The flaws in Samsung Smart TVs, which have now been patched, enabled hackers to remotely turn on the TVs’ built-in cameras without leaving any trace of it on the screen. While you’re watching TV, a hacker anywhere around the world could have been watching you. Hackers also could have easily rerouted an unsuspecting user to a malicious website to steal bank account information.
I don’t even know how to express how creepy this is and how thank I am that I’m not using a Samsung TV.
| Read more »The "Shop In Kindle Store" link may be coming back to Amazon's iOS app. Joakim Jardenberg
Three weeks after Apple was declared responsible for leading a conspiracy to raise e-book prices, the Department of Justice (DOJ) today submitted a proposed remedy to prevent the company from fixing prices and discriminating against competitors such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Apple should not be able to "discriminate...
| Read more »Pay TV subscriptions are flat. Maybe even down. And if you’re reading this blog, then odds are you think that’s because of cord-cutters and cord-nevers — people who are using iTunes, Netflix, YouTube, etc., instead of paying for TV.
Could be!
But there is also a much less exciting reason for sputtering pay TV subscriptions: Youngsters who should be living on their own are living with their parents. No need to pay for TV if Mom and Dad are already doing it.
People have pointed out this phenomenon before, but it tends to not get a lot of play on sites like this, which makes sense: Lots of people like to talk about how they’re using Netflix to give Comcast the finger; not as many like to talk about the fact that...
| Read more »The Department of Justice has published proposed settlement terms that could force Apple to allow apps to link to outside e-book stores. Last month, the DoJ emerged victorious against Apple in a trial over e-book price fixing. Apple was accused of conspiring with publishers to artificially inflate e-book prices, in particular with the aim of undermining Amazon's once-standard $10 pricetag for Kindle titles. Modern, high-profile e-books are usually priced closer to $13 or $14.... ...
| Read more »Pebble updated its iOS app and finally added the ability to receive email alerts on the smart watch. Previously, the Pebble watch could only receive incoming text messages and caller IDs from its companion iPhone.
The new notification feature pings the Pebble watch when you get a new Gmail and IMAP email message. As Pebble points out in its blog post, the notifications are not pushed immediately to your handset. Rather, the Pebble app polls your email every nine minutes and alerts you about unread messages. Though not perfect, it's better than the jailbreak hack you had to use if you wanted email alerts in previous versions of the software.
Pebble owners can download...
| Read more »Sony is said to be preparing to announce a full frame version of its NEX line of compact system cameras, one that is slightly larger than the NEX-7. The tentatively-titled NEX-FF will be unveiled on September 24th, according to a leak, with the digital imaging device claimed to be the most compact digital interchangeable mount Full Frame camera in the world.... ...
| Read more »It may feature a plastic backing, but it should have a pretty nifty camera.
Per IT168 and MacRumors, a supposed “iPhone Lite” or “iPhone 5C” rear camera image was published on Thursday. The part is claimed to be a camera module for Apple’s anticipated low-cost iPhone.
The original report claims that the part is the same 8-megapixel lens already found in Apple’s iPhone 5, and even features the same sapphire crystal scratch-resistant cover.
...
| Read more »The new Mac Pro has an innovative design by many standards. Though it may push the envelope with its tube-shaped design, it's not the only Mac tower that has a striking appearance. Previous Mac desktop towers had a look of their own that set them apart from the boring beige plastic of most comparable PCs. You can check out a gallery of these Mac beauties over at Macworld in its "Towers of Power" slideshow.
A gallery of Apple's tower computers originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 02 Aug 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
...
It’s a nifty offer and it’ll run until tomorrow.
Per AppleInsider, retailer Best Buy on Thursday kicked off a promotion that has the company bundling a free third-generation Apple TV with a purchase of select 15-inch MacBook Pros with Retina display
While not heavily advertised on Best Buy’s website, the free Apple TV deal is currently available for two MacBook Pro with Retina display models, both high-end 15-inch versions of Apple’s notebook.
The least expensive option is the Retina MacBook Pro with 8GB of memory and a 256GB SSD for US$1,...
| Read more »The official Apple Store app has started offering free downloadable iTunes content in the US. The first piece, Color Zen, is a puzzle game for the iPhone and iPad that normally costs 99 cents. To find the download, a person has to select the Stores tab.... ...
| Read more »The U.S. Department of Justice has released a proposed remedy addressing Apple’s e-book price fixing, for which the company was found guilty last month. Under the proposal, Apple would be required to terminate “existing agreements with the five publishers with which it conspired” and to “refrain for five…
| Read more »It was a bit on the subtle side this time, but Apple bought another company for a potentially key asset.
Per Jessica Lessin, formerly of the Wall Street Journal, Apple has purchased Passif Semiconductor, a California communication chip developer that specializes in low-power designs — technology that could be useful in developing a smartwatch-like wearable device.
To date, Passif’s current products have included wireless radios for Bluetooth Low Energy profiles.
It’s unknown how much Apple paid for Passif, but according to Lessin, the iPhone maker attempted to buy the chipmaker years ago “a for a price in the mid-tens-of-millions of dollars.” The company confirmed that the deal took place, but did not divulge any specifics.
The acquisition may be linked to...
| Read more »Lumosity tops the chart in the educational category for the iPhone and now the "brain-enhancing" app has landed on the iPad. Similar to the iPhone app, the iPad version provides your with a personalized training program for your brain.
Lumosity is known for its cognitive activities that give your body's most amazing organ a workout. The app asks you a series of questions that make you think about your answer. In the early parts of the training that I have used, the app doesn't resort to questions with false answers or frustratingly complex scenarios like some brain teasers. It has a nice balance of being challenging, but not impossible to solve.
Lumosity started off as a web-based service and then branched out to mobile, which has been hugely successful for the company. Lumosity has logged 20 million overall downloads, and its updated iPhone version, which...
| Read more »If you enjoyed this week's roundup of iPhone cases, check out the previous edition, Flipped.
| Read more »Apple has launched a back to school campaign for college students. A $50 App Store gift card is being offered with any iPad or iPhone purchase and $100 with a Mac purchase.
Catan (US$16.99) is the Mac app incarnation of the well-known board game Settlers of Catan.
If you haven't played Settlers (as my family refers to it) before, you're in for a real treat. And a whole lot of stress too. Oh, and did I mention the strife?
Settlers is, in a way, similar to Monopoly, but more complex. It requires more forethought and strategy, and usually a lot more time too. Add the Cities & Knights or Seafarer expansion packs, and things get even more exciting. It can take many played games just to understand all the rules, and many more before you claim the coveted Lord of Catan title. That is unless you're one of the very annoying, and very lucky, first time winners!
TUAW's covered Settlers of Catan and Catan for iOS in some detail...
| Read more »Previously rumored but not rolled out, Apple has now started to offer free content within its Apple Store iOS app. The Apple Store is now offering Color Zen, normally $1, as a complimentary download. Color Zen must be downloaded from…
| Read more »Apple began pushing free content to its Apple Store iOS app on Friday, with users now able to download a typically paid app for free. ...
| Read more »The Department of Justice and 33 state attorneys general have submitted to the court a proposed remedy to address Apple's illegal conduct, following the July 10, 2013, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York decision finding that Apple conspired to fix the prices of e-books in the United States. The proposed relief "is intended to halt Apple’s anticompetitive conduct, restore lost competition and prevent a recurrence of the illegal activities."
Feral Interactive has announced that a Mac port of The Lord of the Rings: War in the North, originally by Snowblind Studios, will ship for the Mac on August 29th. The game is an action-RPG set in northern Middle-Earth, and chronicles events only hinted at in the novels. Players assume the role of three characters: Eradan the ranger, Andriel the elf, and Farin the dwarf, who together join a separate conflict against Sauron.... ...
| Read more »The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) expects to complete its investigation into allegations of patent infringement between Apple and Samsung at the end of next week, reports "TechHive" (http://tinyurl.com/mhqtn2h).
The legal brouhaha has been before the ITC since August 2011. Apple, alleging infringment of seven patents, is seeking a ban on the importation and sale of certain Samsung smartphones in the U.S.
Should the ITC confirm its recommendation of a sales ban, it will require approval by the U.S. president within 60 days for it to go into effect, notes "TechHive."
| Read more »Apple’s search for a new retail chief continues as the company has still not settled on a finalist for the position, The Wall Street Journal reports. Since the departure of John Browett in late October, Apple CEO Tim Cook has been overseeing retail. Wireless and telecommunication executives have…
| Read more »The Department of Justice on Friday, which last month won its case against Apple over ebook price-fixing, issued its proposed remedy to address Apple’s guilt, in conjunction with 33 state attorneys-general. That remedy, the DOJ says, “is intended to halt Apple’s anticompetitive conduct, restore lost competition, and prevent a recurrence of the illegal activities.” The proposal is not binding, but instead a recommendation to the judge on how the government thinks the court should proceed.
The DOJ proposes that the court require that Apple terminate its existing agreements with the five major publishers—the ones with whom Apple was found guilty of colluding: Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Penguin, and Simon & Schuster. It further proposes that Apple be barred “for...
| Read more »Apple Inc deserves a five-year ban from entering anticompetitive e-book distribution contracts, and should also end its business arrangements with five major publishers with which it conspired to raise e-book prices, federal and state regulators said on Friday.
| Read more »The U.S. Department of Justice has published its proposed remedies to address Apple's price fixing as a result of its case against Apple. The "Remedy Would Require Apple to Terminate Agreements with Five Publishers; Provide for a Court-Appointed External Monitor; Allow Competitors to Provide Links from Their E-Book Apps to Their E-Bookstores."
