Apple 2002 Annual Report Download - page 9

Internet tools. .Mac features email service with IMAP, POP or web-based access, 100MB of Internet storage, and hosting for personalized
homepages and shared digital photo albums. Also included with .Mac is McAfee's Virex anti-virus software and Backup, a personal back-up
solution that allows users to archive data to their Internet storage, CD, or DVD.
Wireless Connectivity and Networking
AirPort ® is the Company's wireless networking technology that allows users to create a computer network and connect to the Internet without
cables, additional phone lines, or complicated networking hardware. Based on the IEEE 802.11b wireless standard and Wi-Fi certified, AirPort
allows high-speed wireless communications within a radius of approximately 150 feet from an AirPort base station. AirPort includes security
features like firewall protection and 128-bit encryption to protect user data. With the addition of an AirPort networking card, all of the
Company's desktop and portable Macintosh systems have built-in support for AirPort wireless networking, including built-in antennas and an
AirPort card slot.
During 2002, the Company released its Bluetooth technology for Mac OS X. Bluetooth is an emerging industry standard for wirelessly
connecting computers and peripherals that supports transmission of data at up to 1 Mbps within a range of approximately 30 feet. The
Company's Bluetooth technology for Mac OS X lets customers wirelessly share files between Macintosh systems, synchronize and share
contact information with Palm-OS based PDAs, and access the Internet through Bluetooth-enabled cell phones. A Bluetooth USB adaptor can
Bluetooth-enable any USB-based Macintosh computer running in Mac OS X version 10.1.4 or higher. Bluetooth software is built into Max OS
X Jaguar.
Introduced in the fourth quarter of 2002, the Company's new Rendezvous™
networking technology is based on open Internet Engineering Task
Force (IETF) Standard Protocols such as IP, ARP and DNS. Rendezvous uses industry standard networking protocols and zero configuration
technology to
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automatically discover and connect devices over any IP network, including Ethernet or 802.11-based wireless networks like the Company's
AirPort product. Major developers such as Canon, Epson, Hewlett-
Packard, Lexmark, Philips, Sybase, World Book and Xerox have announced
support for Rendezvous in a broad range of products including network printers, consumer electronics, enterprise database management and
educational applications. In September 2002, the Company announced that it was "open sourcing" the code for Rendezvous. By making the
source code freely available, the Company allows developers to use Rendezvous technology in their network-enabled devices or software
applications. The Rendezvous source code includes software to support UNIX, Linux, and Windows- based systems and devices. Rendezvous
support is built into Mac OS X Jaguar.
Apple Remote Desktop™ for Mac OS X software enables users, teachers and administrators to remotely manage other Macintosh systems
anywhere on a local network, AirPort wireless network or across the Internet. With Apple Remote Desktop, teachers can view students'
computer screens, perform group demonstrations and help individuals with real-time screen-sharing, text chat and the "request attention"
command. System administrators can provide remote assistance, get comprehensive system profiles, reconfigure system settings and quickly
and easily distribute software applications across hundreds of computers—
all from one central location over both Ethernet and AirPort wireless
networks. Apple Remote Desktop supports multiple levels of administrator access, each with its own password, providing a secure way for
teachers or department-level administrators to assist users while restricting privileges for deleting items or changing system settings.
The Company invented FireWire® technology, also referred to as IEEE 1394, which is a high-speed serial input/output technology for
connecting digital devices such as digital camcorders and cameras to desktop and portable computers. With its high data-transfer speed and
"hot plug-and-play" capability, FireWire has become an established cross-platform industry standard for both consumers and professionals and
is the data interface of choice for today's digital video and audio devices, as well as external hard drives and other high-speed peripherals.
Industry data indicates that FireWire will be included on more than 64 million personal computers and nearly 100 million digital devices by the
end of calendar 2002. The Company received a 2001 Primetime Emmy Engineering Award for FireWire's impact on the television industry.
FireWire is currently included on all Macintosh systems and is the data transfer technology utilized by iPod.
Third-Party Software Products
Thousands of third-party software titles and solutions are available for the Macintosh platform. The Company sells a variety of these third-
party software products directly to end users through both its retail and online stores. Additional information regarding the Company's
relationship with and dependence upon third-party software developers, including Microsoft Corporation, may be found in Part II, Item 7 of
this Form 10-K under the heading "Factors That May Affect Future Results and Financial Condition."
Product Support and Services
AppleCare ® offers a range of support options for Apple customers. These options include assistance that is built into software products,
printed and electronic product manuals, online support including comprehensive product information as well as technical assistance, and the
AppleCare Protection Plan. The AppleCare Protection Plan is a fee
-
based service that typically includes three years of phone support and