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- Chinese groups slams Apple for environmental policies
Ouch. The Associated Press is reporting that three dozen environmental groups have jointly issued a report called "The Other Side of Apple" that accuses the company of ignoring their concerns about health and safety issues at Chinese manufacturing facilities. These plants that the company with components that are used to build iPads, iPhones and other apple products. The report cites the use of dangerous chemicals used in the manufacture of touch screens, and other hazardous materials that can make factory workers sick or endanger their lives.
The report comes just as Apple has opened stores in China and this week told investors that China was a vast and important market for the company.
The report noted that Apple was the least responsive of 26 tech companies doing business in China. An Apple spokeswoman in China, Carolyn Wu has said that the company is "committed to ensuring the highest standards of social responsibility," but had no direct response to this latest report. The groups have commended Samsung, Hewlett-Packard, Compaq Computer and others as the most responsive. Previously, Apple was embroiled in controversy after some employees at the South China Foxconn plant where Apple products are built committed suicide.
Chinese groups slams Apple for environmental policies originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 20 Jan 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - iFixit releases iPhone 4 liberation kit for Pentalobe screws
The good folks at iFixit have noticed that iPhone 4s taken in for service often return without their original Phillips 00 screws. Instead, they're being replaced with Apple's own proprietary Pentalobular screws. These are the same screws that are in the current-generation MacBook Air.
Don't call them Torx screws because they most certainly are not. To get the rare, expensive tool that's meant to extract them, you'll have to be a certified Apple tech (or know one).
While you're meant to use a special driver to extract those screws, you can get them out with something else. That something else is a part of iFixit's "iPhone 4 Liberation Kit," which contains replacement Phillips screws and a driver that will remove Apple's Pentalobular screws, as well as two Phillips replacements. No, it's not the official tool but a low-cost alternative. Note that there's a good chance it will damage the proprietary screws, but you're going to throw them out anyway, right?
Opening an iPhone 4 isn't something that just anyone should do. Be careful and know your limitations. If you're ready, the iPhone 4 liberation kit can be yours for US$9.95.
Check out the video explaining the issue and the kit after the break.
[Via Macgasm]Continue reading iFixit releases iPhone 4 liberation kit for Pentalobe screws
iFixit releases iPhone 4 liberation kit for Pentalobe screws originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 20 Jan 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Firemint sells three million copies of Flight Control
Firemint has shared some sales figures about Flight Control over on its blog. The now classic line-drawing game was recently listed in the top paid apps of all time on the App Store, and so Firemint decided to reveal a little bit about how many copies it's sold and when. The grand total is exactly 3,881,634 copies as of their posting. The game currently sells for 99 cents, but that doesn't mean Firemint pulled in $3.8 million as Apple takes their 30% share as well.
Firemint has also posted the chart above, showing when the most copies sold. Interesting to see that the Game Center patch gave them the biggest spike in sales, though don't forget that Flight Control was one of the first games on the service as it went live, something that certainly encouraged extra downloads. The new maps and the Retina Display support patches also gave big bumps. iOS developers, take note: big feature updates sell apps.
Christmas boosts sales as well, as we've discussed here in the past. What's most interesting about those bumps, I think, is that they're basically the same size -- Christmas is turning into a pretty predictable spike in iOS sales for developers. We saw a lot of "planned" releases and discounts last holiday, and I bet we'll see even more as time goes on. Of course this is only one app on the store, but it's one of the biggest apps of all time, and probably a good representation of a lot of bestselling apps. Thanks to Firemint for sharing!Firemint sells three million copies of Flight Control originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 20 Jan 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Apple patent suggests Magic Mouse with display panelA newly revealed Apple patent has an interesting take on the Magic Mouse: the patent shows a display embedded in its touch surface, creating sort of a mini iPod touch-style interface. It's not clear just how much processing power the display-enabled mouse itself would have, but uses mentioned in the patent seem to involve the display working in conjunction with actual Mac apps, like showing a calculator when using the Numbers app on your Mac, or a magnification of text when using Pages.
