RBC: Strong post holiday sales diminish iPhone stock...

As Apple's stock of iPhones grows increasingly thin – an issue that reportedly initially surfaced in the company's New York retail stores – RBC Capital theorizes the shortage to be representative of unanticipated strong post-holiday sales of the device. According to Tech Trader Daily, analyst Mike Abramsky claims that a predicted slowdown should have occurred after the holiday season, but sales remained strong, which leaves Apple short-handed with its allegedly ramped down production scale.

Remote maintenance tool comes to OS X

The TeamViewer remote maintenance software, which until now has only been available for Windows PCs, is now available as a beta for Mac OS X. The new version runs from Mac OS X 10.4 and offers cross-platform support. This means that not only other Macs, but also Windows systems can be remotely controlled. Following the establishment of a connection to the remote computer by means of a Partner ID, changes and maintenance work can be carried out or programs can be installed and executed. Unlike the final version, TeamViewer for Mac is not yet equipped with the function for transferring files between computers. The so-called customer module from the Windows version, which allows spontaneous support without installation on the remote controlled computer, has also not yet been implemented. The developer says these features will probably appear at the end of April.

modo 302 adds natural lighting tools...

Luxology has announced a modo 302, the newest version of its 3D content creation software. Free for registered modo 301 customers, modo 302 adds new natural lighting capabilities, additional layered Photoshop file support, an animation Track View, new modeling tools and numerous other enhancements. Luxology is also making available the first version of the modo File I/O software development kit (SDK), which allows developers to import or export data directly from modo. modo combines a real-time subdivision surface modeling engine with an artist-focused set of tools.

ADmitMac, DAVE get improved Dfs support...

Thursby Software Systems has released updates for its Mac networking products ADmitMac and DAVE. ADmitMac is a tool that provides a solution for connecting Macs to Windows networks that allegedly provides improved networking stability over that of Apple's standard Leopard offering along with complete Active Directory support. The new release includes enhanced deployment tool and completely rewritten Dfs module, which is smaller and faster than the previous version. The deployment tool allows ADmitMac to be installed on multiple systems within the network from a single workstation. The newly enhanced Dfs module supports Microsoft's Distributed File System that allows shared folders to reside on multiple servers for load balancing and data redundancy.

Speck offers MacBook Air and iMac cases...

Speck has released SeeThru Hard Shells for the MacBook Air and iMac 20" Widescreen. The SeeThru Hard Shell case for MacBook Air is a 2-piece snap-on hard plastic case. It allows unrestricted access to all ports, keyboard, screen and camera. It's made of optically-clear and shatter proof polycarbonate plastic and features an accent-less design. The case is available in clear, smoke, red, bronze, and pink for $50. The SeeThru Hard Shell cover for Apple's 20" Widescreen iMac is a one-piece hard plastic cover. The case is totally removable and does not cover the screen and camera. Available colors include red, aqua, black and pink. It's also priced at $50.

First Look: Firefox 3 Beta 5...

Mozilla's Firefox continues gaining market share, and Firefox 3 Beta 5 brings the newest version of the popular browser closer to a final shipping date. While Firefox’s strength has always been its security features, version 3 focuses on improving its security and enhancing overall performance.

Apple confirms iTunes as top music retailer...

Earlier reports of the iTunes Store's success are true; Apple has officially said that NPD discovered the media store's dominance over industry giant Wal-Mart during a study. The report states that Apple's 50 million customers have moved over four billion songs from the world's largest music catalogue of over 6 million songs. The study accounts for individual tracks under the assumption that a typical CD contains 12 music tracks, and based over sales in January and February.

Apple vs. New York over logo design...

Apple is claiming that a new logo for New York City's GreeNYC campaign is too similar to its own. According to Wired, the GreeNYC logo shows a stylized apple with a stalk and a leaf that bears a resemblance to Apple's famous logo. When the city applied for a trademark on the logo, Apple filed a formal opposition, claiming that a trademark grant on the logo would "seriously injure the reputation which [Apple] has established for its goods and services." The city of New York stated, in response: "The city believes that Apple's claims have no merit and that no consumer is likely to be confused. This well-known city is using its new design in a variety of contexts that have absolutely nothing to do with Apple Inc."

iPhone case with signal boost debuts...

Griffin Technology has announced ClearBoost, a protective case for iPhone with a built-in booster antenna. Thee polycarbonate case claims to offer greater coverage and faster downloads as well as the protection from bumps and scratches. Griffin says the ClearBoost for iPhone is the first of a family of antenna boosting cases based around the "ClearBoost technology." The company says the case works by capturing more of the available wireless signals and passing it to the internal iPhone antenna. ClearBoost for iPhone, priced at $30, is available now.

Apple files for gaming, iPhone, online store patents...

Several new Apple patent applications have today been published by the US Patent and Trademark Office. Three of these are connected to the iPhone and the iPod touch; of the group, one describes the ability to rearrange the Home screen, while another documents the unique touchscreen keyboard that displays in functions such as writing e-mail. More unique is a patent relating to "episodic" gaming, in which each title is merely a part of a greater whole. This concept is seen most often in Mac and PC games, such as Valve's Half-Life 2.

T-Mobile rearranges iPhone plans, hints at 3G debut?...

The German branch of T-Mobile is changing the way it charges for the iPhone, a local site claims. Under the suggested scheme, an 8GB iPhone could be had for as little as €99; this stands in contrast to the currently advertised cost of €399. The tradeoff would be a mandatory subscription to the carrier's most expensive iPhone plan, Complete XL, which provides 1,000 minutes and 300 text messages. The price of the phone escalates as the plan becomes less expensive; a phone for the Complete L plan would be €149, while taking Complete M would cost €199.

PwnageTool iPhone hack app now available...

After some delay, the iPhone Dev Team has published the Mac OS X edition of the PwnageTool, a hacking program for iPhones. The software can both unlock devices for third-party carriers, and jailbreak them for native applications; because PwnageTool is able to execute unsigned code, however, its creators claim that it will be able function with any future iPhone firmware, including custom-made editions that can be synched through iTunes.

Adobe to delay 64-bit CS4 for Macs...

Adobe is already in the middle of developing its Creative Suite 4 series of applications, but Mac users will have to wait behind PC owners in order to take full advantage of their platform, the company has announced. While there is no formal release date planned for any version of CS4, Adobe says that only Windows Vista users will have a completely 64-bit suite at launch, with Mac conversions coming sometime thereafter.

Sprint unveils Mac EVDO connection manager...

As part of its CTIA show announcements, Sprint this week introduced its smallest EVDO USB-based modem in its product line and new Mac connection manager software. The new Compass 597 USB Modem is the smallest EV-DO Rev A USB modem in the market; the mini card offers seamless high-speed wireless connectivity for both Mac and Windows notebook and desktop computers in a compact design as well as includes TRU-Install features that allow users to install drivers for the device without using a CD. The modem also offers a microSD memory expansion slot as well as a connector for an optional external antenna to help maximize modem performance. The company's the new product features its new redesigned connection manager that supports wireless download speed (over Sprint's mobile network) at speeds up to 3.1Mbps and upload speeds up to 1.8Mbps. The device is expected to ship later this quarter with the new updated software available now for all its data devices.