Amazon and Barnes & Noble are not currently allowed to link from their native iOS apps to outside e-book stores. But the U.S. Department of Justice has proposed a settlement that would require Apple to allow such links for a two-year period. ...
| Read more »The United States Department of Justice and 33 state attorneys-general on Friday published their proposed remedies in the Apple e-book price-fixing case, calling for an array of sanctions that they claim will “reset competition to the conditions that existed before the conspiracy.” Among them:
Apple must terminate its e-book deals with five major publishers
It must also allow rival e-book retailers like Amazon and Barnes & Noble to provide links from their e-book apps to their own e-bookstores.
Developing …
| Read more »This is the second time Google has banned Glass from one of its own events. They also banned Glass from its shareholder meeting in June.
| Read more »The U.S. Department of Justice today announced its proposed remedy in the e-book price fixing case that saw Apple found guilty last month. The proposed remedy includes nullification of Apple's existing "agency model" deals with a number of major publishers, as well as a requirement that competitors such as Amazon allow direct links to their own e-book stores from within their iOS apps.The department’s proposal, if approved by the court, will require Apple to terminate its existing agreements with the five major publishers with which it conspired – Hachette Book Group (USA), HarperCollins Publishers L.L.C., Holtzbrinck Publishers LLC, which does business as Macmillan, Penguin Group (USA) Inc. and Simon & Schuster Inc. – and to refrain for five years from entering new e-book distribution contracts...
| Read more »A few weeks ago I shared this on Twitter: "Here's an eye-opener: a @keyboardmaestro macro which takes a screenshot every 30 seconds. Review at the end of the day to see where it went." Since then, several people have asked me to share my setup (and a few said it terrified them). It took me a while to refine it, but I think I finally found a setup that will work for me.
The "Why"
The problem is simple: at the end of the day, I often feel like I accomplished a lot, but can't remember everything I worked on; or, I feel like I was busy all day, but don't have much of a sense of what I actually did. In both cases, it would be helpful to be able to 'rewind' my day and be reminded of what I did.
The big problem is distractions, either internal or external. I find myself going from task to task sometimes without taking as much time as I should to leave...
| Read more »After reaching settlements with just about every publisher involved in the long-running Apple/Amazon e-book price fixing case, The United States Department of Justice today published its proposal to end the case with Apple after finding the company guilty of conspiring to fix ebook prices during trial earlier this month:
“The court found that Apple’s illegal conduct deprived consumers of the benefits of e-book price competition and forced them to pay substantially higher prices,” said Bill Baer, Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division. “Under the department’s proposed order, Apple’s illegal conduct will cease and Apple and its senior executives will be prevented from conspiring to thwart competition in the future.”
Among...
| Read more »Apple has a reputation of including the latest standards in their products and so it's highly likely that Apple will be adopting the new USB 3.1 standard in future products.
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If you have ever gone to an Apple Store, some of the statements on the new FRSExcuses.com website might sound familiar. “FRS” is short for “Family Room Specialist,” and this is the title of Apple’s retail workers on the Apple Store showroom floor. To move through “excuses,” just click the excuse.
Continue reading more about AAPL Company, Apple Store, and Genius at 9to5Mac.
What...
| Read more »Following an update to its Apple Store iOS app late last month, Apple has now begun offering the reported free iTunes Store, App Store, and iBookstore content through the app (via Flo's Weblog [Google translation]).
As in the leaked sample screenshot, the initial offering is...
| Read more »Two weeks ago, we reported that Apple would update its Apple Store iOS app with the ability to receive free content. The app was updated a couple of weeks ago to lay the groundwork for this feature, and now free content has begun appearing. The first paid app (normally $0.99) for free is Color Zen, and Apple will provide either a new app, piece of...
| Read more »The Commercial Times is currently the largest financial paper in Taiwan and it has a reputation for breaking news in the tech sector. Today they've created a buzz about Apple buying equipment from Foxconn and transferring it to Compal Electronics.
| Read more »Following a report from yesterday that appeared to show photos of the iPad 5's silver rear shell, FanaticFone has posted new photos of the alleged silver casing of the next generation iPad mini. While the photos highlight typical features such as a rear facing camera, speakers and the Lightning port, it does feature an embedded black Apple logo, which is a change from the current iPad mini that uses a printed mirrored logo.
Aside from the change to the Apple logo, the shell appears essentially identical to the current iPad mini.
Apple is expected to launch the next-generation iPad mini with a potential Retina display sometime in the fall, while...
| Read more »Back in March, Akai Professional released an iPad app that aims to emulate its classic MPC drum machine. Akai is perhaps best known for the MPC– a series of physical drum machine/midi sequencer/samplers that come with samples you’ve likely heard on many of your favorite hip-hop, dance, and pop songs. Today the MPC...
| Read more »Apple's previous stranglehold on the tablet market, in marketshare, has declined dramatically in the last year. Factors include Apple's aging tablet portfolio and customer demand for inexpensive, small screen tablets, according to a Canalys report released on Thursday.
My Beastly ABCs debuted in the App Store at the end of last year and was an instant hit. The interactive storybook teaches kids their ABCs as they follow a boy (and some monsters) throughout a day. Available initially for the iPad, Duncan Studio recently released an update that brings this educational tool to the iPhone.
The iPhone version of My Beastly ABCs mirrors the iPad version, but is scaled for the iPhone's smaller landscape screen. The illustrations in My Beastly ABCS are catching and the narration by Jim Dale is top notch. Some of the navigation elements are a bit small, especially on the iPhone, and the letters sometime take a back seat to the story, but that's what the parents are for. Sit down with your child, help them learn as they make their way through the tale and enjoy some quality time together...
| Read more »Few of us ever REALLY want Caps Lock turned on; when we do hit it, we do so accidentally. There are workarounds.
You can just disable the key entirely, of course. To do so, go to System Preferences, and choose Keyboard. Then click the Modifier Keys button at the lower right of the Keyboard tab. Finally, set Caps Lock to No Action (or, alternatively, have it pull side duty as a bonus Control, Option, or Command key).
That's a great solution for those of us who only ever trigger Caps Lock unintentionally. But what about folks who genuinely want the option to quickly enter a mode for NONSTOP CAPITALIZATION, yet still want to avoid entertaining said mode accidentally? For those troubled typists, the solution is a free utility called CapSee. It displays an unmissable on-screen indicator when you're in Caps Lock mode. ISN'T THAT GREAT?
| Read more »Waiting for a check at a restaurant may soon become a thing of the past, as online reservation giant OpenTable has begun testing its own mobile payments system, allowing diners to settle their tab directly from their iPhone. ...
| Read more »Verizon has updated its Share Everything plans to include an additional lower tier of data allowance. The new 500MB option offers the same unlimited voice minutes and unlimited text messages as its higher-priced stablemates, though the price is trimmed down from the $50 of the 1GB tier to a marginally lower $40 offering.... ...
| Read more »If you'd like to play music on your iPhone or iPad and then set how long it plays before it stops, check out this tip. There's a built-in iOS feature that'll let you do just that, and it works from almost any music app. So want to fall asleep to Pandora? You can. Want to fall asleep to your collection of Debbie Gibson bootlegs? You can, but you should probably feel bad about it.
The next iPad mini, expected to debut in the December quarter, may have a high-resolution display and come in an assortment of colors. The switch to Apple's famous Retina screen would bring the next-gen mini in line with the company's other iOS products. Rumor also has it the new mini will be offered in colors other than black and white. This isn't the first hint that Apple may be adding more color to its iOS line. A mid-tier priced iPhone also may have a number of color options.
The worldwide IT outsourcing (ITO) market is forecast to reach US$288 billion in 2013, a 2.8% increase in U.S. dollars (and 5.1% in constant currency) from 2012, according to Gartner, Inc. Compared with Gartner's previous forecast, nearly all ITO segments are now forecast to grow more slowly during 2013, says the research group.
The worldwide IT outsourcing (ITO) market is forecast to reach US$288 billion in 2013, a 2.8% increase in U.S. dollars (and 5.1% in constant currency) from 2012, according to Gartner, Inc. Compared with Gartner's previous forecast, nearly all ITO segments are now forecast to grow more slowly during 2013, says the research group.
The purported rear case for the second-generation iPad mini has leaked out. As can be seen from the photos embedded below, the case is almost identical to the current model. One subtle difference between the case and the original iPad mini case is that the Apple logo is now molded into the rear panel, rather than simply printed on -- the same is true of the redesigned fifth-generation iPad case that recently leaked that is shown side-by-side with the new iPad mini case in the photos below.... ...
| Read more »QuarkXPress 10, the new version of Quark's graphic design and page layout software, boasts a new Xenon Graphics Engine, Retina display support, a modern architecture, and over 50 feature enhancements that streamline the design process and improve the design experience. It also continues support for ePub and out-of-the-box HTML5 authoring tools for App Studio, the cloud-based HTML5 solution for creating tablet and smartphone experiences.
| Read more »Econ Technologies has updated ChronoSync to version 4.4, an update of the automated synchronization and backup application for Mac OS X (10.6 and higher) that can synchronize, backup, and create bootable backups.
| Read more »Maintain has released Cocktail 6.6 (Mountain Lion Edition), the latest maintenance update for users running OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion.
Cocktail is a general purpose utility for OS X that lets users clean, repair and optimize their Mac. This version resolves a number of issues discovered in the previous release and addresses minor compatibility issues with OS X 10.8.4 and Safari 6.0.5.
| Read more »Coming one day after photos of a purportedly leaked next-generation iPad rear casing hit the Web, a new set of images posted on Friday allegedly reveal the same component bound for Apple's iPad mini follow-up. ...
| Read more »Habits is a life-altering framework for developing new habits.
