Fresh Apple: TUAW (23 сообщения)

rss2email.ru

Лучший дизайн мира. Строгий отбор!

ЛерКом - из-под мышки художника

TUAW
TUAW
http://www.tuaw.com
рекомендовать друзьям >>

Louis Vuitton launches iPhone app

We've posted about Louis Vuitton's iPhone and iPad cases before -- they're the ones that are needlessly expensive, and often overly gaudy. But the luxury accessory company has a new initiative around Apple products: it's launching an iPhone app for travelers called Amble. The app makes use of the company's City Guides information to provide guidance to any number of locations of interest in whatever covered city you happen to be in. There's a social element as well, allowing you to share or browse locations sent across through social networks or from friends. And in-app purchases (from $10 to $15) allow for access to the actual City Guides information for cities like Paris or New York. The app itself is free (making it the cheapest thing Louis Vuitton has ever produced), and available on the App Store right now.

Of course, unless you really need these specific guides for some reason, there are probably other iPhone apps that will do the same thing (I like and use the Yelp app a lot for finding information about places while traveling). But if you can't afford that $1000 iPhone case, you can at least wrap your iPhone in something made by LV.
Louis Vuitton launches iPhone app originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 07 Feb 2011 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Переслать
Could the Mac App Store eliminate boxed software inventory?
Blogger Arnold Kim over at MacRumors published an interesting conjecture today -- that Apple is planning on eliminating the space-consuming inventory of boxed software at Apple Stores through an emphasis on purchasing apps through the Mac App Store.

The post provides compelling evidence of proof of this, including a quote from Apple's plans for the Personal Setup for Mac service which states that the employees who set up your Mac will "walk you through the Mac App Store." To me, the key point is in the next line, where it is stated that "boxed software also takes up retail space that could be used for higher profit items like iPad or iPhone accessories."

As a person who has been visiting Apple Stores since 2003, I've seen Apple moving in this direction for eight years. Early in the evolution of the Apple retail stores, there was an emphasis on boxed software in aisles of wooden shelves, as well as an in-house theatre for training. Now there are very few shelves, most located in the back of the stores and with the majority of space devoted to Apple-branded software. Training is done primarily through One-to-One sessions at the actual tables where devices are displayed.
Continue reading Could the Mac App Store eliminate boxed software inventory?
Could the Mac App Store eliminate boxed software inventory? originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 07 Feb 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Переслать
Fake iPhones seized from LA warehouse

Police in the port of Los Angeles have seized what they say is over $10 million worth of counterfeit Apple devices from a warehouse. The fake iPods, iPhones, and iPod touches were reportedly brought in from Asia recently, and were supposedly going to be sold around CES this past year, duping customers into thinking they were buying real Apple products for cheap. Not that cheap, though -- the cops also reportedly found receipts in the warehouse, along with other stolen and counterfeit merchandise, that pointed to the whole facility bringing in around $7 million in profit.

Two brothers have been arrested, and the two of them face a total of four felony counts for the sale of counterfeit goods. The seizure was the result of an ongoing stolen cargo investigation that had the Port Police looking around warehouses in Los Angeles and Vernon, CA late last year.
Fake iPhones seized from LA warehouse originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 07 Feb 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Переслать
String Labs' augmented reality showcase app for iPhone
Want to see one of the ways that you're going to use that iPhone in the future? You should do yourself a favor and check out what String Labs is doing with their new augmented reality engine, String. What is AR, you ask? It's the merging of both your real-world environment and a virtual one, allowing for a unique experience that you can then interact with in various ways depending on the application. Did you see the first down lines on the field during yesterday's Super Bowl? That's one form of augmented reality, as the field is of course physically there but the lines are superimposed over it for us to see at home on the TV.

To celebrate the launch of their platform, String Labs recently released a showcase app (free download in the App Store) which demonstrates several games and ideas which use String's AR engine. After installing the app on your iPhone and printing out the targets on their site, users can experience AR for themselves at home. This isn't the first AR app on the store by a long shot, but String's play is a platform one, not a one-off app or feature in an app.

String aims to provide developers with the "easiest-to-use and fastest augmented reality SDK on the market." It's currently only available for iOS developers but will soon be ready for Android and other platforms. We've seen some cool uses for AR, like in the Where To? app and Word Lens (one of my favorites), but if some of these things in the showcase app are only the beginning of what AR can do I am really look forward to what the future holds.

