Apple continues to break records for revenue and profit thanks to a surge in sales of Macs and the illustrious iPod. Apple announced first quarter earnings for fiscal year 2007, ending December 30, 2006. They managed to push through over 21 million iPods during the quarter (that works out to about 162 iPods per minute!) and 1.6 million Macs. These numbers represent a 50% and a 28% increase respectively for those products versus Q1 2006. I personally helped to contribute to that number by buying 2 iPods (one video, one shuffle) as gifts for the holidays. All those Macs and iPods add up to a 78% revenue increase versus Q1 2006.

The bottom line is that Apple, the company that was pretty much written off the map 10 years ago, posted a profit (yeah, that’s actual money in the bank) of $1 billion. To me, that’s simply amazing. I know that other companies post bigger profits than that, but think about the size of the market that Apple caters to. As far as computers are concerned, Macs are barely on the map at like less than 5% of the total market. And I know the iPod has a huge market share in the mp3 market, but it’s still amazing what this company has been able to pull off in a fairly short time span.

And let me insert my disclaimer here, I am a Mac user. Yes, I am probably the biggest Apple fanboy out there (I ordered my Apple TV as soon as it was available online at the Apple Store) but you have to respect a company that has made all the right moves to become a dominant force in the computer/technology industry. And now that the company has dropped the “computer” from it’s name, I can only think they will be venturing forth into other areas.

But will Apple be able to maintain the dominance as a consumer electronics company? Could they be the new Sony? Time will only tell, but we could get a hint of that dominance in June with the (proposed) release of the iPhone (or whatever they may have to call it). I’m looking forward to seeing what Apple will do. However, my credit card is not so hopeful…

Read [Apple] via [DailyTech]

No, it is not a camera from the 70s or 80s and it doesn’t use film. The Leica Digilux 3 camera may have an old style look but looks can be deceiving.

Leica, known more in the professional photography world, is 7.5 megapixels and spots manual/ auto focus, up to 1600 ISO, 60 -1/4000 sec shutter speed, 207,000 pixels 2.5 inch LCD and state of the art optical image stabilization. Leica Digilux 3 is fitted with a bayonet lens to the FourThirds Standard, the official standard for digital mirror reflex cameras. Together with the high-performance Leica D Vario-Elmarit 2.8-3.5/14-50 mm ASPH exchangeable lens that has a focus range of 28 to 100 millimeters for the small picture system, the camera offers the photographer many possibilities for brilliant picture composition.

With an SLR you compose the picture in the camera. With the Leica rangefinder you have to see the picture, recognize it and then frame it.” Leica M images convey an effortless, authentic impression, because they are composed with foresight and captured in a fraction of a second.

The Digilux 3 is packaged with a 1 GB SD card, a battery charger, a rechargeable battery and a software package (Adobe Photoshop Elements and Quicktime Movie Player).

Priced at $2500, the Leica Digilux 3 is a great camera with a quality lens and a styled nostalgic styling look of old.

Product Specification [Leica Digilux 3]
Product [Leica]

The Vidstone Serenity Panel provides families the option of showing special, customized YouTube type video tributes right on their love one’s headstone/ tombstone.

The product consist of a discrete 7″ LCD Panel, shatter resistant cover to deter vandals and to protect from weather, solar panel powered, plays sound/ music and even has a headphone jack if you want to listen to the memorial tribute without bothering anyone else.

“While nothing ever replaces the gift of life, memories can now come one step closer to forever being remembered and not forgotten,” waxes the Web site of Aguirre’s company, Vidstone LLC.

The panel retails at $1999 and may cost more depending on the features and added features.

Don’t be afraid if you hear voices or music coming from a grave site - it may be that Vidstone’s Serenity Panel is in place.

Product Page [Vidstone]

If normal backup media doesn’t suit your liking for some odd reason, try this - backing up your data files onto a digital video tapes using a camcorder. Windows, Mac and Linux computer systems should be able to backed up in this way without any problems.

Shareware packages available …

For Windows: Firestreamer and DVSstreamer
For the Mac: DV Backup
For Linux systems: Dvbackup

A rule of thumb would be about 10 GB for every 1 hour digital video tape you use. There might be compatibility problem with using a different camera to read back the data from the one used to record it - so there aren’t any guarantees.

Netflix is firing back at Blockbuster.com with their new internet streaming movies and shows. Their offering will now put them in competition with heavyweights YouTube, Joost, iTunes and others.

As of this morning, a select number of Netflix customers will be able to watch their and tune into their 1000+ movie/ show database. The rest of their customers will receive it in phases over the next 6 months. It has reported that NBC, Sony Pictures, MGM, 20th Century Fox, Paramount Pictures, Warner Borthers, Lionsgate and New Line Cinema will be contributing to the service.

Netflix will offer it for free and will be budgeting of $40 million for the overhead and licensing.

Movies and shows will be streamed with a downloadable software application and the amount of viewing time allowed will depend on the type of subscription you have.

Here is a demo of the new Netflix feature by HackingNetflix.com.

Press Release [Netflix]
Site [Netflix]