The third and latest game in the BioShock franchise, BioShock Infinite will debut on the Mac App Store, Steam and Mac publisher Aspyr's GameAgent store on August 29, with options for pre-ordering, bonuses and extra downloadable content -- as well as a way to save money on the game's $60 price. The game, which originally debuted on Windows, PlayStation and Xbox 360 in March, has won wide praise for its state-of-the-art graphics, artwork and story, though it is rated "M" for violence. The Mac version is likely to have steep graphics and horsepower requirements.... ...
| Read more »Only days before a mysterious ITC ban on the iPhone 4 (and GSM iPad 2, no longer offered for sale) is to come into effect, the same body has decided -- on the day they were to pronounce judgement on another battle, an Apple complaint about Samsung patent infringement -- to delay the decision by a week. No reason for the delay was given. The matter revolves around four Apple patents -- three technical, one design -- and additional patents Samsung was found to be violating. Ironically, if the ITC continue with the preliminary judgement and staff recommendation, a sales ban on Samsung smartphones... ...
| Read more »With US-based students and teachers participating in overseas educational programs in mind, AT&T has introduced the AT&T Study Abroad program, an international roaming package tailored for the student's specific needs. Starting August 9, the program allows the user to keep existing phone numbers, and offers students and teachers the convenience of having an existing AT&T device, mobile number and content during a stay in 150 countries.... ...
| Read more »
Adobe Flash Player is a cross-platform, browser-based application runtime that provides uncompromised viewing of expressive applications, content, and videos across browsers and operating systems.
Version 11.8.800.129:
Mac gaming publisher Aspyr announced on Thursday that its port of "BioShock Infinite," the third game in the massively popular BioShock franchise, will be up for sale on Apple's Mac App Store, Steam and the company's own GameAgent on Aug. 29. ...
| Read more »When Apple's MobileMe suite of online services got revamped and changed into iCloud, existing members were provided with 20GB of extra storage space compared to the 5GB normally allotted, for a total of 25GB (which includes email storage, iCloud iOS device backups and other services such as Documents in the Cloud). The company has now sent out reminder notices to such customers letting them know that the additional free storage will be withdrawn and reduced to the standard 5GB on September 30.... ...
| Read more »Someone at Apple is probably going to put my name on yet another blacklist, but it has to be said -- the iPhone camera flash sucks. In general, it doesn't have enough power to light up subjects that are more than just a few feet away, there's no way to adjust the temperature of the light, and ... well, the list goes on and on. Fortunately Kiev-based iblazr lab has a Kickstarter that's nearing its goal of US$58,000 to start production of iblazr, a tiny, yet sophisticated flash and light for iOS and Android devices that comes with an accompanying app to deftly synchronize shutter and flash.
The images here show how well the iblazr and its app work together for fill-in flash, and just how powerful the iblazr is compared to the standard iPhone flash (iPhone flash on top, iblazr below):
The team, headed by Vlad Tislenko, produced a very good promo video that you can...
| Read more »Case manufacturer Booq has unveiled the new Viper courier laptop bag. The new bag is dyed and water-repelling, and the Viper has a padded laptop compartment inside so a stored computer stays protected and scratch-free. Other storage space in the form of interior pockets and an exterior backside pocket fits necessary documents, with a concealed quick-access pocket for mobile devices such as an iPhone. The bag is now available in two sizes -- the 13-inch model retails for $100, and the 15-inch model sells for $110.... ...
| Read more »Apple is looking outside its own ranks for a new head of retail operations, and has even hired an executive recruitment firm to assist in the search, reports say. Apple CEO Tim Cook, with assistance from other executives such as worldwide marketing head Phil Schiller, has been managing the retail side of operations since the company parted ways with UK import John Browett in October of last year. Browett, who tried to bring a leaner, more sales-oriented approach to the stores, quickly fell foul of Apple culture, employees and customers.... ...
| Read more »While shopping at the dollar store, my daughter and I stumbled across one of these: a silicone iPhone amplifier. For a buck? She looked at me, I looked at her. She won. The little amplifier came home with us for a test run.
My tiny battery speaker set has been a subject of dispute between us. She borrows it; she blasts horrific music; she forgets to switch it off; she goes through batteries like a ravenous bear goes through a dumpster. We decided to see if a power-free US$1 amplifier would solve the problem.
You stick the phone into the unit -- it's a bit of a squeeze, and you can't use a bumper or a case with it. It's important that the device is fully inserted because the horn depends on the placement of the phone's speaker.
Turns out the horn is also dependent on the placement of the phone's listener as...
| Read more »Between Apple Maps and Google Maps you are pretty much covered on a trip or navigating around town. Both apps have an extensive point-of-interest (POI) databases. For those who want more, apps from Navigon, Garmin, Telenav and CoPilot Live are viable alternatives. City Maps 2Go (US$2.99) is not designed for navigation, but for getting maps and travel info before you leave, so you won't require a...
| Read more »Though things could change again tomorrow, Apple on Thursday once again became the world's most valuable publicly-traded company by market cap, rising $4.15 (nearly a percentage point) to close at $456.68 per share (and still rising in after-hours trading, currently at $457.65). With a value approaching $415 billion, the company re-took the crown from Exxon Mobil, which fell by a dollar after a bad earnings report and lowered its overall market cap to $412 billion. AAPL has risen almost $50 over the past month, but is still off its 2013 high of $549.03 per share.... ...
| Read more »I really have a thing for simple games. And I'm not using the word "simple" as a replacement for "easy." I just mean that if a game can teach me how to play it without having to explicitly explain how, I'm much more likely to enjoy my first experience with it. Pivvot is that kind of a game.
Part puzzle game and part rhythm game, Pivvot teaches you everything you need to know about it within the first 45 seconds of playing. You control a floating orb that is tethered to a long track. Your only input comes in the form of swinging your orb in one direction or the other in order to avoid various obstacles.
These obstacles are sometimes attached to one side of the track, prompting you to swing in the opposite direction, or spread across both sides with one side being impassable and the other being a tight, but necessary squeeze. If...
| Read more »The Temple Run series are some of the most popular casual games on the App Store, and while the simplicity of the game can't be overstated -- running forward is really your main goal -- it offered developer Imangi Studios a chance to have some fun with one of the fastest humans around. And so, for a "limited time," Usain Bolt can be bought as a playable character in Temple Run 2.
According to AllThingsD, Bolt was enthusiastic about his inclusion in the game, stating that people often joke that they'd like to play as the Olympic champion in a Temple Run title. Bolt's digital self is outfitted in his iconic gold and green Olympic garb and costs US$0.99. Oh, and he even performs the runner's trademark pose, because details matter.
...
| Read more »Jessica Lessin, a former Wall Street Journal reporter and editor who is starting up a new technology news publication, announced today that Apple purchased Silicon Valley-based wireless chip developer Passif Semiconductor. The news was validated by an Apple spokeswoman, who noted that "Apple buys small technology companies from time to time."
What's Passif's specialty? Radios that work with Bluetooth LE, the low-energy version of the popular short-range wireless protocol that is used in health-monitoring and fitness devices that need long battery life.
Although Lessin's sources didn't say how much Apple spent for Passif, those sources did say that Apple had tried to buy the company a few years ago for "mid-tens-of-millions of dollars." As Lessin notes, that figure would presumably be higher now.
The deal could also help Apple help wean itself from...
| Read more »Things are topsy-turvy in the land of customer satisfaction, your free iCloud space will soon reach its end, and how do you pronounce “OS X.” Trick question: You’re wrong. The remainders for Thursday, August 1, 2013 are going on break.
Samsung Beats Apple in New Smartphone Customer Satisfaction Study from ACSI (ACSI)
We’re through the looking glass here, people. South Korea-based Samsung edged out Apple in the most recent customer satisfaction study from the American Customer Satisfaction Index, pulling an 84 for the Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II, compared to an 82 for the iPhone 5 and 4S. But, the ACSI notes, in South Korea consumers actually prefer the iPhone 5. Call it a cultural exchange, I guess.
| Read more »In an email sent out by Apple on Thursday, former MobileMe members were notified that their free iCloud storage would expire at the end of September, bumping them down to the usual 5GB allotted to new users. ...
| Read more »Today, I got a sneak peak at a very early version of Tim Roadley's "Learning Core Data." Expected to publish late November, this book by the Australia-based iOS developer introduces Core Data for those entirely new to the subject.
Like other books in Pearson's "Learning" series, the Core Data volume grows around a single project (a grocery shopping tool) that expands chapter-by-chapter. What starts off as a very basic database grows to include photos ("it would be great if you could take a photo of that obscure brand of coffee you love so much"), cloud support, and web service integration.
The chapters broke down sensibly, with big topics like performance tuning and searching each given their proper due. I found Roadley's voice pleasant to read (although he does suffer a tiny bit from modal auxilliaryitis) and I enjoyed the material I read through. It was immediately practical and usable, with good day-to-day tips scattered...
| Read more »Best Buy has launched a brief promotion on top of an ongoing promotion, making for a great opportunity for some buyers. In addition to discounting current Retina MacBook Pros by $200 off list price, the company will also give buyers of those MacBooks a free, third-generation Apple TV. In addition, verifiable students at recognized educational institutions can get another $100 discount on the Retina MacBook Pros, totalling a $300 discount along with the free Apple TV. The offer makes the pricing the lowest currently available when the value of the $99 Apple TV is included.... ...
| Read more »Computer accessory maker Das Keyboard has announced its expansion into a new product category with the launch of highly-secure, radio frequency identification (RFID) blocking bags. Known as Das Keyboard HackShield bags, the companyís new backpack and messenger bags provide a new level of protection against physical and digital intrusion for users on-the-go.... ...
| Read more »Despite its novel features, Motorola's Moto X handset is better suited to alter the Android landscape than draw consumers away from Apple's iPhone, according to one noted analyst. ...
| Read more »Sharing a car with another person, be it a spouse, friend, or family member, can be difficult when everyone is a different size. Everyone likes the radio their own way, or they're an inch shorter than you and move the mirrors. A new patent application filed by Apple seeks to address that problem by linking certain car settings to your iPhone.