There is an actual processor listed in the patent, so the Mouse would have some capability of its own to run integrated apps. You may be able to set up parts of the touch display surface to work as buttons, maybe to handle special functions in games or apps. And the patent also says that this display technology could be used in the Magic Trackpad or even in the MacBook trackpad itself, providing an extra space for displaying graphics wherever the user has a touch interface to play with.
It's an interesting idea. As with most of these patents, it sounds like this is simply something Apple is researching rather than actual technology going into an approaching Magic Mouse refresh -- there are a lot of elements that have to be worked out (like why would you put a display on a device usually covered by your hand?) before this kind of thing goes on sale. But it is an interesting idea, and we may one day see Apple use it in a real product.Apple patent suggests Magic Mouse with display panel originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 20 Jan 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Fantastic transparent iPhone 4 case mod
We love a good mod, and this one is stellar. An enterprising iPhone user got his hands on a clear case mod kit for the iPhone 4, (Google translation) put it together and posted the fantastic results online. It's wicked geeky, and reminds us of the clear Newton MessagePad prototype, though not as cloudy.
We know what you're thinking: where do I get that kit?! We want one, too, but can't find that information for now. If and when we do, we'll update this post. In the meantime, enjoy the photo gallery.
White iPhone? Pfft. Who needs it. This is way cooler.Fantastic transparent iPhone 4 case mod originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 20 Jan 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - iPhone receives push notifications from real-world mailbox
Sure, push notification is nothing new for iPhone users. But when was the last time that you received notification that real-live mail -- the kind made of atoms, not bits -- has shown up in your mailbox?
One of the new evil geniuses at Make Magazine online, Matt Richardson, decided he'd like to get notification when the flesh-and-blood mailman delivers something to his mailbox. Using a standard USPS-approved mailbox, he installed a snap-action switch that signals when the mailbox door has been opened. That switch is connected via wire (yeah, I was also surprised that it wasn't wireless) to an Arduino. Some simple code watches for the mailbox door to be opened and closed, and then grabs a piece of PHP code from a web server that also has to be running.
The PHP and web server are necessary since Matt is using the Prowl: Growl Client app (US$2.99) to get the push notifications. Prowl requires an SSL connection, which that Arduino can't make. As Matt notes, the end product is something that can send push notifications to your iPhone whenever some physical state changes -- when the garage door is left open, when home power usage exceeds a certain level, etc... Any switch or sensor connected to the Arduino can send a push alert.
There's video of the construction and use of the setup on page 2.
[Tip of the hat to Boing Boing and Gizmodo]
Continue reading iPhone receives push notifications from real-world mailbox
iPhone receives push notifications from real-world mailbox originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 20 Jan 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Don't believe the icons: iPad 2 unlikely on February 9
9to5 Mac and others have suggested that the Calendar app icon in the iOS 4.3 beta hints at a release date for iPad 2. Unfortunately, it's not likely.
A Springboard preview image in the latest iOS 4.3 beta shows the Calendar app with a big number 9 front-and-center. Remembering that the original iPad showed a 27, and that it was released on the 27th, some wondered if that 9 was a bit of foreshadowing.
If so, we missed the hint long ago, because the same 9 can be found on original iPads running the latest iOS. To see it, tap Settings, then Brightness & Wallpaper. Two wallpaper thumbnails appear, one of which shows the Calendar icon with a big 'ol 9. In other words, it's nothing new.
If an iPad isreleasedannounced* on February 9 (where did the February come from, by the way?), that icon will have had nothing to do with it.
*Reader James O'Leary notes that 9to5 and others claim the 9th suggests an announcement date, not a launch. Fine. Still, the "9″ has been there for a long time and quite likely isn't meant as a hint.
[Via 9to5 Mac]Don't believe the icons: iPad 2 unlikely on February 9 originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 20 Jan 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - iPad multi-touch gestures will be withheld from iOS 4.3
There's bad news for those anticipating multi-touch gestures in iOS 4.3. It seems that the feature won't be a part of the public release. Engadget and others have confirmed that the feature is just a developer preview, so no ninja-level pinching and swiping for us normals.
That's unfortunate, as it looks very cool. After the break there's a video demonstrating some multi-touch features on an iPad running an iOS 4.3 beta. In a nutshell, gestures let you use pinches, swipes and so on to move between applications, history, etc. on your iPad. We saw a patent application for multi-touch gestures back in April of 2010.