Click Read More to check out video of Pharaoh's Fury, an AR game demo.
Continue reading String Labs' augmented reality showcase app for iPhone
String Labs' augmented reality showcase app for iPhone originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 07 Feb 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Переслать
Gmail Priority Inbox now available on iPhone

The official Gmail blog has announced that the Priority Inbox feature, which uses an algorithm to mark what it thinks are important emails in your inbox, is now available on the web version of Gmail for the iPhone. If you've set up the service to work on your usual browser, it'll now also work on Gmail for Mobile, which is up and running in HTML5 on iPhones everywhere.

I use Gmail almost exclusively for all of my email, yet aside from a short trial when it was first released, I've never really had much interest in Priority Inbox. I do a much better job of sorting my email than Google's algorithm, and I'm too worried that I'll miss something important that should have been prioritized if I depend on the formula.

But a feature is a feature, and since Gmail is free anyway, those of you who use Priority Inbox will probably be happy to see it the next time you log into Gmail from a mobile device.

[via MacStories]
Gmail Priority Inbox now available on iPhone originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 07 Feb 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Переслать
European newspaper publishers unhappy with Apple's publication requirements

A few European publishers have heard from Apple about subscription arrangements on the App Store, and they're not happy at all. The agreement isn't that surprising -- just as with the current setup in iTunes for software developers, Apple is asking that all subscriptions go through them, and that they take their usual 30% cut. But that has European publishers quite angry -- not only is the price higher than they want to pay, but they say it's because Apple will cut them out of access to things like subscriber demographics and other inside information that they'd have if they ran subscriptions themselves.

All fair points. Apple definitely doesn't want to "lose control" of any possible in-app subscriptions, and since it already controls access to the App Store, these publishers are at Apple's whims anyway. If publishers try to run a subscription scheme Apple doesn't agree with, their apps likely won't stay on the App Store for long.

Of course, the real meter here is The Daily -- while it got a nice reaction at launch, if that model doesn't prove itself to be profitable or workable, publications may not bother with the App Store anyway. Even if they don't run apps through Apple's subscription channels, there's still Mobile Safari and conventional paywalls.

[via App Advice]
European newspaper publishers unhappy with Apple's publication requirements originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 07 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Переслать
Steve Jobs kills off the CD on Adult Swim's Robot Chicken

It's no secret that Steve Jobs isn't a fan of the physical CD, preferring of course that his customers buy their music in his iTunes store. But what length is he willing to go to get rid of the CD for good? On the latest episode of Seth Green's grossly satirical stop-motion show Robot Chicken we found out, as a Steve Jobs parody became a target for both Compact Disc Man and Zune Man. The "superheroes" tried to do Jobs in, but he succeeded in killing the CD off in a hail of gunfire. Zune Man, however, was allowed to live, with Jobs stating that he "wouldn't waste the bullets." Touche.

Click Read More below to check out the clip for yourself.
Continue reading Steve Jobs kills off the CD on Adult Swim's Robot Chicken
Steve Jobs kills off the CD on Adult Swim's Robot Chicken originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 07 Feb 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Переслать
New MacBook Pros may be on the way for March

9 to 5 Mac is reporting increasing signs that new MacBook Pros are on the way. This latest evidence is from Best Buy "dummy SKU's" in its inventory system. If correct, the new laptops will come in at $1199 with a March 11 availability date. Those Best Buy dates aren't always accurate but it looks like something might be coming.

The MacBook Pro line has been getting a bit long in the tooth in terms of basic design. The last release of the MacBook Pro was in April of 2010. The current laptops are in short supply in some countries. Some of the international Apple Online stores are showing 2-3 week delays. At the US store, all MacBook Pro models are shown to be in stock and shipping within 24 hours.

[via 9 to 5 Mac]
New MacBook Pros may be on the way for March originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 07 Feb 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Переслать
Verizon iPhone 101: What new owners need to know to get started

You hung in there. For four long years, you hung in there. And now, finally, you've made it to the promised land. For many of you, an iPhone is even now arriving on a FedEx truck. Soon, you'll be able to set up your new baby and start entering the strange and wonderful world of Verizon iPhone use. TUAW is here to help you.

Many of you already own iPods or iPads, and know the ins and outs of iOS use. For others, the Verizon iPhone may represent your first ever iOS device. Let's take a few minutes to go over the basics, point out a few key steps for new users, and recommend some apps to supercharge your new superphone.

