MacRumors

In what is not a terribly big surprise considering that they started shipping at the beginning of the week, free iPhone 4 bumpers have begun arriving into the hands of customers. As with the first wave of shipping notices, the arrivals appear to be limited to the UK for the time being, although customers in other countries who have received shipping notices can expect theirs to quickly follow.

Recipients report that the bumpers come in the standard Apple packaging for the product. And while customers who ordered bumpers are beginning to see theirs arrive, those who opted for third-party cases through the free case program have still seen no sign of movement on their orders, with shipping estimates pushing out well beyond a month for many customers. Those customers should keep their eyes peeled, however, as orders for Apple bumpers similarly showed lengthy initial shipping estimates before suddenly beginning to ship earlier this week.

Apple today announced that it has released Safari 5.0.1, officially launching the "extensions" feature that it partially activated last month with the initial release of Safari 5 to permit developers to begin work on their plug-ins. Extensions from third-party developers allow users to extend browser functionality far beyond that offered in the basic application.

Apple today released Safari 5.0.1, turning on Safari Extensions and introducing the Safari Extensions Gallery. Apple introduced extensions support in Safari 5 in June so developers could begin creating extensions with HTML5, CSS3 and JavaScript web standards. With Safari Extensions Gallery, users can quickly find extensions that add powerful new features to Safari, from toolbars that display live web feeds to sophisticated programs that filter web content. Safari 5.0.1 allows users to download and install extensions either from the Safari Extensions Gallery or directly from a developer's site.

"Safari 5 has been a big hit, and user response to the innovative new Safari Reader has been fantastic," said Brian Croll, Apple's vice president of OS X Product Marketing. "We're thrilled to see so many leading developers creating great extensions and think our users are going to love being able to customize Safari."

Apple has also launched its Safari Extensions Gallery, allowing easy access from the "Safari" menu for users to browse and install featured extensions. The gallery already features extensions from such companies as Twitter, The New York Times, The Weather Channel, Amazon, and eBay, as well as a host of smaller developers.

Apple has been inviting developers to submit their extensions for consideration for inclusion in the Safari Extensions Gallery and has thus been able to hit the ground running with a significant library of plug-ins. Users are not limited to extensions featured in the Safari Extensions Gallery, however, as extensions are hosted by the developers themselves and users are free to install them from anywhere.

Safari 5.0.1 and a companion release of Safari 4.1.1 for Tiger that does not support extensions also bring a number of other enhancements and fixes as detailed on Apple's download pages.

Although we already noted this fact as a footnote in today's 27" LED Cinema Display announcement article, we felt it important to point out -- Apple has officially discontinued the 24" and 30" Apple Cinema Displays. Going forward, today's 27" LED Cinema Display will be the only display offered by Apple. According to Macworld:

At the same time, this marks the end of the road for the 24-inch and 30-inch Apple displays. According to Apple vice president of hardware marketing David Moody, those products will continue to be sold until supplies run out, at which point the new 27-inch display will be Apple's only standalone offering.

The new monitor offers the same horizontal resolution as the now discontinued 30" display at 2560 across, though fewer pixels vertically (1440 vs 1600). The 30" has been the topic of much speculation as Apple has left the large screen display relatively stagnant over the years. Apple's focus on portable products is apparent as the 27" LED Display appears to be primarily targeted at laptop owners.

Apple will continue to sell the 24" and 30" LCDs until stock runs out.

Apple has released the second beta for iPhone OS 4.1 to developers. The first beta was released two weeks ago and introduced some minor new features. Today's beta seems to only add minor bug fixes into the mix without any notable other features.

The iPhone 4 proximity sensor issue does not appear to be fixed in this latest beta. Apple has said the proximity sensor will be addressed in a future software update.

As we've just noted, Apple has delivered a software update required for full functionality of its new Magic Trackpad device. In addition to Magic Trackpad support, the Mac OS X version of the update also extends several new functions to recent Apple notebook devices.