While cool on the iPad, gestures are somewhat troublesome on the iPhone, as your hand easily covers the entire screen. Would you want to do that with your iPhone? The question is moot, as we won't be getting the feature for a while.Continue reading iPad multi-touch gestures will be withheld from iOS 4.3
iPad multi-touch gestures will be withheld from iOS 4.3 originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 20 Jan 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - iDOS 2: The return of the emulator
Back in October of 2010, we told you about iDOS, a 99¢ software emulation of good old DOS. The universal app was able to even run an ancient version of Microsoft Windows (3.0), and came with a handful of "freeware / abandonware" applications like Ms. PacMan PC and DigDug. Unfortunately, the app was yanked from the App Store very quickly.
It's back in the App Store again, this time for free and with a vastly simplified setup. iDOS now comes with Wolfenstein 3D, the original Duke Nukem I and II, Major Striker, SuperNova, and Kingdom of Kroz II. You can apparently move other DOS applications (if you can grab the code from those old floppies) into the /Apps/iDos/documents folder to run them in iDOS.
The app features a PC compatible soft keyboard, a virtual mouse, gamepad, and joystick, and it's possible to force a 4:3 screen aspect ratio (640 x 480).
We don't know if Apple will yank iDOS from the App Store again; the fact that it was allowed back into the store is amazing in itself, so the developers must have changed something just enough to keep the powers-that-be at Apple happy. In the meantime, if you've got a hankering for some hot DOS action, download this app fast.
[Via Engadget]
iDOS 2: The return of the emulator originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 20 Jan 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Average Apple salary is only $46k
John Cassidy of The New Yorker took a deep dive into the balance sheets of both Apple and Goldman Sachs to see which company offers the best return on the capital it employs. Using the latest earnings reports from the two American companies, Cassidy calculates that the two firms share similar profit margins but vastly different economic returns. Cassidy looked at each company's return on assets (ROA) and calculated that Apple is twenty times more profitable than Goldman Sachs.
According to Cassidy, Apple is more profitable than Goldman Sachs because it makes a line of extremely desirable products that people want to buy. The demand for its products allows Apple to charge an amount that is well over the cost of manufacturing. For each iPod touch, iPhone or iMac sold, Apple is making a lot of money.
Apple also reportedly pays its employees significantly less. Apple does not publish its labor costs but Simply Hired, a job search website, calculated that Apple pays its employees an average of $46,000 per year. This figure includes employees both in the Cupertino headquarters and in Apple's retail stores.
Goldman Sachs, on the other hand, pays its 35,700 employees an average salary of $430,700. Though Apple has a similar profit margin and generates a much higher return than Goldman Sachs, the Cupertino company pays it employees significantly less than its fellow American company. Before you start finger-pointing at Apple, keep in mind that the high executive pay at Goldman contributes to that average salary. Apple also employs a lot of mid to low-wage employees like janitors, sales associates and others.Average Apple salary is only $46k originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 20 Jan 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - iOS 4.3 rumored to have PhotoStream service, iPad FaceTime, PhotoBooth apps
They're not just rumors any more, or Apple's setting us up for a big April Fools Day.
The developer release of iOS 4.3 Beta 2 has a home page icons image that's used in the wallpaper settings, showing the standard icons on your choice of wallpaper to show you how your choice will look.
This new overlay file, aptly named Home Screen Overlay Facetime ~ iPad, has three more icons: FaceTime, Camera, and PhotoBooth.
FaceTime will let iPad 2 owners video chat with their iPod Touch, iPhone, or Mac toting friends. PhotoBooth will make a lot of social photo sharers happy, as the beta already includes photo filters such as Thermal Camera, Mirror, X-Ray, Kaleidoscope, Light Tunnel, Squeeze, Twirl, and Stretch.Camera could mean a front or back facing camera, and will presumably work much like the iPhone or iPod Touch app, but the big rumor here is a "photo streaming" service called PhotoStream that will upload your last 30 days of photos to MobileMe and sync them across all your MobileMe devices, or shared with other people.
