Apple sold 17.1 million iPhones during its fiscal 2011 fourth quarter that ended Sept. 24. That compares to 14.1 million in the previous September quarter for 21% year-over-year growth. What's more, Apple smartphone sales more than doubled in the Asia-Pacific region. "We expressed iPhone sales to decrease after iPhone rumors began," CEO Tim Cook said in a conference call with analysts. "And sales did decline as we predicted, especially in the second half of the quarter. We ended the quarter with about 5.75 million iPhones in inventory, which was within our target range of 4-6 weeks of inventory." Revenue from iPhone accessories was $11 billion in the fourth fiscal quarter, compared to $8.8 billion in the year-ago quarter. Cook says that the iPhone continues to be adopted as a standard across the enterprise. Approximately 93% of Fortune 500 companies are deploying or testing the device. "The iPhone 4S is off to a great start, and we sold over four million in three days," Cook added. "...

In a conference call with analysts regarding the latest financial results, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that the company's progress in China progress is amazing. And things are looking great in many other countries as well, he added. Cook said that China accounted for just 2% of Apple revenue in fiscal year 2009. That figure is 12% in fiscal year 2011 and 16% for the fiscal quarter. "It's our fastest growing major region, by far," he said. The CEO says Apple is also placing additional focus on other areas with promise. For example, revenues in Brazil are up 118% year-over-year. "Russia is also beginning to look more promising, and the Middle East has lots of opportunities, too," he adds. -- Dennis Sellers

Apple has instituted a reservation-only policy for iPhone 4S retail sales. An online note (http://www.apple.com/iphone/how-to-buy/) by the company says: "iPhone 4S is available in store by reservation only. Reserve yours after 9:00 p.m. tonight for pickup tomorrow. When you come in, you’ll choose a carrier and plan, and we’ll get your iPhone up and running before you leave the store."

Apple's iOS 5 is already powering 33% of all eligible iOS devices, though it's only been available for a week, according to new data from the Localytics research group (http://www.localytics.com). If you remove the newly launched iPhone 4S (which ships with iOS 5), that number drops a tiny bit, but still remains at 31%. Looking at devices, the iPad 2 and iPhone 4are leading the charge, with 36% and 35% iOS 5, respectively. Original iPads clock in with 33% iOS 5 proliferation, followed by the iPhone 3GS (27%), the third generation iPod touch (23%), and the fourth generation iPod touch (17%). In order to determine this, Localytics analyzed all iOS device usage from iOS 5’s Oct. 12 release date through Oct. 17. Localytics is a Boston-based software company offering an app analytics platform.

Macrobatix (http://macrobatix.com/), an Apple Specialist and Apple Authorized Service Provider, celebrated the grand opening of its retail store on Saturday, Oct. 15. Macrobatix is located at 9700 Medlock Bridge Road, Suite 114 Johns Creek, Ga. Macrobatix has been providing services for Apple products and Mac users for the past six years. Due to their success, Apple encouraged Macrobatix to become an Apple specialist, giving the company the ability to sell and service Apple product, according to own Bob Wallis. To date, Macrobatix has served more than 500 clients in the Atlanta area, he adds. Macrobatix differentiates itself from other local Apple stores with its expertise in utilizing Apple products in business environments, says Wallis. The retailer will not only sell products but also make office or home visits for installation and service. Macrobatix will also offer training for businesses that want to benefit from using Apple products in a business environment. Weekly classes...

Nova media has updated launch2net Premium -- a Mac OS X app that allows for a quick mobile Internet connection -- to version 24. The upgrade supports additional modems from Huawei and ZTE. Launch2net Premium supports most mobile network providers and 3G surfsticks around the globe. It comes with all relevant connection settings and device drivers. The update to version 2.4 is a free update for current users of launch2net Premium. For new users the cost is US$49.90. A demo version is available at the Nova Media web site (http://www.novamedia.de/index_e.html). Launch2net Premium requires an Intel-based Mac running Mac OS X 10.5.x or higher.

Dekorra has updated EazyDraw (http://www.eazydraw.com), its vector drawing app for Mac OS X, to version 4.1.1. The upgrade is compatible with Mac OS X 10.7 ("Lion"). EazyDraw 4.1.1 also sports an update to the EazyDraw Additions Pack. This option now includes over 20 new video tutorials covering a range of basic and advanced topics. However, note that this version doesn't include direct support for iCloud, though Dekorra indicates that iCloud support will be available via public beta soon. EazyDraw 4.1.1 supports English, French, German, Japanese and Spanish. It costs US$139 for a CD version with a manual, $119 for a CD-only version and $95 for a downloadable version.