In particular, recent MacBook and MacBook Pro models receive support for the inertial scrolling that debuted on Apple's current MacBook Pro models, in addition to the new three-finger window dragging gesture that it included on the Magic Trackpad. The MacBook Air, as well as "Early 2008" MacBook Pro models gain only inertial scrolling. Inertial scrolling, already present in similar forms on Apple's iOS devices and the Magic Mouse, allows users to "flick" while scrolling as the trackpad senses the momentum of the gesture and smoothly scrolls through long documents and libraries.

Full details are included in an Apple support document:

Inertial Scrolling and Three-Finger Drag Gesture Support

These Mac portables support inertial scrolling and the three-finger drag gesture after you install Magic Trackpad and Multi-Touch Trackpad Update 1.0:

MacBook
MacBook (13-inch, Early 2009)
MacBook (13-inch, Mid 2009)
MacBook (13-inch, Late 2009)
MacBook (13-inch, Aluminum, Late 2008)

MacBook Pro
MacBook Pro (17-inch, Mid 2010)
MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2010)
MacBook Pro (17-inch, Mid 2009)
MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2.53 GHz, Mid 2009)
MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2009)
MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2009)
MacBook Pro (17-inch, Early 2009)
MacBook Pro (17-inch, Late 2008)

The following Mac portables support inertial scrolling after installing Magic Trackpad and Multi-Touch Trackpad Update 1.0:

MacBook Air
MacBook Air
MacBook Air (Mid 2009)

MacBook Pro
MacBook Pro (15-inch, Early 2008)
MacBook Pro (17-inch, Early 2008)

Announced earlier today, Apple's Magic TrackPad is already making its way into the hands of reviewers and customers, and a few tidbits of interest have been coming out about the Bluetooth device.

One of the first observations made by purchasers who have been able to get their hands on the device is that it requires a software update to enable full functionality, an update that has just been posted on Apple's site in Mac OS X, Windows 64-bit, and Windows 32 -bit versions.

To use the Trackpad, you need to install a software update that Apple will release later Tuesday. The software update enables full multitouch and gesture customization, including tap-to-touch and program-launching clickzones. Even without the software update, the Trackpad works like a regular non-multitouch trackpad. While Apple geared its full suite of multitouch gestures toward Macs, the Magic Trackpad will perform in its basic functions when paired via Bluetooth to a Windows PC--we tried it.

Macworld notes that the trackpad does support a physical click but that it is generated by two feet near the front edge of the bottom of the device rather than with a movable surface on the body of the device.

Despite the Magic Trackpad's thinness and its support for the same tap-to-click feature as MacBook trackpads, you can also click by pressing down. The trackpad surface itself doesn't depress, though--instead, when you press on the trackpad, the force from the surface it's sitting on will depress the two round feet at the trackpad's base. That's what registers a click.

Finally, Engadget reports that the Magic Trackpad comes with an optional new three-finger gesture that allows users to easily drag windows around the screen, a feature not present on trackpads integrated into Apple's current notebook computers.

There's also a new gesture, if you're keeping track -- a three-finger move that lets you drag windows around (very helpful), though you give up the functionality of being to navigate stuff like iPhoto galleries with a swipe (it's an option you can toggle in preferences -- you have a choice).

Apple's Magic Trackpad is priced at $69 and requires two AA batteries, available as part of Apple's new battery charger set also released today.

Several MacRumors readers have pointed out that Apple's new 27-inch iMac released today offers support for dual hard drives: one traditional Serial ATA in 1 TB or 2 TB capacity and one 256 GB solid state drive (SSD). Alternatively, customers can opt for a single 256 GB SSD, as described on the iMac features page.