The patent is for a system that remembers your individual settings and has your car automatically adjust them for you. If you enjoy the side mirrors at a 90 degree angle and the steering wheel at 45 degrees, in theory, your iPhone could fix that for you. Since the settings are stored on your iPhone it wouldn't matter if you moved to a new car. The program would read the...
| Read more »The U.S. International Trade Commission on Thursday filed an extension of its decision on whether Samsung infringed on certain Apple patents, a claim that could see a sales ban of products made by the South Korean tech giant. ...
| Read more »The low-cost iPhone -- potentially called the iPhone 5C -- may be getting the same 8-megapixel camera in the iPhone 5, a Chinese report suggests. IT168 is hosting an image of a supposed 5C camera module, which resembles the one in the 5. Apple heavily promoted camera technology when the 5 was announced last September, focusing on aspects like low-light shooting and the use of sapphire.... ...
| Read more »From 9to5Toys.com:
A large majority of the deals we cover each day come from a variety of ‘Daily Deal’ websites or are so popular that they don’t even last 24 hours. We know you can’t be at your computer every second, so we’re going to round up the best deals each day to make sure you have a fair shot at the deals you want. Be sure to follow 9to5Toys.com so you never miss a deal... Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+.
Also check out the latest...
| Read more »Back in March, when the latest installment in the popular BioShock franchise was released on consoles, Mac gaming heavyweights Aspyr announced they would be bringing the game to Mac this summer. Today it has finally announced an official release date for BioShock Infinite, as well as details on pre-order bonuses, DLC, and SteamPlay support.
BioShock Infinite for Mac will officially become available starting August 29th and, yes, the title will support SteamPlay, allowing users to purchase the game once and play on both PC and Mac through Steam. It will also be available on the Mac App Store. However, Aspyr’s own distribution service, GameAgent, is offering some pretty enticing pre-order bonuses if you pick up the title through them.
Not only will...
| Read more »Lomography has made a business out of trying to keep some of the old film technology alive, and they've been doing it for 20 years. To bridge the gap between the film and digital ages, they've come up with the Lomography Smartphone Film Scanner (US$59).
This post probably won't make sense to those of you who have grown up with digital photography, but there used to be a day when cameras used this stuff called "film." You'd stick it into your camera, take photos, then have them "developed" so that you could see your pictures on "prints." When you'd pick up your envelope of prints, the place where you got your photos developed was always kind enough to include your "negatives," which were the processed film strips. Want another print? Drop off the negative with your friendly neighborhood processing shop, and you'd get the print later -- for a fee, of...
| Read more »Clever folks over at Ultimate Ears—the company send its UE Boom portable Bluetooth speaker 80,000 feet in the air—that's the Stratosphere to you and me—and brought it back down again. Part extreme test to see if still worked after being exposed to near-space and part promo stunt, the event was filmed and posted to YouTube. And here we are talking about it. UE Boom is a wireless, portable Bluetooth speaker with a 15-hour rechargeable battery. It wrapped in, "a specially developed acoustic skin that is both water and stain resistant." It also offers 360-degree sound. It's 7.1-inches tall and 2.6-inches across. Plus, it survived a trip 80,000 feet up in the air. That's pretty cool.
The Wall Street Journal has proven it can find fault with just about anything—this time it’s Apple’s retail operation. WSJ says that Apple retail—one of the most successful and different operations in the world—is suffering.
But then they have lines like this:
Sales at Apple Stores in the recently reported third quarter slipped to $4 billion, down slightly from a year earlier…
Most retailers would love to “slip” to that.
It [Apple] raked in $5,971 per square foot in 2012, up 17% from the $5,098 per square foot the year before, according to retail consultancy Customer Growth Partners. By comparison, Tiffany & Co. had sales of $3,453 per square foot in 2012, and popular yoga-clothes retailer Lululemon Athletica Inc. pulled in $2,464 per square foot last year.
Why not worry about Tiffany?
I wonder how much Microsoft makes per square foot? I know that’s a silly question for WSJ to ask.
...
| Read more »Apple-owned Filemaker has announced that it will stop offering its Bento app for iPad ($10) and iPhone ($5) after Sept. 30. The company will also discontinue support for the personal database app after July 30, 2014. Square Enix’s new…
| Read more »If you were a former MobileMe user who got a nice 20 GB chunk of free storage last year when iCloud came to life, the happy days are almost over. A number of the TUAW staff members have received an email similar to the one seen above, noting that we'll have to either buy a storage plan by September 30, 2013 or have the plan drop down to the free 5 GB iCloud plan.
The link on the email goes to this support page, which explains how to sign up for a plan. In my case, the 20 GB plan is going to take $40 out of my wallet for the next year. How about you, TUAW readers? Are you going to renew your iCloud plan or just make do with your Dropbox or Google Drive accounts?
Complimentary iCloud storage upgrades are expiring soon originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 01...
| Read more »The U.S. International Trade Commission has postponed its final ruling in Apple’s patent infringement complaint against Samsung. The ruling was expected today, but has now been delayed until August 9.
| Read more »Best Buy on Thursday kicked off a promotion that has the company bundling a free third-generation Apple TV with a purchase of select 15-inch MacBook Pros with Retina display ...
| Read more »Apple has purchased another chip company, this time venturing into the world of low-powered communications chips with a firm called Passif. Passif makes radio chips that have a small footprint both in terms of physical space and power consumption, a key component for mobile and wearable computing devices.
Apple has bought Passif Semiconductor, a Silicon Valley-based wireless chip developer, reports Jessica Lessin (http://tinyurl.com/mp29ehf), quoting unnamed "people briefed on the deal.
"It isn’t clear how much Apple paid," Lessin -- a former writer for "The Wall Street Journal" says. "The people said Apple tried to buy Passif a few years earlier for a price in the mid-tens-of-millions of dollars. Presumably it would be higher now."
Apple, of course, had nothing to say on the matter beyond, "Apple buys small technology companies from time to time."
| Read more »Samsung’s marketing company is trying to buy off StackOverflow forum posters.
| Read more »Apple will not be hiring from within its own organization in order to choose a head of its retail division, according to a new report. ...
| Read more »John Gruber had a great post today about how the media jumps on stories that reflect poorly on Apple. I agree wholeheartedly with his points. It’s like the mainstream media are waiting with bated breath for the slightest mishap so they can bash Apple. A lot of times, they are just plain wrong.
Meanwhile Google left an I/O problem in its Nexus tablet for a year and nary a mention from the press.
| Read more »Motorola today announced its new 4.7-inch Moto X smartphone, which comes equipped with a number of impressive features like a 720p AMOLED Display, Touchless Control via Google Now integration, multiple customization options, and unique camera controls. The phone has been described as Google and Motorola's flagship iPhone competitor.
The Moto X is the first phone where Google is in control of both the hardware and the software, giving the company greater control over the end user experience.
The phone includes the Motorola X8 Computing System, with a Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, 1.7Ghz dual-core Krait CPU and quad-core Adreno 320 GPU. It offers 2GB of RAM, 16GB of storage, a 10-megapixel rear camera, and a 2,200mAh battery that offers up to 24 hours of battery life.
...
| Read more »If partitioning a drive with Disk Utility gives you unmount or resource busy errors, there may be workarounds you can use.
| Read more »Thanks to strong performance in India and Brazil, Google Play had 10 percent more app downloads in Q2 2013 than Apple's App Store, according to App Annie. However, Apple's App Store still generated 2.3 times the revenue.
There's nothing worse for an Internet power user than a weak WiFi signal. Maybe a bear attack, but if you're safely near WiFi, bear attacks shouldn't be a problem. But thanks to BearExender's two new WiFi signal extenders you can attack your weak WiFi signal problems with the metaphorical power of a bear.
There are two new options available, the BearExtender 1200 and BearExtender Turbo. The 1200 model is an improved version of the earlier BearExtender release and reportedly adds 70 percent more power to your signal boosting options, thanks to a new, high-gain 5 dBi antenna. It will set you back about US$50 when it arrives this fall. For users in need of a little 802.11ac functionality, the BearExtender Turbo will be the weapon of choice.
While the Turbo will also be hitting stores this autumn, no price has been announced for the add-...
| Read more »DavidGilbert99 writes "Apple's iOs has been known as a bastion of security for many years, but three researchers have now shown iPhones and iPads can be hacked in just under 60 seconds using nothing more than a charger. OK, so it's not just a charger — but the Mactans charger does delete an official app (say Facebook) replacing it with an official-looking one which is actually malware which could access your contacts, messages, emails, phone calls and even capture your passwords. Apple says it will fix the flaw, but not until the release of iOS 7, the date of which hasn't been confirmed yet. So watch out for chargers left lying around ..." (For less in the way of auto-playing video ads with sound, check out the Mac Observer's take, which concludes "[I]t's nifty that Apple is addressing the issue in iOS 7. We'd also like to see it fixed in iOS 6. Apple has historically seen iPhone users upgrade to the newest version iOS in staggeringly high numbers, but eliminating this problem...
| Read more »As promised in July, Pebble has updated the iOS companion app for its smartwatch with email notifications. At the moment, only IMAP email accounts are supported. Gmail logins are handled through Google, while all other accounts require using a special login interface.... ...
| Read more »Ahead of its upcoming August 16th debut in theatres, Open Road Films just released a new clip from the JOBS film starting Ashton Kutcher as Steve Jobs. In the latest clip, Jobs and and Steve Wozniak, played by Josh Gad, come up with the name “Apple Computer,” a story that we’ve heard straight from the real Jobs and Wozniak in the past.
Tomorrow Ashton Kutcher and Josh Gad will also be hosting a live YouTube Hangout at 11am PST/2pm EST to answer questions about the JOBS movie submitted using #AskJobsMovie. The event will be hosted on the JOBSthefilm YoutTube account.
