Briefly: New Intel chips, MacBook Pro Battery Exchange, iTunes Europe

Here is a catch-up with the news we did not cover last week and ealier this week:

Intel's new chips

As expected, Intel has announced its new generation Core 2 Duo processors. One line-up of five desktop processors code-named "Conroe" and a line'up of another five processors designed for laptops, code-named "Merom". The company had also recently announced the Xeon 5100, code-named "Woodcrest" end intended for servers and high-end workstations. All of these processors may potentially be used by Apple for its future Macs.

15-inch MacBook Pro Battery Exchange Program

Apple has announced that it will be exchanging a certain number of batteries shipped with its Intel-based high-end laptops, the MacBook Pros through a worldwide "15-inch MacBook Pro Battery Exchange Program". These batteries "do not meet the high standards for battery performance." the company requires. "The affected batteries have model number A1175 and a 12-digit serial number that ends with U7SA, U7SB or U7SC."

iTunes Europe

As iTunes Europe reaches a new milestone of 200 million downloaded songs, the company could close its localized stores in Norway, Sweeden and Denmark because of the incompatibility of its proprietary Digital Rights Management (DRM) protection, FairPlay with the local law of its countries. Recently, a similar law was about to be passed in France but was later softened and did not affect the French iTunes store. MacWorld reports that Apple has responded to Norway's Consumer Council regarding the complaint filed against the company's DRM technology. Meanwhile, Apple and Coke-Cola have started a huge European giveaway, similar to the deal Apple had with Pepsi in the USA. Millions of free iTunes songs and thousands of iPods will be given away in packs of Coca-Cola and Diet Coke in UK and Germany.

Comments