Comm-Unity Networking Systems has announced an update to the FTPit Pro plug-in.  This release fixes some bugs and brings in some important core updates from other CNS Plug-ins.   FTPit Pro is a FileMaker Pro 7+ plug-in that uses FTP to transfer files to and from your computer.  It's compatible with Mac OS X 10.4 and higher and Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7.  You can use it to upload static web pages to a website, download database upgrades from a centralized server, or write a complete FTP client within FileMaker Pro itself.   FTPit Pro is available immediately at http://ftpitpro.cnsplug-ins.com/ ; a demo is available to test drive before purchasing. A single-user license for the client version of FTPit Pro is US$65. To use the Server Edition of FTPit Pro, you will need to purchase at least a 10-User License for $319.   If you own an existing license of Classic FTPit, you can upgrade to version 2.0.8 for free or for 50% to 25% off depending on the original purchase date of your Classic...

Apple says it has sold over four million of its new iPhone 4S, just three days after its launch on Oct. 14. In addition, more than 25 million customers are already using iOS 5 in the first five days of its release, and more than 20 million customers have signed up for iCloud, a set of free cloud services that automatically and wirelessly store your content in iCloud and push it to all your devices. The iPhone 4S is available in the US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan and the UK. It will be available in 22 more countries on October 28 and more than 70 countries by the end of the year. "The iPhone 4S is off to a great start with more than four million sold in its first weekend -- the most ever for a phone and more than double the iPhone 4 launch during its first three days," says Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "iPhone 4S is a hit with customers around the world, and together with iOS 5 and iCloud, is the best iPhone ever."...

The results for RESCUECOM's Computer Reliability Report for the second quarter of 2011 again place Lenovo in the top spot for two quarters in a row. Hard as it is to believe, Apple came in third place, even though it tops most other reports regarding computer reliability. The Computer Reliability Report gives a summary of the most reliable personal computer manufacturers. The top five brands with the best overall reliability in Q2 2011 are: IBM/Lenovo (234); Toshiba (202); Apple (124); HP/Compaq (120); and Asus/Sony tie (73). RESCUECOM's stats say Apple has 10.7% of the US computer market and 3.5% of the company's service calls. RESCUECOM provides homes and businesses with 24/7 computer repair and support. RESCUECOM meets every tech support need, including data recovery, virus removal, wired and wireless networking, and support for all brands of hardware and software. Several significant changes occurred during the second quarter, according to David Milman, CEO of RESCUECOM. Asus...

Mailboxes overflowing with glossy collegiate viewbooks may become a thing of the past, replaced by interactive technology. Aimed at the new generation of digital natives, a new iPad application for the University of Dayton introduces prospective students to campus life through the interactive viewbook. The viewbook offers fast-moving video, graphics and opportunities to videoconference with admission counselors. The free viewbook app has been downloaded in more than 20 countries, according to Sundar Kumarasamy, vice president for enrollment management.  And he says the iPad viewbook is spot-on in sending a powerful message about the University of Dayton. "We want people to look at us as a cutting-edge, innovative school. Everything we want people to associate with a University of Dayton education is evident through this application," Kumarasamy says. He believes it's the first time any university has adapted its viewbook for iPad technology. Adobe Digital Publishing is featuring it as...

The partial closure of Catcher Technology Company's plant in eastern China may affect shipment of the MacBook Air and some smartphones, reports "The Wall Street Journal" (http://macte.ch/i9UC4). The report cites Catcher President Allen Horng. He said he didn’t know when the plant, which closed because of reports of a strange odor, would reopen. Catcher Technology makes high-end metal casings for laptops and smartphones

XCool App has introduces XEmoji for Mac 1.0 for Mac OS X 10.7 ("Lion"). Once installed, it runs in your system's menu bar, providing access to all 467 emoji icons. You can click on any emoji icon to have it copied to the clipboard. If you're working in an app, XEmoji pastes the copied emoji icon automatically. You can even choose to drag and drop any icons onto your favorite app. XEmoji for Mac 1.0 is available at US $0.99. It's available worldwide exclusively through Apple's Mac App Store in the Utilities category.