If you want to hear the story of the Apple name straight from the source, the real Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs give their versions of events in the videos below:
...
| Read more »At today's Google event, Motorola Mobile and Sol Republic have unveiled the Deck portable Bluetooth wireless speaker. The device features 360-degree "full sound," 300-foot wireless range and Heist Mode, which allows up to five friends to simultaneously pair to the speaker set and take turns controlling the music.... ...
| Read more »Apple is now notifying former MobileMe members via email that the free 20GB iCloud storage upgrade they received will be expiring on Sept. 30, as was announced last year. iCloud storage for those users will revert to the free 5GB plan after the complimentary upgrade expires. Users who wish…
| Read more »SMS Audio has released its new Street by 50 Over-Ear Active Noise Control Wired headphones ($280). The 50 Cent-branded headphones feature active noise cancellation, 40 mm drivers and leather memory foam ear cushions. With the rechargeable lithium ion battery, listeners can get up to 70 hours of music playback.…
| Read more »According to Florian Mueller of FOSS Patents, a bipartisan group of senators has asked the Obama administration to veto a looming import ban against older iPhone and iPads. The letter, dated July 30, was sent to US Trade Representative Michael Froman, who holds the power to veto this ban. Signing their names to the letter were Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho).
The senators expressed concern that standard essential patents (SEPs) covering 3G cellular technology were at the heart of the ITC complaint between Samsung and Apple. These patents are meant to be licensed under fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (...
| Read more »Users contributing Android bug reports to the StackOverflow developer community were offered cash in exchange for "organically" directing interest to a promotion aimed at creating Android apps with features that only work on certain Samsung phones. ...
| Read more »Apple is only looking at outside candidates for the head of its retail division, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal. The position has been empty since last fall when John Browett was let go after less than a year on the job, with the retail division reporting directly to CEO Tim Cook.
Breaking: Apple only considering outside candidates for its SVP of Retail, source says. Story soon, along with deets about changes at retail
Prior to Browett, Ron Johnson was the head of Apple Retail for more than ten years, making Apple's stores into one of the most profitable retail chains in the world. Johnson left the company to...
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world.
You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here.
No Flash? Click here to listen.
Daily Update for August 1, 2013 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 01 Aug 2013 15:15:00 EST. Please see our...
| Read more »Apple has confirmed a buyout of Silicon Valley firm Passif Semiconductor, according to AllThingsD. News of the deal first emerged from former Wall Street Journal reporter Jessica Lessin. Apple spokeswoman Amy Bessette has refused to offer any more details on the acquisition, such as cost or the intent behind it.... ...
| Read more »Apple's anticipated low-cost iPhone is expected to be essentially an iPhone 5 with a plastic back, right down to the same 8-megapixel rear camera, if a newly leaked part proves accurate. ...
| Read more »In this issue, Michael Dalrymple talks about why he collects vinyl albums instead of buying music from iTunes; Brenda Singer shows you the ways to ruin a perfectly good bottle of wine; Chris Domico’s kid came up with the perfect game idea; Bill Lonero counters arguments that music should be free; and as a developer, what Kevin Hoctor does means something, as it should for all of us.
You can get a free preview of all the articles online and subscribe to the magazine for iPhone and iPad from the App Store. You also get a free seven-day trial when you download the app.
...
Motorola today launched its new flagship “Moto X” smartphone, the first device Google has launched under the brand after acquiring the company and taking it in a new direction. We already knew a lot about the device leading up to today’s event, but now we have all the details on specs and the many customization options that Motorola is hoping will help differentiate the device. With all the rumors of a next-gen iPhone possibly landing in multiple colors, it will be interesting to see if Google has any success with the Moto...
| Read more »V-Moda launched the BoomPro, a universal boom microphone for headphones. The device is aimed at DJs, gamers, and Skype users looking for a high-quality microphone to use with their headphones. You might remember that I went nuts over V-Moda's Crossfade M-100 over-the-ear headphones. I'm still nuts about them and use them every day. A microphone to match the quality of the Crossfade M-100s seems pretty cool. The mic's arm is made of SteelFlex, the cable is kevlar-coated and has volume controls on it. BoomPro is priced at US$30. The company also launched CoilPro, a high quality coiled cable aimed at DJs for $30.
The MacBook Air isn't exactly known for its raw graphical might, and its super slim form factor means integrated Intel HD Graphics is as good as you're going to get -- unless you spend some time and cash to build an external graphics processor, that is. Tech Inferno forum user Kloper has put together a rather in-depth guide on building an external GPU setup which connects to the MBA via its high-speed Thunderbolt port.
All told the setup isn't exactly cheap, as you'll need to drop around $250 in adapters, cables, and a power supply, plus the cost of a GPU which can run several hundreds of dollars or more. Oh, and you'll need to have Windows 7 installed on your notebook as well.
The frankenstein'd rig isn't even remotely portable, and it's only good for gaming when at home, but the...
| Read more »Apple has acquired wireless chip developer Passif Semiconductor, according to a report. Passif specializes in making Bluetooth LE communication chips. The report notes Passif’s technology is “promising for health-monitoring and fitness devices that need extra-long battery life.” It’s been reported that Apple’s upcoming iWatch will be focused on fitness.…
| Read more »Like celebrity deaths, Apple acquisitions seem to come in clumps. Last month the company acquired two mapping-related companies, Locationary and HopStop; on Thursday, Cupertino mixed it up by snagging a maker of low-energy computer chips, Passif Semiconductor. News of the deal was first reported and confirmed by former Wall Street Journal writer Jessica Lessin.
As usual, Apple was closemouthed about its reasons for the acquisition, but it’s not hard to figure out why it picked up the small Silicon Valley-based company, which was founded by a pair of Ph.D. students from the University of California, Berkeley. Clearly, though, Apple has...
| Read more »The tablet market continues to grow rapidly, and Apple's position in that market appears to be slipping, as shipments of tablets powered by Google's Android operating system overtook the iPad in the second quarter of this year. ...
| Read more »If you cannot control your remote system in a screen sharing session, the fix may be quite simple.
| Read more »Keeper has released v.7 of its self-named, multi-device platform aimed at storing and sharing private information, such as passwords. In terms of protection, users now have access to 256-bit AES encryption and PBKDF2 password derivation, as well as two-factor authentication. A new auto-fill option has been added, but is still secured using HTTPS authentication.... ...
| Read more »With the lower-cost iPhone supposedly already in production, in time for launch later this year, the likelihood of parts leaking can only increase. Earlier today, iPhone5skopen posted images of supposed front panels for the cheaper device. As shown by previous leaks, the faceplate is almost identical to an iPhone 5 with a plastic body being the main differentiating factor in the product lineup.
Now, Chinese site IT168 has posted pictures of supposed camera modules for this device (via MacRumors). The site claims the sensor is...
| Read more »When Apple's iPhone first came out, it was so novel and lustworthy that customers were eager to pay good money for it. In time, however, to increase sales, Apple had to embrace carrier subsidies. While that was good for sales, it also artificially leveled the playing field of perceived customer cost and gave Google time to duplicate the smartphone User Experience. Nowadays, customers see Apple's smartphone competitors with an equivalent product for an equivalent upfront cost. Apple will probably change that with future products like the iWatch.
You’ve heard a lot about the Moto X smartphone today. Now you can check it out in action.
We had the opportunity to sit with Rick Osterloh, Motorola’s senior vice president of product management, at the Moto X event in New York City today to see some key features of the phone and discuss Motorola’s strategy in a competitive smartphone market.
“We think we’re focused as a company now,” Osterloh said. “Motorola in the past used to make a lot of phones, and now we just make a handful of great phones every year.
When asked whether Motorola would bring features of the Moto X to tablets — an area of mobile that the company has been pulling back from — Osterloh would only say, “We have no plans right now, but it’s something we’re always looking at.”
Full video below:
[ See post to watch video ]
| Read more »BearExtender has announced the availability of two new Wi-Fi products designed for Macs. The first, the BearExtender 1200, is a 1200mW receiver that works on the 2.4GHz 802.11n band. Featuring an upgraded high gain 5 dBi antenna and new high sensitivity receiver, the BearExtender 1200 offers up to 70 percent more power than the original BearExtender. The device is expected to ship on August 15, and preorders are currently being accepted online at the discounted price of $40. Meanwhile, the BearExtender Turbo is planned for release in October and will bring 802.11ac wireless capabilities to any... ...
| Read more »After months of teases, full-page ads and leaked details, Motorola’s new smartphone, the Moto X, is finally, officially here.
The new flagship phone is the first one Motorola has built entirely from the ground up since the company was acquired by Google two years ago. And, as you might expect, it boasts some snazzy new features...
| Read more »Although I have a small family -- just me, my wife, and our Internet-famous cat Ruby -- we've somehow accumulated a lot of iOS devices. My wife and I both have third-generation iPads, we both have iPhones, and I also have an iPad mini. Keeping all of those devices charged up has been a bit of a challenge, but the new PowerDock 5 (US$99.99) charging and storage dock from Griffin looks like it could clear the way for orderly charging of all the devices we can throw at it.
Design
Unlike the oddly designed and named Kanex Sydnee ($99), the PowerDock is completely open on top. That's actually quite important, because the Sydnee has a closed design that means that full-sized iPads in some cases will not fit inside the charging stand. Here, Griffin chose to go simple with its design, and that makes all the...
| Read more »Apple has purchased Silicon Valley-based wireless chip developer Passif Semiconductor, reports technology writer Jessica Lessin. The company, which Apple has reportedly been after for several years, specializes in low-power communication chips that could be used to improve battery life in wearable devices such as Apple’s rumored iWatch.
Passif develops communication chips that use very little power. Its technology, which includes a radio that works with a low-energy version of Bluetooth called Bluetooth LE, is promising for health-monitoring and fitness devices that need extra-long battery life. (Apple, of course, is working on one of those.)Apple has confirmed the acquisition, with Apple spokeswoman Amy Besette giving AllThingsD the following statement: "...
| Read more »In another low-key acquisition, Apple has bought Passif Semiconductor, a California communication chip developer that specializes in low-power designs ? technology that could be useful in developing a smartwatch-like wearable device. ...
| Read more »Pebble smartwatch users running iOS 6 won’t have to wait until iOS 7 to get email notifications: the company behind the watch has issued an update for its iOS app to support email alerts.
