As I scanned the Apple stories over the last two weeks, I discovered some more interesting stories about technologies, products and sales than usual. Here are nine stories that should take 5 minutes to read.

1 – Mobile browser developer SkyFire has done what was previously considered impossible by getting its Flash video-capable web browser approved for Apple iPhone. The SkyFire 2.0 browser was submitted for Apple’s approval in September, but has recently become available for download for $2.99. SkyFire’s big claim to fame is its ability to play video embedded on web sites with Adobe’s Flash technology. But since Flash still isn’t supported on the iPhone, the browser jumps some technology hoops to play Flash video. SkyFire’s cloud-computing technology allows the browser to translate Flash videos in real-time to Apple-approved HTML5 standard.

2 – Apple has informed music labels that it is preparing to extend the length of iTunes Store song previews to 90 seconds for songs that are at least 2 minutes and 30 seconds long. Shorter songs will continue to offer the current 30-second samples.

3 – Apple Sales, an oxymoron? Retail giants Walmart, Best Buy and Sears will sell the Apple iPad and iPhone 4 at Apple discounted prices on or before Black Friday. Many retailers have already shown their Black Friday ad campaigns. But be aware that often those same deals are available on web sites, meaning you don’t have to get up at 5AM or fight the elbows thrown around at the doors of the stores.

4 – Steve Jobs dispelled rumors that Apple is planning to adopt USB 3.0 for the Mac. He talked about upcoming developments from Intel that may leapfrog ahead of USB 3. Intel's relative slowness in offering USB 3.0 support has to do with its adoption of Light Peak, an optical cable interface designed to connect devices in a peripheral bus. Light Peak would offer a single universal replacement for current buses including the USB line and provide backward compatibility with USB 3. Details have slowly emerged regarding Intel plans for the fiber-optic, backwards-compatible USB 3.0 technology. According to Digitimes, Intel is planning to offer 22nm CPUs with native support for USB 3.0 in 2012. This means USB 3.0 technology will be baked into Intel's upcoming processor line, code-named Chief River, which is set to begin production next year.

5 – According to new reports Apple is experimenting with Near Field Communication for the upcoming iPhone 5, which would allow the device to double as a mobile payment system, and a way of replicating your home computing preferences (and applications?) on any Mac simply by being near it. The technology is currently being used in of Asia. The system would work by waving an iPhone over the Mac. Data would then be transferred between the two devices.

6 – If you’re a long time Mac user, you know that there has only really been one virus that affected Macs and that attached to MS Word files. But that does not stop the debate on installing antivirus software. And Apple doesn’t help the schizophrenia: On its OS X security site, the Apple says that OSX is “protected right out of the box” and then advises users to install antivirus protection. But no one wants to pay if it is not needed. But British security firm Sophos is offering antivirus for free.

7 – Apple hasn't publicly acknowledged that there are display issues with the new 11- and 13-inch Macbook Air, but Boy Genius Report, which got its hands on a confidential Apple document, is saying otherwise. The blog claims that Apple employees have been instructed to say that it is aware of this issue and is working on solutions. Among the issues is a bug that displays horizontal lines in varying colors when the system wakes up from sleep. There's no permanent fix yet, but Apple, if this document is real, is suggesting that customers put the system to sleep by closing the lid, wait 10 seconds, and open the lid to wake it up. This will force the display to power-cycle and return it to normal.

8 – Apple is not installing Flash anymore. Testers who have been reviewing the latest MacBook Air noted that they had to install a Flash plug-in to display video. Previously, Apple had done the installation for its customers – but no longer. Apple is now saying that Mac owners will have to do it themselves.

9 – Apple is discontinuing sales of its Xserve server at the end of January 2011 – instead Apple will be offering customers new configurations of its Mac Pro systems. In a message posted on its Website, Apple officials said they are "transitioning away from Xserve," which will not be available after Jan. 31, 2011, and instead directing customers to their new options, both of which run the Mac OS X "Server Snow Leopard."

Have you heard anything interesting from Apple?

Howard Fenton is a Senior Consultant at NAPL. Howie advises commercial printers, in-plants, and manufacturers on workflow management, operations, digital services, and customer research.