What's iOS? It's the mobile operating system that Apple developed for its portable devices including the iPhone, the iPod, and the iPad (also the current-generation black Apple TV). For your new iPhone, it's a touch-based OS. The screens of iPhones use the small electrical charges in your fingers to detect the position where you have touched; you drive your phone with fingertips instead of four-way buttons, scrollballs or a physical keyboard.

To connect your phone to your computer, your music, your videos and your apps, you're going to be using Apple's media and device management tool: iTunes. When Apple releases new versions of iOS, you can install those updates on your phone through iTunes -- unlike Android phones on Verizon, there are no over-the-air OS updates for the iPhone. iTunes is a not just a central hub for managing music libraries, it's the home manager for your new iPhone.
Continue reading Verizon iPhone 101: What new owners need to know to get started
Verizon iPhone 101: What new owners need to know to get started originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 07 Feb 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Переслать
On producing great iPhone photos
The late, great photographer Ansel Adams once said "You don't take a photograph, you make it." Making photographs that are more than just snapshots requires capturing the nuances of light, dark, and color. A number of professional photographers now enjoy using the iPhone as a secondary camera, and in some cases, they're doing a lot of their pro work with the iPhone's camera.

Graphics.com has an excellent post today adapted from photographer J. Dennis Thomas's new book "Capturing Better Photos and Video with your iPhone." The post focuses on the impact of light on the quality of your photos, and how you can use the differing types of lighting to your advantage.

The post describes how to make the best of difficult lighting conditions. For example, hard lighting (like the mid-day sun on a bright, clear day) tends to highlight texture and can add mystery to a photo. Another good suggestion is to make sure that you take photos in hard light with the sun to your back. It may make a human subject squint, but you'll be able to avoid underexposing the photo.

Thomas suggests trying to take portraits in soft light conditions; on partly cloudy days, in shadows, or with light reflected and diffused by something like an umbrella. Using side lighting to add depth to photos is another trick Thomas demonstrates, as well as using the iPhone 4's HDR capabilities to resolve problems with high contrast photo conditions.

The Graphics.com post is a fast overview, but it was enough to get me to order the book from Amazon. Regretfully, it's not available for the Kindle, Nook, or iBook readers on iPad or iPhone. If you're passionate about photography and want to use your iPhone as your "go to" camera wherever you may be, be sure to check out the Graphics.com post for some helpful hints.
On producing great iPhone photos originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 07 Feb 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Переслать
AAPL hits another all time high

Once again, Apple stock (AAPL) has hit a new intra-day high and this time it's a really good one. This is the first time Apple has broken into the lofty US $350's. Things are moving quickly but when I started this post, AAPL was up 6.66 points to $353.17 on moderately high volume of about ten million shares, and no one knows where it will wind up for the day. Although the market is having quite a good day, this would indicate to me that much of the bad news and emotion has been filtered out based on the medical leave of Steve Jobs. It might also have something to do with the first delivery of the Verizon iPhone 4.

In other news, Philip Elmer-Dewitt of Fortune's Apple 2.0 has noted that Susquehanna has upped its target price for AAPL to $465. There seems to be a bandwagon mentality that analysts are jumping onto. He goes on to say that Charles Wolf of the Needem Funds raised his estimate to $450, a jump of $75. Meanwhile, Brian White of Ticonderoga kept firm on his price target of $550. This is most likely based on AAPL breaking out of a trading range with support at $326 and resistance at $345.60 causing everyone to reshuffle their estimates.

[via TradersHuddle.com]
AAPL hits another all time high originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 07 Feb 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Переслать
Verizon iPhone sales broke 500,000
Analysts estimate that Verizon sold over 500,000 iPhones in its first day of pre-order sales. Pre-ordering began at 3 a.m. ET and continued until 8:10 p.m. when the allotment set aside for pre-orders was depleted. Verizon confirmed in a press release that it set an all-time first day sales record in the first two hours of ordering, an accomplishment that even beats the high-profile, heavily advertised launch of the Motorola DROID.

Available in November 2009, the DROID sold 200,000 units on its first weekend of sales and 300,000 by the end of its first week. This is only the beginning of the rise of the Verizon iPhone; analysts expect Apple and Verizon will sell over 11 million iPhones in 2011.

