New and Noteworthy: Possible details on Apple/Motorola phone; Windows Vista Beta 1 vs. Mac OS X "Tiger" (Part 1); mo

Possible details on Apple/Motorola phone eWeek quotes sources who have allegedly seen the iTunes phone resultant of collaboration between Apple and Motorola. "Sources who have seen Motorola Inc.'s upcoming E790 iTunes phone say that it sounds like an iPod Shuffle and looks like a shiny white version of Motorola's E398 phone. Like the E398, the E790 has stereo speakers and a port for a mini headset 'Everything is in the same place,' said one source who has used the E790. The only difference is that the E398 has a single menu button, and (the E790) has an additional button that is dedicated to iTunes, the source said." More.

Windows Vista Beta 1 vs. Mac OS X "Tiger" (Part 1) The Windows SuperSite compares the Microsoft Windows Vista Beta 1 with Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger) in terms of aesthetics, functionality, and more. "Though Windows XP features a much nicer and more colorful user interface than Windows 2000 and previous Windows versions, it's still a far cry aesthetically (depending on your taste) and technologically from the Aqua UI in OS X (Figure). Indeed, Mac fans have often sneered at the "Fisher Price" look of the XP UI, which is a bit unfair (I find it highly usable and attractive enough) but understandable. OS X, by comparison, is clean, nicely rendered, and features many interesting transitions and other eye candy. Windows Vista Beta 1 closes the gap, though I don't think the beta Aero UI we're seeing now is quite as nice looking as Tiger's Aqua. In Vista Beta 1, Microsoft has added a number of visual effects that Mac users have enjoyed for four years, including translucencies, high-resolution icons, and animation effects that are both attractive and functional." More.

Test drive a Mac mini MobileMag reports that Apple has a new promotional offer on that lets you 'test drive' the Mac Mini. "They are trying to get more and more users to hop on the Apple bandwagon by offering a way into their club with a free 30 days or your money back offer (just like the ones you see on TV). The only catch is that you can only order one of the three pre-configured models with out any custom add-ons. The base model starts at $499 (1.2 Ghz 40GB) and goes up to the $699 model (1.42GHz 80GB). The offer also comes with an Apple keyboard and mouse." More.

Previously on MacFixIt:

• Safari 2.0.1 (1.3.1 for Mac OS X 10.3.9) [#2]: Stability not improved for some; Speed increases; more
• September 7th speculation

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