A New Line From Apple: The Metal MacBook

CUPERTINO, Calif. — Steven P. Jobs, Apple’s chief executive, announced a new line of Apple laptop computers on Tuesday that he said were made with a new manufacturing process.

Mr. Jobs introduced new versions of the company’s MacBook Pro and MacBook portable computers that are carved from 2.5-pound blocks of aluminum.

He said that the manufacturing process would allow Apple to build more rigid and reliable products.


“We end with this remarkably precise part that now only weighs a quarter of a pound,” said Jonathan Ive, Apple’s senior vice president for design.

Ever the showman, Mr. Jobs gave his audience of about 100 reporters, analysts and bloggers in a small auditorium on Apple’s campus a tutorial on manufacturing and industrial design. At one point, he passed more than a dozen finished palm-rest frames through the audience.

“It’s not only incredibly light but it’s very, very strong,” he said. “We’ve been working superhard to build unibody enclosures for some new notebooks.”

Using blocks of aluminum as the starting point for laptop cases resolved much of the speculation among Apple enthusiasts surrounding the term “brick.”

Many of them had thought the term described an entirely new product.

In July, the company’s chief financial officer said the company would shift its business model toward lower-profit-margin products in the future.

Because Apple did not announce products with significantly lower prices, speculation is still centered on products in new categories. “This is only part of the story,” Mr. Jobs said in an interview after the news conference.

Mr. Jobs deflected questions both on the company’s financial state, saying that it would report its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings next week, and on his health. He displayed a slide showing that his blood pressure was 110 over 70, adding that questions about his health would cause his blood pressure to rise.

Since appearing gaunt and pale at a previous Apple introduction earlier this year, Mr. Jobs’s health has been the subject of intense interest. The company and Mr. Jobs have responded by saying that he has not had a recurrence of pancreatic cancer, which he battled four years ago.

Mr. Jobs looked thin Tuesday, but otherwise healthy and energetic.

Apple’s challenge, industry analysts said, remains the company’s ability to defy gravity if consumers begin to spend less on electronics.

Apple has usually been considered uniquely positioned to weather the impending crisis because its highly designed products appeal to an affluent consumer less likely to be affected by an economic downturn. But unintentionally, the company may have another advantage. A delay in refreshing its laptop product line created pent-up demand for its computers.

Apple says its computers account for 17.6 percent of the American retail market by volume and 31.3 percent by revenue.

A strong product introduction during the current quarter seems to be likely, according to a number of analysts.

On Monday, A. M. Sacconaghi, a securities analyst with Sanford C. Bernstein & Company, upgraded Apple’s stock and predicted it would outperform the market.

“Apple’s short-term financials are likely to remain relatively healthy despite economic weakness,” he said.

On Tuesday, shares of Apple rose more than $5 before falling, to end regular trading down $6.18 at $104.08. The shares were rising slightly in after-hours trading.

Despite strong retail sales, the company’s stock had been hit hard by the broader market sell-off. Apple shares dropped to as low as $88.74 last week, from $189.96 in May.

The company displayed an entry level $1,999 MacBook Pro model that comes with a glass touchpad to support a new set of finger gestures to control the computer, a 15.4-inch LED backlighted display and a range of other new features.

Apple also plans to sell a 13-inch version based on its standard MacBook line, starting at $1,299.

The new models are expected to go on sale in Apple’s retail stores on Wednesday.

Apple said a new version of its thin MacBook Air with 50 percent more storage would start at $1,799. The company reduced the price of its white plastic MacBook portable by just $100, to $999.

Mr. Jobs trumpeted Apple’s relationship with Nvidia, a maker of graphics processors. Several models of the new Macintosh computers will feature two graphics processors from Nvidia, which is also supplying the integrating chipset for the MacBook Pro and MacBook.

A new Nvidia graphics processor offers five times the graphics power of the previous Intel graphics processors in the current MacBooks, he said.

The shift is a significant one that raised questions about Apple’s relationship with Intel, which supplies the central processing unit for the Macintosh.

Recently Nvidia has been under increasing pressure as Intel has moved to integrate graphics processing into its products.