Customers who were part of the pre-order should be receiving their handsets today if they ordered from Verizon or Tuesday if they ordered from Apple. At least one lucky customer was able to score his iPhone on Saturday and has enjoyed his status as one of the first iPhone owners on Verizon. Apple and Verizon will open pre-orders again starting February 9th at 3 a.m. This time around the pre-orders will be available to all customers, including those ready to switch carriers. The handset will be available in Apple stores and Verizon Wireless stores starting February 10th.
Verizon iPhone sales broke 500,000 originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 07 Feb 2011 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Переслать
Marathon coming to the iPad (we hope)
"Will it play DOOM?" This used to be the first question anyone had about a new bit of gear, regardless of what it was. Oddly, the answer kept being yes.

Remember DOOM? You might not, if you're a longtime Mac user, since the attempts to bring it to the Mac really only met the dictionary definition of "port": Yeah, you could play it, but it wasn't any fun.

Then Bungie came along and decided to take their own shot at it. I'm sure you remember that one. It was called Marathon. You may also remember what happened to Bungie: Microsoft wrote a check and that was that. But right before that happened, Bungie open-sourced Marathon, which runs on Mac OS as Aleph One. So you could still get it on your Mac, but only on your Mac.

Until now.

TouchArcade is reporting one of their forum threads contains the news that developer Daniel Blezek is actually working on bringing this to the iPad. He has also posted that it hasn't been a completely smooth process, and there's still a question of GPL licensed code being sold on the App Store. But if you have an iPad and a whole lot of spare time, as of yesterday afternoon Daniel said he was still looking for beta testers.
Marathon coming to the iPad (we hope) originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 07 Feb 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Переслать
Rumor: Next WWDC scheduled for June 5

There's a hole in the Moscone Center schedule, and it's filling up with a 'Corporate Meeting' -- looks like it might be time to start booking those flights and hotel rooms, developers. June 5 to June 9 is blocked off on the conference center's schedule, and similar bookings have in the past turned out to be the annual WWDC slot.

AppleBitch.com, which spotted this booking, also points out that there are single-day events in May and June also allocated to 'Corporate Meeting.' These might be for Apple events and product introductions, or they might not. MacRumors notes that the presumptive WWDC 2011 dates line up nicely with the 'Moscone Stone' longterm bookings calendar that revealed the 2010 event's timing.

While the last WWDC was focused on iOS and iPad development to a very high degree, it's expected that this year's event will include much more Mac content; the expected release of Mac OS X 10.7 Lion will drive many of the conference sessions.

[via MacRumors]
Rumor: Next WWDC scheduled for June 5 originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 07 Feb 2011 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Переслать
Telus to offer iPhone unlocking in Canada
Telus introduced a new unlock policy that will let customers unlock a GSM-based handset for a nominal fee of $50. This new unlock policy goes into effect on February 15th and is available for any GSM mobile phone that has been on the carrier's network for a minimum of 90 days. The iPhone will not be supported initially, but the carrier has plans to make the unlock available to Apple's smartphone soon.

This new policy is friendlier than rival Rogers, which will also unlock a handset for $50, but only after the customer's contract has expired. The Telus unlocking option is available after three months and, though it wont release a customer from his or her contract, it will allow them to use the phone on another Canadian carrier or while traveling internationally. Telus introduced this unlock option to boost the variety of consumer-friendly services it offers to its customers.

[Via Electronista]
Continue reading Telus to offer iPhone unlocking in Canada
Telus to offer iPhone unlocking in Canada originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 07 Feb 2011 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Переслать
White iPhone price ticket reportedly shows up at Best Buy
Engadget has shared pictures of what appears to be a Best Buy price tag for a white iPhone. The gadget has been more elusive than Herman Melville's great whale since its pseudo-introduction last year. It's been delayed for months now, with rumors identifying everything from the paint to the flash to the manufacturing process as the culprit.

Engadget notes that The Source (Canadian version of Radio Shack) is also preparing to stock the device.

I used QR Code Reader for iPhone on that QR code but it just produced an error page.

Soon, shoppers. Soon.
White iPhone price ticket reportedly shows up at Best Buy originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 07 Feb 2011 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Переслать
Spruce up your cooking with the Original Kitchen iPad Rack

If you've ever used your iPad in the kitchen, you know that the magical and revolutionary device doesn't always match up to the greasy, sticky, steamy reality of the cooking zone. We've proposed a few low-tech solutions to this challenge before, but when we heard about the Original Kitchen iPad Rack (US$29.95), I was curious to see whether it would make the kitchen a more tablet-friendly environment.

