Apple opens online store in Mexico; AT&T mulls Android; more...

Apple opens online shop in Mexico

Hot on the heels of a similar move in Portugal, Apple on Monday took its business in Mexico digital with the launch of a localized online store — dubbed simply the Apple Store Mexico.

"Hello, Mexico," the company wrote on its Mexican homepage. "The Apple Online Store is officially open."

The store, which offers free shipping on any order, arrives just days after Apple stepped up its efforts in Portugal by launching its first-ever Apple Portugal website and online store.

AT&T mulls Google alliance

Meanwhile, AT&T Wireless has talked with Google about joining its mobile-phone software alliance and participating in its Android platform. The phone company is "analyzing the situation" and may use Google's software for phones, Ralph de la Vega, chief executive officer of the wireless unit, said in an interview today.

Apple damage control agents move in

A new video offers a rare glimpse at Apple's public relations department reacting to a code red.

Shot by Britain's Channel 4 News during the UK iPhone launch earlier this month, the clip shows Apple media relations folks putting the brakes on an interview after journalist Benjamin Cohen repeatedly bombards Apple marketing boss Phil Schiller with questions about an iTunes monopoly.

A class-action lawsuit filed in August has charged Apple with illegally tying iPods to its iTunes Store in order to forge a monopoly over the digital media market so it can inflate prices, exclude competition, and force consumers to continue to buy into its closed ecosystem.

Leopard Achieves UNIX 03 Certification 

The Open Group, a consortium which focuses on open standards and global interoperability, has announced that Mac OS X Leopard and Mac OS X Server Leopard have been awarded a certificate of conformance to the UNIX 03 standard.  UNIX 03 is the certification mark for systems conforming to the latest UNIX product standard developed by The Open Group Platform Forum for the Single UNIX Specification version 3.

The certification is significant as it further broadens the installed base of UNIX systems in the marketplace to include a popular desktop platform, the group said. In addition, Apple’s UNIX 03 certification is a milestone for the UNIX certification program since Mac OS X is the first operating system derived from the open source BSD base of historical UNIX products to meet the certification requirements. 

"For over ten years, the Single UNIX Specification has consistently provided both scalability and stability to end users – one hallmark of a tried and true technology standard," said Allen Brown, president and CEO for The Open Group. "Operating platforms conforming to the UNIX 03 standard assures enterprises with industrial strength products, as well as an opportunity to avoid limited choice in vendor partnership. In achieving UNIX 03 certification, Apple has shown true commitment to its customers in providing open solutions that are warranted and fully supported.”