The update supports Gmail via a login through Google, while other IMAP email accounts are supported via a login-system within the app. Non-IMAP accounts (like POP) are not supported.
For those who receive a lot of email, Pebble has included an option to temporarily pause email notifications:
Once it has been successfully set up, you will see the account...
| Read more »Mac-friendly cloud service, MacMate, says they've revamped their packages and now offer a free 10GB Disk version, which pits their service directly with other popular cloud services like Dropbox and Google Drive.
MacMate Disk also includes its filesharing feature with upgrade options up to 2TB, as well as a free iOS app for accessing your files on the move..
| Read more »Starbucks is switching away from AT&T and instead going with Google for the provision of free Wi-Fi service throughout its popular chain of coffeeshops, but the search giant's latest move into Internet service provision comes as critics are crying foul and saying it is abandoning net neutrality principles. ...
| Read more »Apple recently acquired Silicon Valley-based wireless chip developer Passif Semiconductor for an undisclosed sum.
Apple spokeswoman Amy Bessette confirmed the deal with the company’s standard statement on small acquisitions: “Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans.”
Apple’s purchase of Passif is the latest in a recent string of acquisitions that includes crowdsourced location data company Locationary and online transit-navigation appmaker HopStop.
News of the deal was first reported by former Wall Street Journal reporter...
| Read more »Ars Technica
Apple has patched an obscure vulnerability in its iOS operating system that could have allowed a malicious hacker to install malware on an iPad or iPhone via a bogus USB charger.
Discovered by researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology, the vulnerability can be exploited only by a custom-built USB charger outfitted with a tiny Linux computer. But it can be exploited quickly — in under 60 seconds.
“Despite the plethora of defense mechanisms in iOS, we successfully injected arbitrary software into current-generation Apple devices running...
| Read more »Apple execs working on iWatch
According to Jessica Lessin, Apple has acquired chip development firm Passif. The company’s chip technologies are focused on utilizing low-power and work with low-energy Bluetooth technologies.
As Apple moves towards smaller devices, the talent and resources of Passif will be critical. Apple reportedly tried to buy the firm a few years earlier, but was only able to strike a deal within recent months. We previously reported that Apple has been poaching several employees from other chip makers to work on the upcoming iWatch.
Apple confirmed the Passif acquisition. In recent weeks, Apple has also...
| Read more »If you're a Netflix subscriber you may know the pain of having multiple people in your household whose tastes in movies may mess up your profile. You like action and adventure film, but one of the kids wants animated kids movies and poof! Your profile is a mess.
Netflix is rolling out fixes for that, beginning today. You can add up to 5 separate profiles, so people will get suggestions based on their specific likes and dislikes. They will also see their own Recently Watched and Instant Queue lists.
The new feature is expected to roll out to iOS devices, Blu-ray players, Smart TV's and other devices over the next few days. Apple TV is included.
For now, you'll have to set up the new profiles in the Netflix website, but I wouldn't be surprised to see the ability...
| Read more »I love clever ideas, and the Hang-On iMac stand from our friends at Trans Intl is just that. It's a 7-inch by 4-inch shelf that's designed to securely fit in the cable-access hole on the back of your iMac or Cinema Display (with the L-shaped stand). It's big enough for your iPhone, but we're thinking it would be a great place to put an external hard drive, a small cable modem, a Transporter, an AirPort Express, or other small device you need near your Mac but don't need to see. Think, "Yes, honey, I put that picture of your parents on my desk." That's cool. It's priced at US$18.95 and available now.
Former subscribers of MobileMe, the $99/year iCloud predecessor, received 20 GB complimentary storage upgrades when making the switch to iCloud. Apple additionally extended this upgrade until September 30, 2013. Now, Apple is reminding those users, via email, that the complimentary storage will come to an end shortly:
As a thank you for being a former MobileMe member, you received a 20 GB complimentary storage upgrade when you moved to iCloud. Your upgrade expires on September 30, 2013.
When it expires, your iCloud storage will be automatically adjusted to the free 5 GB plan. Note that you are currently using xx.xx GB of storage. If you exceed your storage plan on September 30, 2013, iCloud Backup, Documents in the Cloud, and iCloud Mail will temporarily stop working.
To continue using these iCloud features without interruption, reduce the amount of iCloud storage you are using or purchase a storage plan by September 30, 2013.
For more information, see...
| Read more »V-MODA has announced the availability of two new accessories designed to add versatility to high end headphones. Both cost US$30 each.
The BoomPro (pictured) is a professional grade microphone for gaming, Skype, and podcasting. It's designed to enhance voice clarity and background noise reduction. The BoomPro's bendable SteelFlex arm allows you to position and hold the mic in place for optimal ergonomics, while the Control Clip clips onto your shirt adding volume controls and a mute button.
| Read more »Apple's upcoming low-cost iPhone, perhaps called the iPhone "5C", may come equipped with the same 8-megapixel sapphire crystal-covered camera found in the iPhone 5, reports Chinese site IT168 [Google Translation]. The site has shared an image of what is claimed to be the iPhone 5C camera module, which appears similar to the existing iPhone 5 camera module.
While the low-cost iPhone will potentially incorporate the 8-megapixel camera of the iPhone 5, Apple's iPhone 5S is expected to get an upgraded...
| Read more »Slickwraps is expanding their line to include protective, customizable cases. The idea behind the case is to allow consumers the ability to customize the look of their device with skins, while providing the durable protection of a hard card, CEO Jonathan Endicott says.
| Read more »Back in May, TUAW reported that BlackBerry Messenger would be arriving for iOS by the end of the summer. In June, T-Mobile UK accidentally tweeted that BBM would arrive on June 27, but that turned out to be a false alarm. Finally, it appears that with the launch window for the app rapidly shrinking, it appears that BlackBerry is finally beginning to send out beta invitations for BBM.
Well, at least they're sending them out for a few Android users who are running 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and later. There's still no word on whether any iOS beta users have been contacted about the beta -- if you happen to be one of those beta candidates, please let TUAW know via the "...
| Read more »Apple on Thursday once again became the most valuable company in the world by market capitalization, pushing past Exxon Mobil as rumors of next-generation iPhones and iPads continue to heat up. ...
| Read more »Apple is sending out warning letters to iCloud customers that received a complimentary 20GB storage upgrade that the offer expires on September 30th. On October 1st, those users will be bucked down to the 5GB of storage that normally comes with iCloud.
The USB 3.0 Promoter Group has announced the completion of the USB 3.1 Specification, which adds enhancements to enable SuperSpeed USB to operate at up to 10 Gbps. This latest release of the specification is available for download from the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) website (www.usb.org).
| Read more »In 2011, when iCloud replaced MobileMe, Apple gave paying MobileMe customers an additional 20GB of iCloud storage as a thank you for their purchase. That storage was to be discontinued in September of 2012, but Apple ended up giving MobileMe users another year of storage for free.
Now, however, the complimentary iCloud storage plan will be expiring at the end of next month, on September 30th.
For customers using more than 5GB of storage, they will be required to purchase a 20GB storage upgrade for $40 per year, or a number of iCloud features...
| Read more »BlackBerry has starting sending invites to Beta Zone members, asking them to participate in a test of its upcoming BlackBerry Messenger apps for iOS and Android. Not all Beta Zone members have received the email, which asks select people to create a new BlackBerry ID and Beta Zone account, and then find the test under a list of eligible programs. The beginning of a beta does, however, suggest that the apps are finally nearing completion.... ...
| Read more »Feral Interactive says the multiplayer action role-playing game The Lord of the Rings: War in the North is coming to the Mac. Developed by Snowblind Studios and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment for consoles and PC, the game will be released on Aug. 29.
Here's how the game is described: "The Lord of the Rings: War in the North is the untold story of three adventurers, Eradan the ranger, Andriel the elf and Farin the dwarf, who form their own fellowship and journey through Middle-earth to protect the North from Sauron’s malevolent forces.
| Read more »Apple is addressing the threat from maliciously crafted, fake USB-based iPhone chargers in iOS 7. Security researchers announced in June that they discovered how to hack an iPhone using a Linux-computer disguised as a charger. The team demonstrated that technique at this week's Black Hat conference in Las Vegas, and Apple has said it will address the issue in iOS 7.
The Mac Observer Spin:
The reality is that this particular exploit has very limited exposure. It does happen, though, and we're glad to see it fixed.
While little has been said of a potential update to Apple's iPod touch media player this fall, a new component claimed to be from a sixth-generation model suggests a refresh could be in the works. ...
| Read more »A new Apple patent application details a system in which a user can use a device such as an iPhone to learn and configure environmental preferences, especially in a car. For example, a user sitting in a car might set up his or her car seat, steering wheel, power…
| Read more »Twocanoes Software has announced Winclone 4.2, an update to the application that lets Mac users image and migrate Windows installed in Boot Camp. The new version adds language support..
| Read more »Three Georgia tech hackers demonstrated how to install malware on an iPhone using a custom charger at the Black Hat USA 2013 conference, according to a report in ZDNet. The hack exploits a vulnerability that is present in all shipping versions of iOS, but has been patched in the latest beta version of iOS 7.
Billy Lau, Yeongjin Jang and Chengyu Song showed off their malicious "Mactans" charger that was constructed with a BeagleBoard running Linux. Once an iPhone was attached to the charger, an unsuspecting user could type in his passcode to access his phone and kick off a chain events that would compromise his handset. In the Black Hat demo, custom software running off the BeagleBoard...
| Read more »BearExtender has introduced two new Wi-Fi solutions for Mac users. BearExtender 1200 (pictured) is a 1200mW receiver for the long-range 2.4 GHz 802.11n band. It's available for pre-order for US$49.97 and will ship Aug. 15.
