Adobe MacTel apps, mice, encrypted iChats, more...

Although he's enthusiastic about Apple's switch to Intel processors, Adobe CEO Bruce Chizen has no illusions about the task ahead. In an interview with CNET News.com, Chizen said Apple cofounder and chief executive Steve Jobs likes to "trivialize the process" and "make it seem easy." Not so, says Chizen: "moving the apps over is not that easy...Getting over to MacTel is work."

Still, the Adobe chief is optimistic that in the long run, users will get better performance and greater value from the new Apple hardware. Chizen told CNET not to expect Creative Suite for "MacTel" until late 2006 or early 2007. By that time, Apple's transition to Intel-based hardware will likely by complete.

Apple wired mouse officially EOL'd

Apple's wired Pro Mouse has now officially been declared end-of-life, meaning no new units will be produced for consumer resale. Rather than ship new Macs with the Mighty Mouse, Apple will continue to include the single-button Pro Mouse with orders until supplies run out, a source familiar with the subject said.

The company believes it can garner "incremental revenue from Mighty Mouse upsells," the source said. One could speculate that Apple is planning a wireless Mighty Mouse to generate future "upsells" once Macs begin shipping with the standard, wired Mighty Mouse.

Readers looking to purchase a standard Apple wired mouse should still be able to find them at some resellers like Amazon.

Encrypted iChat coming for .Mac members

There's a rumor floating around that, in addition to hundreds of bug fixes, Mac OS X 10.4.3 will offer .Mac subscribers a simple way to encrypt their iChat conversations. The rumor appears to be true.

By tapping into .Mac servers, the new version of iChat will reportedly allow users to encrypt text, audio and video chats with other .Mac members who have also have the latest version of the Apple-branded instant message client.

Supply of 17-inch PowerBooks dwindles

According to verified reports, in recent week's Apple's 17-inch PowerBook G4 offering has been tough to come by, even for the company's own retail stores. Tipsters say the high-end model has become increasingly constrained as the end of the month approached.

It has been reported that Apple holds one final PowerPC-based PowerBook G4 update that should debut this fall.