Today, Apple released an all-new iTunes video featuring Coldplay. The song was Vida la Vida, which is a song off their new album and is individually available for purchase before the album’s release.

The new iTunes ad features yet another color scheme and stays with a very potion colored purple. A link to the direct movie can be found here: http://movies.apple.com/movies/us/apple
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The ad was first aired at a recent American Idol.

On the next start of Microsoft’s AutoUpdate, Office 2008 for Mac has a Critical update waiting to be downloaded. The 180 MB upgrade, which takes users to version 12.1.0, is supposed to have/make:

…several improvements to enhance security, stability, and performance, including fixes for vulnerabilities that an attacker can use to overwrite the contents of your computer’s memory with malicious code.

In the month of April, Mac sales surged another 50 percent year over year. This was a huge leap compared to the broader market growth of about 17 percent year over year. Lehman Bros. forwarded analysis that points to Apple Inc.’s revenue growth at 46 percent. Alongside these staggering numbers was an impressive 15 percent leap in sales of iPod music players.

Shares of Apple (AAPL) closed up more than $2 to 185.90 during market hours. Third quarter earnings are due out July 22nd, 2008. Average estimates point to a $1.08 quarter in earnings.

MacRumors.com is forwarding a variety of news that speculates a MacBook revision to appear in the 3rd Quarter of this year. The news is originating from the Commercial Times, who is citing a research large purchase of flat-panel displays from AU Optronics and Chi Mei Optoelectronics.

Read the full article @: http://www.macrumors.com/2008/05
/15/apples-next-macbook-due-in-q3-2008/

What seemed like a drastic collapse of Apple (AAPL) stock at the beginning of the year, has turned into a necessary sale to get rid of extreme speculation. It seems overwhelmingly true that Apple’s strategies and product moves have been quite beneficial to their earnings and in turn, its investors.

Finally, now halfway into the year, Apple is returning to its previous highs and filling in the gap at $200. The question now is should investors speculate at this point by purchasing shares in AAPL?

Before doing that, it’s important to understand that the MacBook Air has a lot of potential. The device is far ahead of the curve, and many people are still getting used to the fact that a fully-functional laptop could be without a CD/DVD-ROM drive. Along with that, the lesser power (CPU), fewer device inputs, and large storage reduction don’t help its cause. On the other hand, the device could see heightened popularity when the general population understands the practicality of a lightweight, highly-portable, and fully-functional laptop. Wireless standards have a lot of room to grow, but as wireless internet continues to grow in popularity and the sharing of broadband connections around the states increases, the device will continue to see a niche demand.

We’ve just published an article regarding the 3G iPhone update that should come within the next couple of weeks. With this update, price reductions may occur alongside a greater demand for the faster, greater business-like phone.

Be careful about purchasing more AAPL at these levels, but with any sizable pullback, a purchase consideration should be made.

Alongside the annual Worldwide Developer’s Conference (WWDC), rumors are surrounding the June 9th Keynote speech by Apple’s Steve Jobs. In traditional fashion, WWDC is being touted as the next spot for an upcoming product update/release.

The long demanded 3G iPhone, which has been the constant talk of rumor sites, may finally have a release date. A report out of GeekSugar is putting a heavy reliance on an insider’s tip. The insider suggests that when Jobs takes the stage on June 9th, he’ll be packing a new 3G iPhone in his pocket.

We’ve already seen iPhone supplies drop and disappear in recent weeks. Both US and UK online stores have declared the iPhone as, “currently unavailable.” What does this most likely suggest? Without a doubt, consumers will see an update within a short few weeks.

As we’ve previously mentioned,

All-in-all, the next revision in the iPhone rumors have included: greener (more environmentally friendly) design, OLED screen (organic), better battery life, simultaneous release of App Store, and 3G capabilities.

Added to this would be the consideration that storage capacities will most likely drop the 8GB model and opt for the 16 and 32GB versions.

In a recent addition to the iTunes store, Apple has added a new, “Discovery Download.” First noticed under the Alternative section of the iTunes store, it’s another way for users to get their hands on some free music.

While the addition of more free music is a pleasant thought, it appears as though iTunes is continuing to pump seriously horrible music that it is sub-par by even the most generous standards. iTunes users shouldn’t expect any more from the “Discovery Downloads,” than the already present free downloads of the week at the iTunes store home page.

This week’s first Discovery Download is: Two Times by The Blakes.

The iPod Touch has continued to captivate me. I’ve been increasingly interested in purchasing one for quite some time. The ability for the iPod Touch/iPhone/OS X software to become more complex and developed, alongside 3rd party app development, is making it an enticing buy. But what’s holding me back?

For starters, there’s a hefty price tag–$299 for an 8GB model. I have a relatively large music collection, but an even larger (size) of TV Shows and Movies that I’ve downloaded from Apple’s iTunes store. By all means I don’t have to have my entire iTunes library with me at all times, but sometimes I want to rock out to some punk and sometimes I want to listen to some indie rock. I go through different music moods and I want to easily switch between my whole library.

What occurs to me is that every sign is pointing me towards the iPod classic. It’s got the size, ability to play TV Shows and Movies, and is even slighty smaller than the iPod touch. Unfortunately, I don’t want to part ways with the iPod touch’s features and larger viewing screen.

I want the touch interface and web capabilities of the iPod touch with the storage capacity of the iPod classic. Oh and one more thing, I’d like to see the device’s size shrink down to that of an iPod nano.

iPod touch interface, iPod classic storage size, and iPod nano form factor. Bring me that Apple, and I’ll hardly think twice about dropping $299.