BearExtender Turbo is a high-speed 802.11ac receiver shipping in October; pricing hasn't been announced. It features a maximum throughput speed of 867 Mbps that's purportedly to three times faster than modern 802.11n equipped Macs.
| Read more »The USB 3.0 Promoter Group announced yesterday that the specification for USB 3.1 has been completed and is available for download by device manufacturers. While USB 3.1 is no surprise, having been announced early this year, the publication of the spec opens the door for manufacturers to begin making and selling devices that comply with the fast interconnection standard.
USB 3.1, AKA SuperSpeed USB 10 Gbps, remains backwards compatible with USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 devices, but adds higher speeds to the USB architecture. With a 10 Gbps top throughput, the new standard matches the initial Thunderbolt data rate while being much less expensive to implement.
Of course, Thunderbolt 2 -- offering 20 Gbps to more than just one device at a time -- is waiting in the wings and has been announced as the new standard I/O architecture for the...
| Read more »Booq has unveiled the Viper courier, a laptop bag with a minimalist design coupled with "intelligent pocket-ability." It fits 13 to 15 inch laptops.
Organically dyed and water-repelling, the Viper courier’s exterior was fabricated using a natural fiber developed exclusively for this series. The bag zips open to feature an interior lined with nylon fabric and a padded notebook compartment designed to keep your laptop protected and scratch-free.
| Read more »It's time to save some of that hard-earned cash with our Daily Deals, featuring deals from TUAW and StackSocial, a handy list from Dealnews and our own hand-picked iOS and OS X selections.
TUAW Deals
Blu-ray Player for Mac [On sale for $30, down from $60]
This is the world's first Blu-ray player software for Mac. All of the Blu-ray Discs, Blu-ray files, and Blu-ray folders (BDMV folders) can be perfectly played on your MacBook Pro, Air, Mac mini, iMac, Mac Pro with OS 10.5 to 10.8.
Mac Blu-ray Player can also play DVD, VideoCD, MOV, MKV, AVI, FLV, WMV, MP4, MPEG, RMVB, MP3, WMA, AAC, AC3, etc.
Save 50% off the Blu-ray Player for Mac software at TUAW Deals. You can save 10% off...
| Read more »Today the US Patent & Trademark Office published Apple's latest registered trademark for their "Passport" icon. The icon was officially approved late yesterday under number 4,375,163. Not that it really matters though ...
| Read more »On Thursday, shareware developer Maintain released version 6.6 of CocktailCocktail (Mountain Lion Edition), the popular shareware utility program that allows for additional Mac OS X system tests. The new version, a 5.5 megabyte download, adds the following fixes and features:
- Improvements on the “Search for corrupted preference files” procedure (it now searches for corrupted Launch Daemons and Launch Agents).
- Added “Disable rubber band scrolling” setting (Interface – General).
- Added “Enable Single Application mode” setting (Interface – Dock).
- Added “Disable Dock icon bouncing for alerts” setting (Interface – Dock...
| Read more »Netflix has begun wider deployment of the multi-user profiles that started hitting the Apple TV earlier this week. On top of the Apple TV, the feature is now rolling out to iPhone, iPod, and iPad users "over the next few days," according to Netflix. In the near future, the company is also planning to bring profiles to the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and newer-model connected TVs and Blu-ray players. Android and Wii users are only expected to get the option "soon."... ...
| Read more »itwbennett writes "A pair of decisions by Motorola and Ubuntu to settle for 'good enough' when it comes to screen resolution for the Ubuntu Edge and the Moto X raises the question: Have we reached the limit of resolution improvements that people with average vision can actually notice?" Phone vs. laptop vs. big wall-mounted monitor seems an important distinction; the 10-foot view really is different.
...
| Read more »Ben Cousins is the general manager of Scattered Entertainment and the producer of The Drowning, a mobile-only free-to-play post-apocalyptic first-person shooter (phew!), released today for iOS devices.
The game has been heavily tested and tweaked since it soft-launched in six smaller markets in April, and, as a work of new intellectual property, stands to be an interesting test of just how hungry for “serious” console-like play mobile gamers are.
Among the game’s most heavily touted features are touch controls that purportedly match the speed and depth of a console FPS, even though one control setting requires only one hand to play. Scattered’s parent DeNA was most heavily involved in The Drowning’s business design, borrowing heavily from free-to-play mechanics originated in its home country, Japan.
Before leaving in 2011, Cousins executive-produced four titles in EA’s lucrative and popular Battlefield franchise...
| Read more »The Steve Jobs biopic starring Ashton Kutcher, aptly titled Jobs, is scheduled to hit theaters nationwide on August 16th. With the release date steadily approaching, a publicity push for the film is in full force. Just last week we reported on how Jobs star Ashton Kutcher appeared on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno where he discussed, among other things, what motivated him to take on the role of Jobs.
Keeping the publicity train moving, yesterday saw the release of a three-minute featurette showcasing some new clips from the movie along with commentary from Kutcher and others involved in the production.
While I admittedly wasn't terribly excited or interested in the Jobs film, Kutcher really seems to have done a great job nailing down Jobs' mannerisms.
...
| Read more »We have two apps this week that take the words you write and make them more beautiful. Also, there's a vampire game, so there's that.
| Read more »A recently revealed charger hack for iOS devices has been fixed in iOS 7 beta 4, Reuters reports. The known hack involves using a malicious charger to invisibly install malware on an iOS device in less than a minute, and was officially unveiled at the Black Hat hacking…
| Read more »We’re used to seeing Apple at the top of customer satisfaction surveys– it even promotes its multiple JD Power wins as the highest ranked smartphone and tablet on its website. However, the latest numbers from the American Customer Satisfaction Index has Samsung taking the lead from Apple, at least when it comes to smartphones.
In May, the ACSI report, which surveys over 70k US consumers, showed Apple continued its lead for customer satisfaction, but Samsung was quickly closing the gap. The new ACSI report covering only smartphones shows Samsung has since been able to surpass iPhone thanks to strong scores from its Galaxy S III and Note II:
...
| Read more »Apple's iTunes Radio, due this fall, has its work cut out for it -- but also plenty of opportunities. Consumers paying for on-demand music streaming services will total 29 million worldwide at the end of 2013, show the latest forecasts from ABI Research (www.abiresearch.com).
Accounting for 32% of the premium subscribers, Spotify is expected to close the year as the leader, trailed by Deezer, SK Telecom’s MelOn, and rounded out by Rhapsody and Sony. The subscriber base is forecasted to reach 191 million by end-2018.
| Read more »The USB 3.0 Promoter Group has finalized the specification of USB 3.1, also known as SuperSpeed USB. The new specification standard will allow for USB data transfers at a rate of up to 10Gbps, effectively doubling the data rate of USB 3.0, but still retaining backwards compatibility with devices using USB 3.0 and earlier standards.... ...
| Read more »According to BlackBerryOS.com, the beta version of BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) has started rolling out in the Beta Zone for Android and iOS devices. The Beta Zone, which is similar to Apple's Developer Center, started sending out the invites to select registered users today, with more expected to follow in the coming days and weeks. BlackBerryOS.com has also leaked several screenshots of the Android version of the app, but screenshots of the iOS version do not yet appear to be available.
The beta will require iOS 6.0 or later, according to Vivek Bhardwaj, the head of the BlackBerry Software Portfolio who spoke to Trusted Reviews a couple of weeks ago....
| Read more »I love me some Twitter, but I find that some days the Internet is talking about something I just don't care about. That's where 'mute filters' come in. Tweetbot lets you mute words or phrases and will hide subsequent 'tweets' that match your filter.
The problem is that adding a new "mute keyword" to Tweetbot requires way too many steps.
Eight is way more than enough, it's about seven too many. Here's what I want: Press a key combination, type a word/phrase, press enter. Boom. Done.
Wait! Too many, annoying, repetitive steps!?...
| Read more »Another rear housing for the fifth-generation iPad has allegedly been leaked in very clear photos, which appear to be legitimate. The images suggest again that Apple has at least contemplated a rear microphone for this model, as a centered rear hole appears to be located behind the front-facing camera. Notably,…
| Read more »On August 01, 2013, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a series of 20 original patent applications from Apple Inc. In this report we touch on Apple's newly designed Ultrasonic Bonding machine to improve future printed circuit board manufacturing as well as an OLED patent that's about improving the quality of this type of display that Tim Cook and company currently sneer at. Our report also provides you a list of twelve links to other patent applications that were published today covering a wide array of technologies including "context-based reverse geocoding" and technology related to LTE-Advanced which is the next wireless standard that Apple will be adopting for the iPhone either this fall or sometime next year.
| Read more »Matthew Modine is now offering a FREE download of the COMPLETE FIRST CHAPTER of his award-winning “appumentary!” This preview immerses you in Matthew’s private life as he first learns about the film, receives the script in the mail, and meets Stanley Kubrick for the first time.
I have this app and it’s amazing. If you want more from Matthew, you can also check out his Web TV channel.
| Read more »Jacqui Cheng
After months of speculation, we finally know for sure: a tipster has alerted 9to5Mac to proof that Apple is working on a new iPad mini that uses the company's A6 processor and ships without a Retina display. This puts to bed months of conflicting reports about whether Apple's next iPad mini would include a high-density, high-resolution display similar to the one in the larger iPad.
Wait, let me try that again.
After months of speculation, we finally know for sure: "sources familiar with the matter" have told the Wall Street Journal that Apple's next iPad mini will include a Retina display. The company will be sourcing the...
| Read more »Cocktail is a general purpose utility for OS X that lets you clean, repair and optimize your Mac. It is a powerful digital toolset that helps hundreds of thousands of Mac users around the world get the most out of their computers every day.
