edit photos and upload them to your online account. Once the photos are uploaded, you will need to use a computer to use the Flash based Photoshop.com to continue to edit.

Maybe it was the FCC looking closely at AT&T and pushing for net neutrality for wireless networks or competition from Verizon Wireless which is adopting Android. Anyway, AT&T has announced prior to CTIA that they will allow Skype, Vonage, and maybe even Google Voice to operate on the AT&T 3G network. In the past VoIP apps were only allowed to use WiFi.

AT&T is doing the correct thing here folks. Even if it now appears they have thrown Apple under the bus. Apple claims they will move swiftly to allow developers to update their VoIP apps for 3G. Now maybe Apple can get off the fence and accept Google Voice into the AppStore.

In a move that is as juvenile as I have ever seen, Palm releases WebOS 1.2.1 update that restores syncing to the Pre with iTunes 9. Why is this juvenile you may ask? Because it does not help Pre customers or follow the policy of the USB-IF, the industry group that has already shot them down for using an USB ID to mimic an iPhone.

Since the Palm Pre can not play back any DRM content like videos sold in the iTunes Store or use any apps sold, there is no reason to do this, but to annoy Apple. Maybe Palm should be working on apps and instead of wasting their time with this. All Palm needs to do is create their OWN desktop syncing software like RIM has for the Blackberry.

Maybe Palm should worry more about all the units it has not sold and the heavy discounts being offered at Wal-Mart for the Pre ($79.99 after rebate). In fact Pre sales have been quite dismal, allowing Verizon Wireless to announce they are no longer interested in selling the Pre.

OK, Apple what’s next? Your turn.