Dolly Drive (http://www.dollydrive.com), which offers online backup for Apple's Time Machine, has followed the launch of iCloud with the release of its version 1.4 with optimization for Mac OS X 10.7.2. The upgrade includes the ability to backup File Vault enabled hard drives on Lion and an integrated scheduler for Dolly Clone, the local bootable disaster recovery solution. The all-in-one online backup and disaster recovery solution also provides full cloud backup to iCloud enabled Mac laptops and desktops. Dolly Drive is a subscription software and online storage service designed for Apple's Time Machine. In addition to providing Mac users offsite cloud storage directly through the Time Machine application, the application allows users to create a bootable clone of their Mac on an external hard drive for local disaster recovery. It works with Apple's Lion and Snow Leopard platforms.

A US judge has ruled that Samsung's tablets infringe patents owned by Apple, according to the "BBC" (http://macte.ch/WeGRO). California District Judge Lucy Koh ruled that while patents have been infringed, Apple must now show that its claim on those inventions is valid. However, she warned that Apple needs to prove the validity of those patents if it is to win an injunction preventing the sale of Samsung's Galaxy Tab, the article adds. This is the latest development in the legal brouhaha that spans 20 cases in 10 countries. Apple claims that the Galaxy range "slavishly" copies its massively-selling iPad and iPhone. Samsung says Apple's claims are invalid due to previously registered patents relating to design elements and functionality.

The iFixit team has dismantled the iPhone 4S. You can find the complete teardown at http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/iPhone-4S-Teardown/6610/1 , but following are some of iFixit's highlights: "Opening the 4S was no more (nor less) challenging than the iPhone 4. We're always pleased to find a limited amount of adhesive in our patients, and easily removable rear panels are always a plus. However, the same pesky proprietary screws are present, and it's never a joy to encounter fused (read: expensive to replace) displays. All things considered, the new iPhone isn't any easier or harder to repair than last year's model, so it gets the same 6 out of 10 repair score as the previous-gen iPhone 4. "Pentalobe screws, again? We were hoping there would be something new to keep us out this year, but it seems that our familiar five-sided friends have not moved far from their home at the bottom of the iPhone 4S. A couple quick turns with our 5-Point Pentalobe screwdriver and out they come! "Look...

Anuman Interactive's Amerzon is now available at the Macgamestore (http://www.macgamestore.com). It requires Mac OS X 10.6 or higher and costs US$9.95. Here's how the game is described: "Before dying, the explorer Emile Valembois tells you about the most amazing expedition of his career. This expedition was dedicated to the crazy "white bird" mystery. He confides to the young journalist that you are, the odd mission of returning to Amerzone in order to bring back an egg that was robbed 50 years earlier… Legend has it that strange white birds are born and die in mid-flight, without ever landing. To bring this species back to life, you'll travel through enchanting landscapes, from Brittany to tropical forest. You'll have to solve the mystery of these famous white birds. You are suddenly transformed from journalist to explorer setting out for the Amerzone, chasing down any clues that Alexandre Valembois left you in his lighthouse."

AGF (http://www.agfindings.com) has introduced the US$35 Magnate case for the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S. It's a leather-inlayed rubber case. According to Adam Stubin, vice president of Business Development, AGF, the Magnate is created with durable, yet flexible rubber like (TPU-Thermoplastic Polyutherane) materials to ensure maximum pocket-ability, while also protecting against every day drops. The back of the case is inlayed with genuine leather highlighted with contrasting stitching.  The sides of the case are crafted with a rib design to provide added grip, making the Magnate a supreme carrying solution. The interior features a textured pattern, and the exterior is crafted with inlaid leather.

CS Odessa (http://www.conceptdraw.com) has released a new solution in the ConceptDraw Solution Park for individuals whose work revolves around presentations. The ConceptDraw Presentation Exchange Solution can purportedly import a PowerPoint presentation in an instant. You can view the entire presentation's content from a single view point. You can drill down to any level and reorganize content so that it best suits you. Extracted presentation content is displayed graphically. Notes that were in the PowerPoint presentation are included in the note area of each topic. With the data extracted at this level, you can add to the information to make it more meaningful for you and your organization. You can hyperlink a particular topic to a web site or a selected document to add additional detail, or insert additional topics that clarify and expand upon the information contained in the presentation. You can even embed documents into your ConceptDraw MindMap to add more content. Also with the...