“This throws a lifeline to Nvidia,” said Nathan Brookwood, president of Insight 64, a consulting firm.

Asian markets quieter in trading

Asian stock markets have opened quietly following two days of dramatic rises.

In Japan, a day after its biggest-ever one-day gain, the Nikkei index opened down fractionally, as did shares in Australia, with Taiwan dropping 1.26%.

In New York on Tuesday, Wall Street was also slightly down at the close of trading as investors took some profits after Monday's big rises in stocks.


Earlier US President Bush announced a $250bn (£143bn) plan to purchase stakes in banks to try to restore confidence.

However, fears the global economy may not be able to avoid a recession pushed the Dow Jones index 0.82% as investors turned their attention to the worsening economic outlook.

Recession fears have seen profit-taking on Wall Street


While bank shares were largely higher because of the US Treasury rescue plan, technology stocks fell.

Traders say Wall Street is expected to be nervous in the weeks ahead because of economic worries.

Recession fears

President George W Bush said the move would help to return stability to the US banking sector and ultimately help preserve free markets.

US federal authorities will also temporarily insure most new debt issued by US banks and expand deposit insurance.

Among financial stocks, Morgan Stanley rose 21.2%, Bank of America was up 16.4%, Citigroup soared 18.2% and Wells Fargo rose 10.2%

Investors have welcomed the US government's action but fears of a recession rather than a financial meltdown have now come to dominate thinking.


Rescue plans

Earlier stock markets worldwide had risen, as investors bet that state action to strengthen the banking system would ease the credit crisis.

In Europe, Germany's Dax ended up 2.7%, while the UK's FTSE added 3.2%.

The US move follows similar steps taken by the UK and other European governments.

BBC business editor Robert Peston said the US and eurozone plans were variations on the template launched a week ago by the UK government despite reservations expressed by other leaders.

"If HM Treasury were the corporate finance department of one of those battered investment banks that are now being rescued, it would be collecting a very fat fee," he said.

Obama Kecam McCain dan Bush Soal Krisis Ekonomi

NASHVILLE, RABU — Barack Obama mengatakan AS dalam kondisi krisis keuangan terburuk sejak masa Depresi Hebat pada 1929 saat dia memulai debat kedua dengan John McCain, Selasa (7/10) waktu setempat atau Rabu pukul 08.00 WIB di Belmont University, Nashville, Tennessee. Debat seru ini ditayangkan langsung TVOne.


Capres Partai Demokrat itu langsung menyalahkan Presiden George W Bush dan McCain yang sama-sama dari Partai Republik dalam krisis ini. Dia menegaskan bahwa keduanya harus bekerja keras untuk mencabut sejumlah regulasi yang tidak berpihak pada dunia usaha.

Sementara itu, McCain mengusulkan agar pemerintah menegosiasi ulang utang dalam negeri untuk menstabilkan pasar properti. Dia mengakui rencana itu akan mahal, tetapi itu perlu dilakukan.

Asian Beach Games 2008 : SBY Minta Keamanan Diperketat

Sanur - Asian Beach Games 2008 akan diikuti sebanyak 45 negara. Untuk menjamin keselamatan peserta, Presiden Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono meminta keamanan diperketat.

Keinginan Presiden SBY tersebut disampaikan oleh Menko Kesra Aburizal Bakrie dalam Rapat Koordinasi ABG TMMB di Hotel Inna Grand Bali Beach, Sanur, Denpasar, Selasa (7/10/2008).

"Bapak presiden meminta Kapolda Bali memperhatikan keamanan Bali. Tidak hanya menjaga tamu VIP tetapi juga keamanan bagi pemain, penonton, serta Bali secara keseluruhan," kata Ical.


Ical mengatakan, untuk menjaga keamanan perhelatan yang pertama kali di gelar di Asia ini, Presiden SBY meminta aparat keamanan untuk memperhatikan keamanan secara detail.

"Bila ada keributan dimanapun, kapanpun, entah itu di pasar, akan bisa menimbulkan kesan tidak baik," katanya.

Aparat keamanan yang dikerahkan untuk menjaga perhelatan ABG sebanyal 1.969 personel yang terdiri dari Polda Bali dan Mabes Polri. Polisi juga mengerahkan helikopter, anjing pelacak dan pasukan berkuda.