To give your iMac a real performance boost, configure your 27-inch iMac on the Apple Online Store with an optional 256GB solid-state drive. You can choose it as your only drive or have it installed in addition to the built-in hard drive, allowing you to store the operating system, critical applications, and important files on the solid-state drive and your other files on the hard drive. Because solid-state drives have no moving parts, the computer can access data at over twice the speed of hard drives. Which makes starting up your iMac and launching applications faster than you ever thought possible.

The new offering marks the first time Apple has offered dual hard drives as build-to-order options for its iMac line, taking advantage of the space available in the 27-inch iMac's chassis to squeeze in another drive bay. The SSD options do not come cheaply, however, with a simple swap of the standard 1 TB traditional drive for a 256 GB SSD coming in at a $600 price premium. Customers looking to add the SSD as a second drive on top of the 1 TB traditional drive will find themselves looking at a $750 price boost.

One of Apple's more interesting product announcements today was its Apple Battery Charger, designed to keep the company's increasing array of wireless peripheral devices powered up. While we briefly mentioned the release in our coverage of Apple's new Magic Trackpad that utilizes the rechargeable AA batteries Apple is now offering along with the charger, the batteries and charger themselves bear some closer examination.

Apple touts that its new battery charger carries the industry's lowest "vampire draw", a measure of power consumed while not actively in use for its intended purpose.

The Apple Battery Charger sets a new industry standard: It has the lowest standby power usage value - or "vampire draw" - of any similar charger on the market. That's the energy most chargers continue to draw after their batteries are fully charged. But the Apple Battery Charger senses when its batteries are done charging and automatically reduces the amount of power it needs.

The company also points to the AA batteries themselves, which are designed to maintain a full charge through hundreds of charge cycles and last up to ten years. The batteries also maintain their charge while simply sitting in a drawer, retaining up to 80% of their charge after a year on the shelf. Six of the NiMH AA batteries are included with the charger.

As is to be expected, the Apple Battery Charger offers traditional Apple styling, offering the same rounded white plastic design as other power devices from the company, while also utilizing the same removable plug with fold-up prongs to allow for interchanging adapter fittings.

Bloomberg reports that Apple is facing a new lawsuit over complaints that the company's iPad tablet device overheats too quickly in direct sunlight.

The complaint, filed July 23 in federal court in Oakland, California, seeks unspecified damages and class action, or group, status. It claims the iPad "does not live up to the reasonable consumer's expectations created by Apple" because it "overheats so quickly under common weather conditions."

The iPad has a 9.7-inch touch-screen display that lets users read books and magazines, view videos, play games and surf the Internet. In direct sunlight, the tablet "turns off, sometimes after just a few minutes of use," according to the complaint.

Apple's iOS devices offer an emergency overheating mode that shuts down the device and displays a warning screen until the device has sufficiently cooled down to permit normal operation, allowing only emergency calls on the iPhone. Apple has maintained a support document on the topic of overheating dating back to at least the iPhone 3G, updating it periodically to now include the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, and iPad in its coverage.

Apple also announced the release of a new 27" LED Cinema Display featuring a resolution of 2560x1440. The latest Apple screen features an iSight video camera, microphone and speakers:

"With built-in MagSafe charging, iSight camera, speakers, and USB ports, the LED Cinema Display is ideal for MacBook and MacBook Pro users," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "With its massive 2560 x 1440 resolution, the new 27-inch LED Cinema Display is a perfect fit with our powerful new Mac Pro, and it gives iMac users an easy way to double their screen real estate."

The 27" display also features a 16:9 aspect ratio, a MagSafe charger as well as a 3-port USB 2.0 hub. An ambient light sensor automatically adjusts the screen's brightness based on the lighting conditions.

The new LED Cinema Display will be available in September for a price of $999. It requires a Mac with Mini DisplayPort connectivity.

Apple has also dropped the price on its existing 24" LED Cinema Display to $799 from its previous $899 price point, although it appears that Apple may be phasing out that model as stock clears. Finally, Apple's aging 30" Cinema HD Display continues to be available priced at $1799, but that model is also available only while supplies last.