Of course, the first challenge was getting the idea past our home's chief operations officer. "You're putting holes in my kitchen cabinets?" she asked, eyebrows raised. "I don't think that's a good idea." Once I explained that the mounting hardware goes completely underneath the cabinet and is out of sight, she relented -- with a good deal of remaining skepticism.

The rack is a very simple affair, especially when compared to some of the more elaborate multi-site attachment solutions we saw at Macworld: three screw-in clips, patent pending, that are attached to the flat bottom of the cabinet anywhere from the back wall to about two inches from the front. The clear plastic rack itself snaps into the clips, but it's very easy to remove and stash when not in use -- the clips themselves are invisible.

Gallery: Kitchen iPad Rack
Continue reading Spruce up your cooking with the Original Kitchen iPad Rack
Spruce up your cooking with the Original Kitchen iPad Rack originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 07 Feb 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Переслать
TeleNav GPS for the Verizon iPhone announced

TeleNav, the company that brought the AT&T Navigator app and service to life a few years ago, today announced a navigation app tailored for Verizon customers who are getting a new phone soon: TeleNav GPS for the Verizon iPhone. The app isn't currently on the App Store, but it should be available shortly after Big Red's iPhone hits the streets. You can sign up for notification of the app's availability here.

The app, like its AT&T sibling, will be free for download from the App Store, and Verizon iPhone owners can use the advanced turn-by-turn navigation system for free for 30 days. After the first 30 days, users can purchase the navigation service for US$2.99 per month or $21.99 per year. If they wish to just use the GPS map and search capabilities, they can do so without subscribing to the service.

It's interesting to note that the AT&T version of this app is much more expensive, $9.99 per month or $69.99 per year. Given the new competitive pressure that AT&T will be receiving from the new US iPhone carrier, perhaps AT&T will be forced to drop the subscription prices to match or beat those available on Verizon.

As with many navigation apps for the iPhone, TeleNav GPS for the Verizon iPhone provides spoken turn-by-turn directions with street names as well as 2D or 3D moving maps. The app updates routes if you miss a turn or a street is closed, and map updates are automatic.

A short video of the major features of the app follows on the next page.
Continue reading TeleNav GPS for the Verizon iPhone announced
TeleNav GPS for the Verizon iPhone announced originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 07 Feb 2011 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Переслать
TUAW's Daily App: Disc Drivin'

Disc Drivin' is sort of a racing game, but it's probably not like any racing game you've seen before. It's more of a social game. Like Words With Friends, you can trade turns with anyone via a variety of connections, or just jump in and play someone randomly online. The idea is that you're "racing" a pair of discs around a set of tracks. Each move lets you aim and push your disc forward through obstacles and curves, in a turn-by-turn race through three laps. There are some powers to use as well: you can jump over gaps, grab a boost of speed, or use a few other special tricks.

Unfortunately, there's no Game Center integration, which seems disgraceful in a social game like this. But the app is still a lot of fun anyway, especially if you can convince some friends to come along for the ride. It's US $2.99 in the App Store right now, or there's a free version out as well.
TUAW's Daily App: Disc Drivin' originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 07 Feb 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments

Переслать
Angry Birds ties into Super Bowl ad with secret level hint

During the Super Bowl game last night, you may have seen an ad for a soon-to-be-released animated feature called Rio. Cleverly tied into that advertisement was a way to get access to a secret level in that special app installed on just about every iPhone, iPad, Mac and iPod touch in the universe: Angry Birds.

If you happened to be watching closely about 26 seconds into the 32 second ad, you would have seen the infamous red bird, a golden egg and the numbers 13-12 on a wall behind a couple of characters from the movie. According to ex-TUAW blogger and current Mashable writer Christina Warren (Hi, C-Mac!), to uncover a special golden egg, you need to go to level 13-12, shoot a white bird backwards and then drop an egg (I am not making this up). Performing this arcane ritual will reward the patient Angry Birds player with a football-shaped golden egg. Completing the game level gives you the opportunity to enter a contest to attend the Rio premiere. Let's make sure it's an Apple fan (and hopefully a TUAW reader) who is walking the red carpet the night of the premiere.

Rovio, the publisher of Angry Birds, will also be delivering a special Rio version of the game when the film is released on March 22, 2011. Check out the ad video on the next page if you think that we may have Photoshopped the image seen at the top of this post.

