Warner has been working with Apple to create DVD-Audio discs that have pre-ripped iTunes files on them. The discs, much like Dualdiscs with DVD-A, will have videos and other extras on the same disc. They will play in all standard DVD-Audio players, as well as computers and normal DVD players. Some extras for the computer users could include videos, photos and ringtones.

Apple has a strict music protection system, and so far that system has been only used in the iTunes store. However, Apple will not be leasing the protection software to Warner. They will most likely pre-encode the tracks and allow Warner to put them on the discs.

This should be good news for all you people who really buy your music, but bad to all you people who want to rip the music into your own bitrate and lossless quality. A few titles will be release in October and the company will introduce it as a serious media source later in the year.

Incredible! Kevin Khandjian of Orlando, Florida, managed to get a full refund from an iTunes download! Kevin had downloaded a season of Chappelle's Show for his iPod and, to his amazement, it was full of ads and ridiculous previews! He contacted the Apple, and they sent him to the 'Help and Support' section of the iTunes website. Over the course of the next four days, he emailed back and forth with people from Apple about their 'all sales final' policy. Despite the representatives insistence that no refunds were given, he fought on. After five grueling days, he received the following email (some parts were removed to save space because they were irrellevant):

Dear Kevin,
Thank you for your patience as we investigated this matter.
I have refunded your account $21.99 plus any applicable taxes. The credit should be posted within 3-5 business days.
Please do not repurchase this show in the next two weeks. This will give us time to resolve the issue with the title or remove it, if needed.

Sincerely,

Jesse
The iTunes Music Store team
http://www.apple.com/support/iTunes/ww/

Victory! Kevin received the payment for the episodes he bought, and plans to buy the DVD instead. He got the non-refundable refund! Kevin could've bought the full season DVD from Amazon for nearly five bucks cheaper, ad-free. Hopefully "resolve the issue with the title" means "remove the ads and give you what you paid for". We'll see in the future! Anyone out there had a similar experience? Let us know!

Another Mac vs. PC commercial has hit the web. I can't get enough of these (but that could be because that guy from "Waiting" is in them) and this one is just as funny as the last few. Many PC users seem to think these adds are going too far, as reported earlier. The previous videos, which focused on networking and being able to run Windows on a Mac, were hilarious and accurate for the most part. This one has the 'Mac guy' and the 'PC guy' in their boxes, getting ready to start working. Good stuff. Check it out below.

TiVo owners have been able to play their recorded videos on their gadgets for a long time now. So what makes this new update which was released by TiVo themselves, any different? Here's what we've all been waiting for.

Now it allows you to upload your videos and convert them at the same time - no need for third party software! Video conversion with free programs can be tedious at best and this update, which will cost TiVo subscribers an extra $25, allows you to directly move your TiVo'd videos straight from your unit to your TiVo Desktop and convert them to be played on the PSP, Treo, and iPod in one straight step.

The update, version 2.3, will also feature 'TiVoToGo' which will allow users to schedule TiVo to PC transfers. Now get out there and get your favorite episodes of Gilmore Girls Ultimate Fighting Championship on your gadget of choice!

Apparently a shopper at an Apple store received a shock when he/she saw that the clerks were telling customers to order via the PC in the store - and all of their credit card information could be seen by anyone! All he/she had to do was press 'back' a few times and the numbers and names were visible. This user (calling him or herself applesecurity) took a few screenshots and made a blog online to let everyone know. The more people know about this security error, the better I suppose.

The browser being used was Safari, which does not usually permit you to view cached private pages... Here are the screenshots. Click the thumbnail to see full-sized versions.

 

In case you have the need to read websites translated into text only on your iPod, we've got the product for you. iPodulator Pro is a program that will convert your favorite web-pages to text only for viewing on your unit. The iPod DOES have a text limit, but the iPodulator site claims they can 'bend the rules'. In order to view the pages you must go to Extras > Notes > 'Your stored site'.

It'll work on "most" iPods, I assume that means it won't work with the Shuffle. It will continuously update the pages while you have the iPod plugged into your PC, and you can view stored pages on the go. The full version costs $9.95 and will allow you to update the software for $1.50. You can try it for free, however, and evaluate it for yourself.

Okay, this is kind of cool. Although you could easily dial the numbers quicker and easier, this method is just kind of cool. Brian at MacMerc.com posted a tutorial on using your iPod to speed dial. I'm not sure exactly how this works, or why it works, but this is what he had to say about it:

"Analog phone networks dial using tones. By playing your speed dial file you are simply bypassing the phone's internal tone generator and speaking directly to the switchboard."

Using this tutorial, you'll be able to use your iPod, a pair of speakers, a phone, and iTunes to program speed dial functions into your MP3 player. Just select the number you want to dial, place the speakers near the phone, and hit play. But for now, hit the read link below to get the full scoop.

iMacRumors has a wiki set up with a list of universal binaries (programs that will run on Intel and PowerPC based Macs) and it continues to grow. A lot of popular applications are on the list, and so are a few you might not have heard of but that could prove useful! Next to the name of the program on the list, it also has a short description of its function and a link to the programs webpage or a download mirror. Very useful! Among my favorites: Acquisition, Firefox, Transmission, and Popcorn. On top of a good 50 or 60 programs, a list of announced programs is also included.

If you've got a Mac this could prove to be a useful tool, especially if you're new to the Apple scene. Text Editors, BitTorrent clients, P2P software, video conversion, games, instant messengers... Everything! And what's more, the list is updated every day. The websites users can change the wiki to match the growing number of programs made for both types of systems. Click the link below to see for yourself!

The newest version of the popular web browser, Mozilla Firefox, now has support for Apple Computer's Macs with Intel processors. This is an excellent browser with a lot of features. The newest version also has some important security updates, so it is recommended that everyone using 1.5.0.1 upgrade as quickly as possible. The browser features tabbed browsing, skins, and an easy to use interface. QJ.Nets browser of choice? You guessed it, Firefox. Go to the Mozilla homepage to learn more, and download your copy of Firefox.