Michael Bellina's posterous

Apple attempts at blocking unwanted titles from the App Store have evolved to target so-called "cookie-cutter" apps, developers say. The affected apps -- in the crosshairs for approximately a month, according to claims -- are mostly built with special generator software, which can be used churn out apps based on standard templates. Apple's specific focus though is said to be titles that provide little functionality, such as a simple RSS feed.

While the cleanup could harm some companies specializing in app generators, Apple is said to be approaching a few developers and making recommendations that will allow them to stay in business. Appmakr for instance has begun integrating more complex options into its designs, including landscape and offline modes, as well as in-app purchases and instant notifications. Apple is also allegedly limiting its actions to preventing new cookie-cutter apps from appearing, instead of removing existing ones.

Despite complaints about the restrictions of the App Store, Apple has in recent weeks been outright removing thousands of titles it considers inappropriate. Most of these have been "overtly sexual" apps, featuring some form of sexual innuendo and/or scantily-clad women. A minority have been Wi-Fi hotspot detectors, accused of using rule-breaking private frameworks.

I like what Apple is doing. If you are going to spend money on an application, you want it to have some quality. Yes, I understand we're talking 99 cents.

Apple is a consumer experience driven company. Most geeks and mid to advanced users will be able to figure it out but for others, the user experience is what makes Apple so much better than other companies. Apple mission is about the user experience and that is why their products feel different. It is why their products don't feel like they have been designed by engineers. Keep up the good work Apple.

An undetermined number of crafty burglars defeated motion sensors, a variety of alarms and security cameras to make off with $26,000 worth of Apple notebooks from a New Jersey Best Buy Wednesday, local media is reporting.

The thieves lowered themselves from a hole they cut in the ceiling at the South Brunswick Best Buy just where in-store advertising banners would conceal their movements. They pinched the computers without ever touching the floor — which would have also set off the alarm.

They snapped up 20 Apple notebooks and got out like they got in — by shimmying a 3-inch pipe that ran outside the building.

It wasn’t until some employees showed up at 6:30 a.m. that anyone got wise.

“High level of sophistication,” police spokesman James Ryan told the Newark Star-Ledger.

“I would say they were a professional crew,” the newspaper quoted security expert John Harris.

But one commenter on the nj.com story sees this as an obvious inside job.

“What nonsense!” said sdgj. “Definitely an inside job — probably three kids who work in the store - at least one in security. They knew exactly where to cut the roof and where to descend down to get exactly what they wanted. I’d bet they put the banners up so that the cameras would be obscured. Just find out who decided to put up the banners and you have the break needed.”

We don’t know if this heist took a mere 31 seconds, but it does rival an equally brazen (and efficient) Apple Store robbery in nearby Marlton, New Jersey, late last year, which netted those thieves 23 Macbook Pros, 14 iPhones and nine iPod Touches.

Police said they think that the crew which hit Best Buy had to include at least 2 or 3 people — and might have struck before.

Hmmmm …. maybe an hour’s drive south on I-295 at a certain Apple store last September 9?

If we could harness this ingenuity for good, imagine what a wonderful world we could live in. They should be able to track those machines. Shouldn't they have a list of serial numbers that they can trace? Note to self... don't buy any Apple computers off of eBay.