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ExtraBITS for 1 March 2010

Our Web explorations this week ranged among many different topics, including Apple acknowledging iMac display issues, more on Macworld Expo and Google Buzz, the winner of Apple’s iTunes Countdown to 10 Billion Songs, a survey suggesting that the iPad may prove initially more popular than the iPhone, how Apple interacts with external suppliers, a look back with one of the Mac’s earliest developers, and Wal-Mart buying the Vudu video service.

Apple Acknowledges iMac Display Issues to Gizmodo — In a statement to Gizmodo, Apple publicly acknowledged the vexing display issues plaguing its latest iMac models. The symptoms of these issues, which mostly affect the 27-inch model, include yellow discoloration and screen flickering. In its statement Apple said, “We’ve addressed the issues that caused display flickering and yellow tint. Customers concerned that their iMac is affected should contact AppleCare.” While the company has been too slow in addressing this problem, better late than never.

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Adam Discusses Macworld Expo and the Google Buzz Debacle on Tech Night Owl — On the Tech Night Owl Live podcast, Adam talks about the success of Macworld Expo with host Gene Steinberg, after which the discussion veers off to Google’s privacy missteps with Google Buzz.

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10 Billionth iTunes Song Sold — Apple has announced the winner of its iTunes Countdown to 10 Billion Songs. The lucky iTunes shopper is Louie Sulcer of Woodstock, Georgia, whose purchase of Johnny Cash’s “Guess Things Happen That Way” has earned him a $10,000 iTunes Gift Card. The winning song may come as a surprise when iTunes’s current list of top songs is dominated by recent pop and hip-hop singles, but it just goes to show that the iTunes Store continues to serve a wide spectrum of fans and tastes.

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Initial iPad Sales to Outpace Original iPhone? — Despite the skepticism we’ve heard from some people about the iPad, All Things Digital is reporting on an RBC/ChangeWave survey that found 13 percent of respondents were somewhat or very likely to buy an iPad, compared to 9 percent who said they’d buy the original iPhone in a similar survey before its launch. The difference is being attributed to the iPad’s entry-level $499 price.

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Apple Releases Supplier Responsibility Report — As Apple sells tens of millions of devices each year, increased attention has been focused on the company’s outside suppliers and the conditions of the workers in those companies. Apple has now released its 2010 Supplier Responsibility Progress Report, outlining what Apple requires of suppliers, how the companies have fared in audits, and how Apple deals with lack of compliance. It of course paints Apple in a positive light, but is indicative of how Apple is trying to be a good corporate citizen.

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Macintosh Past and Future With Jim Rea — Jim Rea’s ProVUE Panorama was one of the first ready-to-market applications when the Macintosh premiered in 1984, and it’s still going strong. Hear and see Jim reminiscing at Macworld Expo about those early days, with some hints about the upcoming Panorama 6, in this short pair of YouTube videos from TUAW. It’s just like having lunch with Jim, but without the food!

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Wal-Mart To Buy Vudu — The New York Times reports on Wal-Mart’s acquisition of Vudu, a company behind the eponymous online movie service incorporated into many HD televisions and Blu-ray players. While specifics on the deal haven’t yet been released, it seems clear that Wal-Mart is attempting to embrace the future of media distribution in a climate of dwindling DVD sales.

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