Apple has launched iCloud, its new cloud-syncing service that replaces MobileMe. iCloud is free for all iOS 5 and OS X Lion users. Updates are now available for BusyCal and BusyToDo that support iCloud. BusyCal 1.6 is a free update that supports iCloud and adds the ability sync repeating To Dos and Location alarms with the iOS 5 Reminders app. BusyToDo 1.6 is a free update that supports iCloud and the new Location alarms in iOS 5. It is available now for all iOS 5 users on the Apple App Store. You must upgrade to iOS 5 before you can install BusyToDo 1.6. Before upgrading to iCloud, please read the following: "Upgrading BusyCal to iCloud" (http://www.busymac.com/faq/caldav-upgrade.html) and "Upgrading BusySync to iCloud" (http://www.busymac.com/faq/caldav-busysync.html).

WriteIt! Studios has updated Cookie Stumbler (http://www.writeitstudios.com), an application to keep your Mac's privacy safe, to version 1.3.1. The upgrade Cookie Vault keeps all data that you want to retain, such as log-in data, safe. Cookie Stumbler includes tools to detect ad/tracking cookies. It features schedules, on-click filter and automator actions to make the process customizable. The app requires Mac OS X 10.5 or higher. With Cookie Stumbler you can scan and track cookies, then remove them with a single click. It supports Google Chrome, Firefox, OmniWeb, Chromium, Safari and Flash cookies, Cookie Stumbler comes with a one-year subscription to WriteIt's update service, which includes software and definition updates. Subscription extensions are available for $10 for one year and $17 for two years for both, single and family licenses. WriteIt! Studios is offering the product at prices starting from $18.95 for a single user license (it's normally $24.95) for a limited time.

Pomfort has released an update to Silverstack LT H.264 that includes support for the new XML interchange of Final Cut Pro X. With Silverstack LT H.264 Pomfort offers a workflow solution integrating Apple's recently introduced XML support for Final Cut Pro X. Additionally, a Final Cut Pro plugin DSLR Log2video is published for Canon DSLR fimmakers using Technicolor's CineStyle format. In Final Cut Pro X the plug-in now can be applied automatically to all clips without transcoding. For checking the quality of film clips, Silverstack LT H.264 comes with pixel accurate zoom, as well as channel, focus and clipping inspectors. Comments, annotations and ratings can be added directly to film clips. All information is saved within the library and travels with clips when they are transferred to editorial programs like Final Cut Pro 7, Final Cut Pro X and Avid Media Composer. Silverstack LT H.264 requires Mac OS X 10.6 or higher. It costs US$129 and is available at the Pomfort website (http://...

A new study by the Retrevo research group (http://www.retrevo.com) shows that 12% of Android owners and 24% BlackBerry owners are planning to buy an iPhone 4S when it goes on sale tomorrow. Forty-four percent of iPhone 3 or 3GS owners and 42% of iPhone owners plan to upgrade. Initial orders appear to be greatly outpacing iPhone 4 pre-orders, and 53% of potential buyers in this study don’t think it will be difficult to get however, with 18% saying they plan to camp out or wait in a long line to get one you could see some anxious buyers waiting outside the stores for their turn to buy one, says Retrevo. "Although some expressed disappointment in the lack of 'iPhone 5' features it appears that interest is high and demand will be strong for iPhone 4S especially among current iPhone owners," says the research group. "It also doesn’t appear likely that you’ll see many customers camping out in front of Apple stores around the country like we have for products in the past."

Apple is negotiating with Hollywood studios for deals that would let people who buy movies from the iTunes Store watch streaming versions of those movies on Apple devices such as iPads or iPhones without manually transferring them, reports "The Wall Street Journal" (http://macte.ch/k3fYa), quoting unnamed "people familiar with the matter." The service is expected to launch in late 2011 or early 2012. The report doesn't mention Apple's iCloud specifically, the publication said that Apple plans to "put movies in the cloud" to make it easier to share content across the many devices. Since iCloud launched yesterday, it seems likely that this could be the foundation for such a movie service. Also, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster told clients earlier this year that: "Apple's iCloud service for media storage makes it simpler to own multiple Apple devices and share content among them. At first the only media iCloud will store is music and pictures, but we believe Apple may add movies and...