Apple ships Lion ‘gold master’ as release date rumors swirl

Apple on Friday released a “gold master” build of Lion to developers, providing a clue that it will ship the new operating system shortly.

“Gold master” (GM) is a label some developers use — Microsoft calls it “release to manufacturing,” or RTM — for software that has been completed and presumably is ready to send to duplicators and distributors.

In Apple’s case, however, Mac OS X 10.7, aka Lion, will not need to be burned onto DVDs, packaged in boxes and shipped to retail stores because it will be available only as a download from the Mac App Store.

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PlayStation Store, Qriocity returning to Japan this week, completing global PSN restoration

Sony’s ‘Welcome Back’ campaign may have drawn to a close a bit early, but the PlayStation Network won’t make its full return to Japan until later this week. As of July 6th, Japanese gamers will once again be able to access the PlayStation Store and Qriocity, bringing an end to a nearly three-month suspension enacted after April’s widespread data breach. These services have already been reintroduced across other parts of the globe, but Sony encountered notably stiffer resistance in its homeland, where authorities demanded assurance of the PSN’s security before allowing it to relaunch within their borders. Read more…

On violence and video games

The never-ending debate about the alleged link between violence and video games has hit the news yet again.

I’ll state right now I’m not a big believer that movies, video games, books and music cause violence. 

I think when people claim they do, it’s usually a knee jerk reaction to a tragedy, or a nationwide problem.

Back in the fifties, comic books were blamed for juvenile delinquency, (the censors against comics were saying Batman and Robin were gay, and that Wonder Woman was “a sadistic lesbian”), artists like Ozzy and Slayer came under fire when the Parents Music Resource Center wanted albums labeled, and violent movies came under the hammer like never before post-Columbine.

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Digits Live Show: Zynga IPO, Amazon Ends Affiliate Program

On today’s digits: Zynga files for it’s initial public offering; due to a new tax law in California Amazon is ending its affiliate program there; how one author tweeted his way to the best sellers list; and Twitter is facing inquiries from the FTC. Plu

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HP plans major enterprise push for TouchPad

HP straddles two worlds: enterprise systems and consumer electronics. Its new TouchPad tablet is intended to satisfy the needs of both. But you’ll have to look harder and wait longer to see HP’s unfolding enterprise plan for TouchPad.

The Wi-Fi TouchPad, running the webOS firmware created by Palm, goes on sale Friday starting at $500 in stores ranging from Amazon to Walmart, the same outlets that handle its PCs and printers. But the tablet is “enterprise ready,” says HP’s David Gee, vice president of marketing and enterprise solution for the Palm Global Business Unit. He oversees the marketing strategy for all webOS devices as well as development of webOS-based “solutions” for business customers.

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