Taking pictures with your iPhone 4's great camera but sharing them around the table on your iPad or MacBook is a common wish. This rumor gives all of us something to look forward to, not just the iPad 2 dreamers.
[Via MacRumors]
iOS 4.3 rumored to have PhotoStream service, iPad FaceTime, PhotoBooth apps originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 20 Jan 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - TUAW's Daily App: Strange RainWe've been doing a week of experimental indie games in this space, and here comes Strange Rain today, from the creator of previous iOS indie title Ruben & Lullaby. Like the other games featured, Strange Rain is really more of an experimental art piece than an actual game. Rain falls on your iDevice's screen as the app plays, and it's really just an opportunity to sit, relax and experience things as they happen. There are some extras and secrets to go through -- a mode called Whispers Mode adds some words to the mix, and a Story Mode actually tells a story as you interact with the screen.
What's fascinating about the app is that while it starts out as a rain simulation, following through with the experience turns things a bit, well...strange, and it's up to you, the player, to discover and find what meaning you want. Like the other experimental games, this means that the experience is a little more open-ended than just earning points (though there is Game Center integration in this one -- that's a fun bit). It's up to you to figure out how you'll react to a "game" like this, and for some players, that can end up being very fun as well. Strange Rain is US$1.99 for the universal version on the App Store.TUAW's Daily App: Strange Rain originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 20 Jan 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Guardian iPhone app debuts, subscription available to UK customersThe Guardian has released a brand new version of its iPhone app on the App Store, this time featuring a subscription model for UK customers. Lots of publications have been trying to get Apple to approve a subscription model for apps, but The Guardian went ahead and did it themselves, offering up a six-month subscription to the content for £3, or a full year subscription for £4. The full app will still have content even without the subscription, but the subscription offers features like offline browsing and search, as well as some extra audio and video content.
Americans can still download and use the app for free, and while it has all of the subscription features unlocked, the app is populated with ads. Interesting model for The Guardian, but theirs is a big organization, and the app is probably just a line item somewhere in a gigantic budget. If the subscription model works well for them, it could influence both Apple and other publications in terms of how they appear on the App Store.Guardian iPhone app debuts, subscription available to UK customers originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - RBC ups its target price for AAPL to $425
It could be partly because of Apple's 71% year over year revenue growth reported in yesterday's first fiscal quarter 2011 earnings report, or it could be the result of the 17 million iPads shipped in 2010. But either way, Boy Genius Report just let us know that RBC Capital Markets has revised their Apple stock price estimate, raising it from last week's $395 to $425 today following the earnings report. They are expecting Apple's revenue for 2011 to come in at just a shade under $100 billion, and 2012 looks to come in at $108 billion.
With the first quarter showing Apple selling 16.24 million iPhones, 7.33 million iPads, 4.13 million Macs and 19.45 million iPods while revenue rose to $26.7 billion, 2011 looks to be off to a solid start -- and yet another year that I think back to 2005, when I could have bought Apple stock at around $65.RBC ups its target price for AAPL to $425 originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Music for Shuffle features music designed for the iPod shuffle
This is fascinating to me -- musician Matthew Irvine Brown has compiled a set of 18 musical tracks, about an hour of music total, designed to be played in random order on the iPod shuffle. There was a lot of care and thought put into this as he designed the music to be atmospheric pieces. Even when shuffled, they'll work together no matter which order they're played. He also designed the sound of the music to fit with the iPod shuffle, hiding the glitch heard as the iPod switches tracks. As a final bonus, Matthew designed separate cover art for each track, so as a tune plays in iTunes, the cover art shows a very rough "animation."
You can see a two-minute sample of the work after the break, and download all of the music for free in a zip file if you want to give it a shot. Brown also says that the work is an example of "skip button as instrument," too. You can hit the skip button whenever you want to jump to the next track and change tempo or tone as you see fit. It's a cool composition meant specifically for Apple's smallest iPod.Continue reading Music for Shuffle features music designed for the iPod shuffle
Music for Shuffle features music designed for the iPod shuffle originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - iOS 4.3 Beta 2 ready for download
Apple posts beta.
Beta by Apple.
Do you like green eggs and beta?
Will you download over here?
Or will you download over there?
