Here is your daily Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) stock news and Apple rumors for August 16, 2010. Apple sent out an early version of their next Mac OS X update while preping a relaunch of their community pages in the form of a new social network. Meanwhile, Axon Logic launches an expensive but versatile new iPad competitor.

Developers Get Their Hands on Early Build of Mac OS X 10.6.5: Apple is on track to launch the latest update for their home computer and notebook operating system, Mac OS X 10.6.5, this fall. Word came out this morning that software developers have received an early build of OS X 10.6.5. New features in this latest update include fixes for Exchange Server support issues and interface problems with embedded WebKit views in applications like Apple’s music player iTunes. 10.6.5 also includes the graphics drivers from the most recent Snow Leopard Graphics Update. Developers were expecting this build in early July, but Apple Inc. delayed 10.6.5 while the company was busy addressing problems with current Nvidia (NASDSAQ: NVDA) graphics drivers. APPL has requested developers put especial effort in testing applications like iCal, Mail, OpenGL 3D Graphics, X Window X11 subsystems, Quicktime, and printing issues. The new build’s product number is 10H525, but there is no hint that this update will mark the rumored shift from the traditional Mac OS X operating system brand to the iOS umbrella brand for all Apple operating systems.

Axon Logic Reveals Flash Mac OS X-Compatible Tablet, the Haptic: Axon Logic joins Augen in launching new tablet computers to compete with Apple’s juggernaut iPad. While Augen’s GenTouch78 is a super cheap alternative that runs the Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) Android mobile operating system, Axon Logic’s machine is a high-priced tech head’s dream. The $750, 10-inch touch screen device weighs two pounds and uses a 1.6GHz Atom processor. It has 2GB of RAM, a 320 GB hard drive, Ethernet, USB, and VGA ports, as well as a resistive, 1024 X 600 pixel touchscreen that supports both stylus use and finger navigation. Most appealing though is the fact that the Axon Haptic is capable of running Linux and Windows operating systems in addition to any OS based on Apple’s Darwin, including Mac OS X. While the capability to run Apple’s commercial operating systems is obviously a huge selling point for Axon’s device, the company is quick to note on the product’s homepage that installation of Mac OS X on non-Apple hardware is a violation of the end user license agreement for the OS, voiding any warranty. Given the device’s high cost, it’s doubtful that Axon will draw a significant number of tablet computer shoppers away from Apple, but the tech market hungry for a malleable machine that can still run Apple’s operating systems will naturally flock to it.

Apple Support Communities Social Network Replaces Apple Discussions: After having teased a significant change to the Apple Discussions forum, Apple has launched a new social network to allow users of Apple’s numerous devices, applications, and programs to offer each other assistance and trouble shooting services. The Apple Support Communities network will be a redesigned forum that allows Apple consumers, retailers, and anyone else on the net to create a personalized profile and homepage, letting them add widgets and customize certain aspects of Apple’s support webpages. While a specific date hasn’t been set to launch the Apple Support Communities network, users on the current Apple Discussions forums claim that certain users are already beta testing the service. The network represents a new strategy from Apple in reinforcing their entire product line as a lifestyle rather than just consumer goods. It should do nothing but strengthen the company’s grip on the tech market.

As of this writing, Anthony Agnello did not own a position in any of the stocks named here.

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