Apple today announced an update to its Mac Pro line, offering up to 12 cores of processing power for up to 50% greater performance than the previous generation. The new Mac Pro also ships with new ATI Radeon HD 5770 graphics hardware, with the Radeon HD 5870 available as a build-to-order-option.

"The new Mac Pro is the most powerful and configurable Mac we've ever made," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "With up to 12 cores, the new Mac Pro outperforms our previous top-of-the-line system by up to 50 percent, and with over a billion possible configurations, our customers can create exactly the system they want."

Also available for the first time are standard display connectivity of two Mini DisplayPorts and one dual-link DVI port, as well as build-to-order options for 512 GB solid state drives (SSD).

Base configurations include:

- $2499: 1x 2.8 GHz Quad-Core / 3GB RAM / 1 TB HD
- $3499: 2x 2.4 GHz Quad-Core / 6 GB RAM / 1 TB HD

12-core options at either 2.66 GHz or 2.93 GHz push the starting price to $4999. All models are set to begin shipping in August.

As predicted by leaked photos and FCC registrations, Apple has released the Magic Trackpad today.

The new Magic Trackpad is the first Multi-Touch trackpad designed to work with your Mac desktop computer. It uses the same Multi-Touch technology you love on the MacBook Pro.

The new accessory supports a full set of gestures, including two-finger scrolling, pinching to zoom, rotating with your fingertips, three-finger swiping and four finger recognition. Meanwhile, tapping or double tapping on the surface initiates clicking.

The Magic Trackpad connects via wireless Bluetooth and is powered by two AA batteries. Apple has also launched a $29 Battery Charger to keep charged AAs ready for use. The Magic Trackpad sells for $69.00 and is shipping immediately.

Apple Stores have been down the past couple of hours. The stores will be up soon, but Apple's own Apple Store app shows what's coming in the next few minutes. New iMacs and a Magic Trackpad.

As predicted, Apple launched new iMacs today featuring the latest Intel Core i3, Core i5 and Core i7 processors and new graphics cards.

"We took the world's best all-in-one and made it even better," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "With the latest processors, high-performance graphics and signature aluminum and glass design, customers are going to love the latest iMac."

The new iMacs all feature dedicated graphics cards rather than relying on slower integrated graphics chips. A breakdown of the new models is provided here:

$1199 / 21.5" / 3.06GHz Core i3 / 4GB / 500GB / ATI Radeon HD 4670
$1499 / 21.5" / 3.20GHz Core i3 / 4GB / 1TB / ATI Radeon HD 5670
$1699 27" / 3.20GHz Core i3 / 4GB / 1TB / ATI Radeon HD 5670
$1999 27" / 2.8GHz Quad-Core Core i5 / 4GB / 1TB / ATI Radeon HD 5750
+$200 27" / 2.93 GHz Quad-Core Core i7 BTO option

The iMacs were last updated in October 2009.

Cult of Mac reports that Apple has issued an official response to today's ruling by the Copyright Office of the U.S. Library of Congress to create an exception to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) permitting users to jailbreak their iPhones or other smartphone devices in order to install unauthorized applications. Little has changed with the new decision, according to Apple, as jailbroken iOS devices are still subject to having their warranties voided.

Apple's goal has always been to insure that our customers have a great experience with their iPhone and we know that jailbreaking can severely degrade the experience. As we've said before, the vast majority of customers do not jailbreak their iPhones as this can violate the warranty and can cause the iPhone to become unstable and not work reliably.

The apparent discrepancy comes from the fact that the Library of Congress decision today simply means that users can not be charged with violations of the DMCA for jailbreaking their iOS devices, a tactic Apple had never bothered to employ in attempting to squash the practice. Apple remains free, however, to discourage users by other means, including voiding product warranties due to violations of the terms and conditions all users must agree to before using their devices and software.