Continue reading Angry Birds ties into Super Bowl ad with secret level hint
Angry Birds ties into Super Bowl ad with secret level hint originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 07 Feb 2011 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Переслать
British House of Lords will soon allow iPad use during debates

According to The Telegraph, peers in the British House of Lords will soon be able to use iPads and other mobile internet devices during debates. Under previous rules, members of the House of Lords weren't allowed to use any electronic devices, a restriction the Lords Administration and Works Committee said was "incomplete, outdated and contradictory."

For a trial period of one year, Lords will be able to use iPads, iPhones and other smartphones and e-readers "to access Parliamentary papers and other documents which are clearly and closely relevant to the business before the House," according to a report issued by the Lords Administration and Works Committee.

Inexplicably, though iPads and other internet enabled devices will be allowed, using Google will not be. The Telegraph suggests that the Google ban may be in the House of Lords' best interest if iPad use in the Italian Parliament is anything of a litmus test. Just last week, Italian MP Simeone Di Cagno Abbrescia was photographed surfing an escort agency's website on his iPad while Parliament was in session.
British House of Lords will soon allow iPad use during debates originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 07 Feb 2011 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Переслать
Early access to Verizon iPhone: One guy got his already
9 to 5 Mac has linked to video of someone who managed to finagle his package out of the local UPS distribution center and get a hold of his Verizon iPhone on Saturday. This guy's camera operator flipped between portrait and landscape orientation, so if you want to get a really good look at all of it, do a bit of stretching first.

I'm surprised we only have one report of this, honestly. With as long as people have waited, I figured we would see quite a few more videos and reports like this one.

The image 9 to 5 Mac posted shows the iPhone in a case, the iPhone 4 box and a Getting Started guide. It appears the case is an OtterBox of some sort; the same user posted a brief video tour of his iPhone titled Verizon iPhone in OtterBox Defender Case, but the OtterBox site says all the Verizon cases are forthcoming, not actually out yet. I also checked the Verizon site, and it didn't show any either.

Most people who have tipped us to their shipping status have said that their Verizon iPhones are scheduled for delivery on Monday. Hopefully the crazy weather won't delay too many of those packages, and we'll get to see more of these videos. According to its website, new Verizon customers can go online first thing Wednesday (12:01 AM PST/3:01 AM EST) -- or late Tuesday, depending how you look at it -- and order their own. Verizon iPhones will show up in stores Thursday morning at 7 AM local time.
Early access to Verizon iPhone: One guy got his already originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 07 Feb 2011 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Переслать
Motorola Xoom ad 'inspired' by Apple's classic 1984 ad

Motorola has just released a commercial for its Xoom tablet that seems to draw heavy inspiration from Apple's classic 1984 ad. In Motorola's spot, a single Xoom user roams through a sterile environment populated with hundreds of people clothed in the same monochrome, drab garments. Everyone except the Xoom user trudges along placidly with blank expressions and white earbuds dangling from their ears. Upon seeing a Xoom in action ("all screen images simulated" of course), a woman's expression brightens, and she removes her earbuds.

Oh, ha ha, Motorola. Ten out of ten for style, but minus several million for good thinking. Henry Blodget puts it in perspective.

Just like most of the other "me-too" tablets that have come out over the past couple months, the Motorola Xoom pretty clearly drew design inspiration from the iPad, so it's not particularly surprising that the company's commercial is also drawing "inspiration" from Apple's iconic 1984 ad. The real question here is whether anyone will care. The Motorola Xoom is US$799 for a 3G-enabled tablet with 32 GB of storage, only $30 less than an iPad with twice as much storage and access to far more applications than are currently available on the Android platform. As Engadget noted with a Best Buy ad leak earlier tonight and some of our commenters have reiterated, you can't even enable Wi-Fi on the Xoom without chipping in for at least a month of 3G service.

Even so, I'm sure the Android Army will be happy to tell me why the Xoom is inherently "better" than the iPad. Here's the thing, though: just like all the other tablets out there, the Xoom is competing against last year's iPad, and it's competing based on specs rather than user experience. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that not a whole lot of people are going to be ditching their white hoodies and iPads for a snazzy sweater vest and a Xoom.

Check out the video below, then hurry to your nearest Best Buy to get in front of what I'm sure will be insanely long lines* for Motorola's device.

[via Engadget]

*lines may not actually be insanely long
Continue reading Motorola Xoom ad 'inspired' by Apple's classic 1984 ad
Motorola Xoom ad 'inspired' by Apple's classic 1984 ad originally appeared on TUAW on Sun, 06 Feb 2011 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Переслать