Aparat keamanan tersebut disebar di empat lokasi, yaitu di Nusa Dua sebanyak 108 personel, Sanur (139), Kuta (116), dan Pulau Serangan (72).

Selain menjaga venue, aparat keamanan juga mengawasi hotel tempat atlet dan ofisial menginap. Tugas polisi juga dibantu oleh 1.000 personel TNI yang berjaga-jaga di Bandara Ngurah Rai, lokasi pembukaan dan penutupan ABG di Garuda Wisnu Kencana.
( gds / a2s )

Daftar Produk Yang Ditarik Seputar Kasus Susu Mengandung Melamin

Heboh susu mengandung melamin di Cina, yang menyebabkan 53 ribu bayi sakit ginjal, akhirnya sampai juga ke Indonesia. Senin lalu, 22 September, Menteri Kesehatan Siti Fadilah Supari menarik susu bubuk merek Guozhen produksi Cina. Sehari kemudian, Badan Pengawas Obat dan Makanan mengeluarkan surat edaran agar Asosiasi Peretail Indonesia mengamankan 28 jenis makanan yang mengandung susu asal Cina.


APAKAH MELAMIN ITU

Melamin adalah bahan kimia berbasis organik yang banyak ditemukan dalam bentuk kristal putih dalam nitrogen. Biasanya digunakan sebagai bahan campuran plastik dan pupuk. Melamin tak punya nilai nutrisi, tapi kaya nitrogen, sehingga bila dicampur dengan susu akan membuat kadar protein susu seolah lebih tinggi ketimbang aslinya.

Produk yang ditarik dari peredaran:

1. Jinwel Yougoo Susu Fermentasi Rasa Jeruk
2. Jinwel Yougoo Aneka Buah
3. Jinwel Yougoo tanpa Rasa
4. Guozhen susu bubuk full cream
5. Meiji Indoeskrim Gold Monas Rasa Cokelat
6. Meiji Indoeskrim Gold Monas Rasa Vanila
7. Oreo Stick Wafer
8. Oreo Stick Wafer (disebut dua kali, karena ukuran berbeda)
9. Oreo Cokelat Sandwich Cookies
10. M&M’s Kembang Gula Cokelat Susu
11. M&M’s Cokelat Susu
12. Snicker’s (biskuit-nougat lapis cokelat)
13. Dove Choc Kembang Gula Cokelat
14. Dove Choc
15. Dove Choc (disebut dua kali, karena ukuran berbeda)
16. Natural Choice Yoghurt Flavoured Ice Bar
17. Yili Bean Club Matcha Red Bean Ice Bar
18. Yili Bean Club Red Bean Ice Bar
19. Yili Prestige Chocliz
20. Yili Chestnut Ice Bar
21. Nestle Dairy Farm UHT Pure Milk
22. Yili High Calcium Low Fat Milk Beverage
23. Yili High Calcium Milk Beverage
24. Yili Pure Milk 205 ml
25. Yili Pure Milk 1 L
26. Dutch Lady Strawberry Flavoured Milk
27. White Rabbit Creamy Candy
28. Yili Choice Dairy Frozen Yoghurt Bar (kembang gula)

SUMBER: PUSAT KOMUNIKASI PUBLIK SEKRETARIAT JENDERAL DEPARTEMEN KESEHATAN RI

EU bans baby food with Chinese milk

The European Union announced a ban on imports of baby food containing Chinese milk Thursday, after tainted dairy products linked to the deaths of four babies turned up in candy and other Chinese-made goods that were quickly pulled from stores worldwide.
A researcher in Wuhan on Tuesday checks for melamine in milk samples collected from stores.


A researcher in Wuhan on Tuesday checks for melamine in milk samples collected from stores.
Click to view previous image
1 of 3
Click to view next image

In addition to the ban, the European Commission called for tighter checks on other Chinese food imports, The Associated Press reported.

Earlier Thursday, Australia, New Zealand and India joined the rapidly growing list of countries pulling contaminated Chinese food products from store shelves.

