From 24/7 Wall St. partner Apple Investor News:

Aside from the iPhone-Verizon rumor and iPhone apps passing the one billion mark, there were some interesting headlines this week that speak to Apple’s future direction:
• A story in AppleInsider quotes sources “who’ve proven extremely reliable” that Apple will cut prices on iMacs and MacBook lines to boost sales.

• Macworld reports Apple is looking for a senior chip design expert and 20 lower-level chip design staffers. This, after the CTO of Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) came to Apple in January and last year’s acquisition of PA Semi, a chip design firm. It seems off-the-shelf microprocessors are not enough for what Apple has planned. The company is clearly using its cash position to chart its own course.

• Apple CEO Steve Jobs didn’t attend a Woodside, California town council meeting this week to discuss his plans to demolish a mansion he owns there. His lawyer told the San Jose Mercury News, “I don’t think he would be strong enough if we were here until 1 a.m., and I think there’s a strong possibility of that.” Apple has reaffirmed Jobs will return to work by the end of June.

• Apple was ordered to pay $19 million in damages to Opti Inc. for “willfully” infringing a patent concerning efficient data transfer. Meanwhile Apple filed for a number of  patents ranging from use of carbon fiber for device shells, portable power sources and advanced touch(screen) sensors.

• The 5th Avenue Apple Store in New York is the fifth most-photographed landmark in the city, according to photos tagged by Internet photo sharing site Flickr.
 
 Frank Cioffi, Apple Investor News.

(full disclosure: Cioffi owns AAPL shares)

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