The application serves up a perfect mix of maintenance tools and tweaks, all accessible through a clean and easy to use interface. Cocktail's features are arranged into five categories that helps you manage various aspects of your computer. It also comes with an automatic Pilot-mode that allows you to simply press a button and relax, knowing that Cocktail will take care of the rest.
Cocktail (Lion Edition) for OS X 10.7, Cocktail (Snow Leopard Edition) for OS X 10.6 and Cocktail (Leopard Edition) for OS X 10.5 are available for download from our website.
Version 6.6:
TAIPEI — Apple Inc.’s suppliers are gearing up for mass production of a new iPad mini in the fourth quarter that will likely feature a high-resolution screen from Samsung, people familiar with the matter say, an indication of the difficulty the U.S. company faces in its attempt to reduce its dependence on its biggest rival.
Apple is working with suppliers in Asia on its next iPad mini with a high-resolution “retina” display, unlike the current iPad mini that comes with a lower-resolution screen, the people said. The size of the new tablet will likely be the same as the current 7.9-inch model, which was released in November last year. Apple has also been contemplating multiple color back covers for the new tablet, they said.
Read the rest of this post on the original site »
| Read more »New photos show what is claimed to be the rear shell of a fifth-generation iPad. Published by FanaticFone, the images depict a design that initially appears similar to that of the fourth-gen iPad in terms of things like port and button placements. The site notes, though, that the shell measures 24x16.8cm, slightly smaller than the iPad's current 24x18.6. Accordingly, the side bezels have been shrunk while leaving screen space intact.... ...
| Read more »Apple suppliers are readying mass production in the fourth quarter for a new Retina display iPad mini that will “likely feature” a Samsung screen, according to The Wall Street Journal. Sharp and LG Display will also reportedly make screens for the next iPad mini. The report also notes Apple…
| Read more »You can’t knock a good update.
Late Wednesday, Apple released version 10.0.9 of its Final Cut Pro X video editing software.
The update, a 1.64 gigabyte download, adds the following fixes and changes:
- Addresses issues resulting in green artifacts when using Sony XAVC media.
- Fixes several issues related to interlaced media and retimed segments which could cause exports to fail.
- Includes stability improvements.
Final Cut Pro X 10.0.9 requires an Intel-based Mac running Mac OS X 10.6.8 or later to install and run along with an OpenCL-capable graphics card or Intel HD Graphics 3000 or later, 256MB of VRAM, display with 1280-by-768 resolution or higher and retails for US$299.99
If you’ve tried version 10.0.9 of Final Cut Pro X and have any...
| Read more »The fifth generation of Apple's full-sized iPad isn't expected to see release until this fall, but new images have emerged showing what may be the rear casing of the device, and it appears to take sizable design cues from the iPad mini. ...
| Read more »This may cut down on some potential arguments in the future.
Per AppleInsider, Netflix on Thursday rolled out a long-awaited feature to its iOS and Apple TV apps, allowing subscribers to maintain separate profiles for individual users sharing one account.
Subscribers will be able to add up to five profiles for each account they own. Profiles will receive unique personalized suggestions based on viewing habits and ratings.
More importantly, those individual accounts will each have their own Instant Queue and Recently Watched lists. For example, parents will no longer have to share a queue with...
| Read more »At this point, it’s still a rumor.
But it’s a sexy rumor.
Per 9to5Mac and the Wall Street Journal, Apple is sourcing components from Samsung to produce a Retina Display version of the iPad mini later this year. Screens from Sharp and LG Display will...
| Read more »A report from BlackBerryOS.com notes that invites to BlackBerry’s upcoming BBM service for iOS and Android have now started rolling out to users on the company’s Beta Zone website. Back in May, BlackBerry announced that its popular messaging platform would finally become cross-platform and arrive on both iOS and Android devices “later this summer,” and that deadline to launch is of course quickly approaching.
Not all Beta Zone members have received the invite email above, but it looks like BlackBerry is getting closer to finally launching the new apps.
We haven’t seen much of the iOS app, but BlackBerryOS also...
| Read more »This looks very cool. You can also record your conversations, which is great for interviews. I bought it.
| Read more »If you often have PowerPoint presentations that you want to share, SlideShark is a clever and free iOS app that does the trick. I'm mostly a Keynote kind of guy, but many times I've used PowerPoint for presentations, and SlideShark lets me share with remote colleagues as if they were in the same room.
To get started, sign up for a free individual account. You get 100 MB of storage (a paid pro version is also available). You can upload a PowerPoint file from your iOS device, or any computer through a web portal. Then you email links to others and they can view your presentation on any device with a web browser.
Gallery: SlideShark
| Read more »The rumors have been flying fast and furious. Will Apple's next iPad mini have a Retina display? Some sources have said that it wouldn't come until after an intermediate model without that feature. Now the situation is a somewhat clearer with the Wall Street Journal reporting that an iPad mini with a Retina display will go into production late this year.
Back in January, a handful of photos of what was alleged to be the fifth-generation black iPad's rear shell surfaced, showing how the device would take design cues from the iPad mini to offer a smaller form factor with narrower side bezels and more rounded rear edges. An additional photo appeared in late April, but otherwise leaks of the device's rear shell have been scarce. A variety of cases designed to fit the expected iPad 5 form factor have also been appearing in recent months.
FanaticFone now shares some new photos of an alleged fifth-generation iPad rear shell, this time in the silver...
| Read more »On August 1, 2013, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals new advances that could be coming to Apple's new "iOS in the Car" software in the future. In June we presented an in-depth report titled "Apple Takes the Lead in the Next Battlefront: Advanced Eyes-Free Services for the Car. Today we learn that Apple has deeper integration plans to take "iOS for the Car" to another level. Apple's latest invention generally relates to in-vehicle self-configurable environments and more specifically ....
| Read more »Netflix on Thursday rolled out a long-awaited feature to its iOS and Apple TV apps, allowing subscribers to maintain separate profiles for individual users sharing one account. ...
| Read more »Look closely at the moves of the three main consumer operating system vendors. Each has become infatuated toward expanding into a new area from its strength among the landscape of hardware, software and service. For Microsoft, which has long been strong in software and has gained strength in services, its clearly tablets (as a broader hardware beachhead), or at least in defending its PC franchise from them. For Google, which was born on services, its software via its operating systems and -- to a lesser extent -- hardware where its Nexus brands and Motorola acquisition are areas of growing relative importance. And for Apple, which has made its name tightly integrating hardware and software, services have become critically important.
Apple's track record with services has mostly been one of struggle. It tried to launch cloud offerings...
| Read more »Photo: notebookcheck.com
Our concern that widespread adoption of USB 3 might leave Thunderbolt out in the cold now looks even more likely as the USB 3.1 – aka Superspeed USB – specification has been announced. This allows USB transfers of up to 10Gbps, the same speed as the original Thunderbolt standard.
Thunderbolt is technically superior to USB 3 – combining PCIe, DisplayPort and power signals into a single cable – and the recently announced Thunderbolt 2 version (which will debut in the new Mac Pro) doubles throughput to a blistering 20Gbps. And Thunderbolt can...
| Read more »Apple Final Cut Pro X is a professional video editing solution.Completely redesigned from the ground up, Final Cut Pro adds extraordinary speed, quality, and flexibility to every part of the post-production workflow. (Apple has posted a FAQ answering questions about Final Cut Pro X, missing features, and the future.)
Revolutionary Video Editing
Powerful Media Organization
... | Read more »Apple's CEO Tim Cook was in China on Tuesday, meeting with two of China's major mobile carriers. He met with China Mobile, the world's largets mobile carrier, a company that does not currently carry the iPhone. He also met with China Telecom, a company Apple does work with, to talk about future products. Recently, Apple has seen a slump in sales in China as a whole.
You watch shows on Netflix. But so do your kids. Which means Netflix’s vaunted recommendation engine, which watches what you watch and then makes suggestions, has a problem: Does it tell you to watch stuff like “Jake and the Neverland Pirates“? Or does it tell your kids to watch Taylor Schilling and her pals get up to hijinks in a women’s prison?
Reed Hastings’ company has been promising to tackle this one for a while, and today they are getting around to it, via personalized “profiles”.
The idea is a simple one: Up to 5 Netflix users per account can set up individual logs of their viewing habits, and Netflix will recommend stuff accordingly. And if you’re the...
| Read more »
As I follow the rumor mill surrounding the fabled low-cost iPhone, aka "cheap iPhone," and more recently, "iPhone 5C," I'm starting to get worried. What's wrong with me? Don't I like the idea of an inexpensive iPhone? Isn't an inexpensive iPhone important to help Apple fight freaky robot things threatening to take over the world? There's nothing out-of-the-ordinary wrong with me, but there's a problem with the iPhone 5C -- at least if it turns out anything like the leaked polycarbonate-case photos all over the Internet.
VLC Media Player is a highly portable multimedia player for various audio and video formats (MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, DivX, MP3, OGG, ...) as well as DVDs, VCDs, and various streaming protocols. It can also be used as a server to stream in unicast or multicast in IPv4 or IPv6 on a high-bandwidth network.
Version 2.0.8:
"The Practice of Network Security Monitoring" from No Starch Press is an US$49.99, 376-page book written by security expert, Richard Bejtich, that shows practices for implementing network security.
| Read more »Research and Markets (www.researchandmarkets.com) says their research shows that the global smartphone market will grow at a CAGR [compound annual growth rate] of 10% through 2016.
| Read more »Research and Markets (www.researchandmarkets.com) says their research shows that the global smartphone market will grow at a CAGR [compound annual growth rate] of 10% through 2016.
| Read more »Research and Markets (www.researchandmarkets.com) says their research shows that the global smartphone market will grow at a CAGR [compound annual growth rate] of 10% through 2016.
| Read more »Etón Corp. has announced additions to the Boost mobile charging line including the new Boost 4200, Boost 8400 and BoostTurbine 4000 for on-the-go portable power to mobile devices.
| Read more »