In Vietnam, authorities established inspection teams to test milk products, especially those from China, the Vietnam News Agency reported. The Health Ministry said inspection teams would "look into food hygiene and safety standards ... involving in milk and dairy products nationwide."

Adding to the growing backlash, India's Health Ministry imposed a three-month ban on the import of Chinese milk and milk products on Wednesday.

It is the latest fallout from a tainted milk scandal that has spread around the world.

White Rabbit Creamy Candies contain unacceptable levels of the chemical melamine, New Zealand Food Safety Authority and Australian food regulators said Wednesday.

The candies have already been recalled in Hong Kong, where authorities confirmed a fifth case Thursday of a kidney problems related to the consumption of milk products tainted with melamine.

That case involved a 10-year-old boy who lives in Hong Kong but had traveled to mainland China and was found to have kidney stones. The boy was in stable condition, the Hong Kong Centre for Health Protection said in a statement.

"This is a serious concern," said Sandra Daly, deputy chief executive for New Zealand's food safety agency. "We have issued a Director General's statement advising people not to eat these products as we cannot discount the likelihood of health risks resulting from the consumption of these sweets."

The candies have already been recalled in Hong Kong.

In the United Kingdom, the supermarket chain Tesco said Wednesday that it had pulled the children's sweets from store shelves over fears they contained melamine.

The problem first showed up in China in infant formula made with contaminated milk.

Nearly 53,000 children in China have been sickened by it or other products contaminated with the chemical melamine. Four babies have died. More than a dozen countries, from Asia to Africa to Europe, have banned or recalled Chinese milk products.

The United States, meanwhile, said inspectors would expand testing for Chinese products that may contain high levels of milk or milk proteins.

In South Korea, the government banned the importation of all Chinese products containing milk after Chinese biscuits tainted with melamine were discovered in the country, a government spokesman said.

A formal announcement was expected on Thursday, but the ban went into effect Wednesday night, the spokesman for the Korean Food and Drug Safety Authority said. Video Watch the fallout from the scandal »

The biscuits, called Me Sarang Custard, are sold under the label of a popular South Korean confectioner called Haitai but are produced in China.

Authorities in China have arrested 18 people in a nationwide investigation. They include two brothers who face charges of selling contaminated milk; the brothers could face death if convicted, according to China Daily, a state-run newspaper.

The raw milk used to produce powdered baby formula had been watered down, and the chemical melamine was added to fool quality checks, the newspaper said.

In the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration said its investigators had not found the Chinese infant formula in question during visits to more than 1,000 stores. They were mainly in cities with large Chinese communities, such as Los Angeles and San Francisco, California; Seattle, Washington; and New York.

The FDA plans to continue such checks, it said, and "has broadened its domestic and import sampling and testing of milk-derived ingredients and finished food products containing milk, such as candies, desserts, and beverages that could contain these ingredients from Chinese sources."

Meanwhile, health officials in Singapore and Indonesia announced additional recalls of products made with the contaminated milk. Products pulled from store shelves range from flavored milks and ice creams to cookies and candies

Authorities in a variety of places have stopped importing some Chinese products made from milk including Indonesia, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Burundi, Gabon, Tanzania, Brunei and the Philippines.

Melamine is commonly used in coatings and laminates, wood adhesives, fabric coatings, ceiling tiles and flame retardants. Some Chinese dairy plants have added it to milk products to make it seem to have a higher protein level.

In Egypt, a 3,000-year-old find

CAIRO, Egypt (AP) -- Egypt's antiquities council says that archaeologists have unearthed a 3,000-year-old red granite head believed to portray the 19th Dynasty Pharaoh Ramses II.
Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities says the 30-inch-high head was once on the statue of a pharaoh.




The Supreme Council of Antiquities says the discovery was made recently at Tell Basta, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) northeast of Cairo.

The council's statement Thursday says the 30-inch-high head belonged to a colossal statue of Ramses II that once stood in the area. Its nose is broken and the beard that was once attached to the king's chin is missing.

The site at Tell Basta was dedicated to the cat-goddess Bastet and was an important center from the Old Kingdom until the end of the Roman Period. Archaeologists are still digging at the location for the rest of the statue.