You will not download over here.
You cannot download over there.
The servers are all crazy there.
You cannot download betas there.
I will download with my mouse.
I will download from my house.
You cannot download with your mouse.
You cannot download from your house.
The servers are quite overwhelmed.
Will your service vary then?
Yes, your service varies then.
You may not have a download stall.
You may not have any woes at all.
But if your downloads are long and slow[1] ...
You at least won't be alone.
[1] If they don't start at all, try quitting your browser first, re-launching it, and then re-submitting your download requests. (Thanks, @vanish)iOS 4.3 Beta 2 ready for download originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 19:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Video demo of the Griffin StompBox
TUAW music blogger Matt Tinsley covered the details of Griffin Technology's StompBox product earlier today, but here's a video we shot at CES to show you how it works when playing guitar. Griffin made the cable especially for the StompBox, designed by a guitarist and called the GuitarConnectCable. It comes with the StompBox. Also, the iShred Live app is thus far the only one set up to work with the StompBox. While that may limit some early adopters, there should be nothing preventing other developers from supporting the StompBox in the future. Also seen in the video holding the iPad is the Mic Stand Mount, which Matt also wrote about earlier.Video demo of the Griffin StompBox originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Mac Plus reused as a Time Machine server
Showing us that there is, in fact, a much more useful application for an old Mac Plus than a DJ using it as a helmet, Macenstein reader Dean Gray has turned his 1986 Mac Plus 1 MB into a Time Machine Server. By using an Intel Atom motherboard and replacing the screen with a 10" digital picture frame, Gray has taken an important piece of Apple's history and made it into what could be the coolest 2.3 TB-capacity Time Machine server we've seen yet. Sure beats using a run-of-the-mill Mac mini as a server on style points alone!
While I do both online backups with Backblaze and local backups using Time Machine, Gray's Mac Plus server would look a lot better in my office than my boring Western Digital drive looks now. But even if you don't have a Mac Plus to call your own, if you aren't yet incorporating backups into your daily life, you may want to read Erica Sadun's piece about why Time Machine holds a special place in her heart, or Steve Sande's Mac 101 on backup basics. The most important thing is that you start backing up your computer today, no matter the method.Mac Plus reused as a Time Machine server originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - iOS devices filling up? Try deleting some apps
This morning, my Apps runneth-ed over. This afternoon, after a brutal once-over, not so much. I just deleted over a hundred applications from my iTunes library, and storage-wise, my iOS devices are breathing a little easier for it. To delete an app in iTunes, you can select one in Apps, press the Delete key and click Remove when a dialog appears asking if you are sure you want to remove the app from your iTunes library (you can also right-click an app and choose Delete). Then you should get a dialog asking if you'd like to keep the file or move it to the trash. I keep these files so that they no longer appear in iTunes, because apps tend to be tiny and I've got plenty of storage. You can always trash them, however, and get them back via Time Machine -- provided that you back up your machine regularly. Another neat trick is going into your iTunes account and checking your purchase history, although this can take a while to load and isn't searchable or sortable.
As a blogger for TUAW, I collect a lot more paid apps than most people. But contrary to what you might think, it wasn't the review apps that were clogging up my app collection. I'm actually pretty good about testing, writing-up (or giving feedback about why I'm not writing-up) and then tossing promo-code apps. The apps that were clogging up iTunes were the "Lite" ones. All those demo items that I decided to give a try just to see if I wanted to go for the whole shebang or not.
I truly wish iTunes had a "Delete all lite apps" option, because it took a while to sort through those guys, figure out what I had (and had not) tested, and what I had (and had not) upgraded. I had more cruft than I remember downloading (I think I'm going to blame my kids for that) and quite a few that we had already bought in their "pro" or "full" versions. You can, of course, search your apps for "free" and "lite" words, but you will have to remember which ones you bought as full versions.Continue reading iOS devices filling up? Try deleting some apps
iOS devices filling up? Try deleting some apps originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - The most interesting things from Apple's Q1 earnings call
Perhaps, like me, you find most financial news and statistics boring. Perhaps, like me, when the AAPL liveblog came up yesterday, you decided it was probably time to go get some lunch instead. Fortunately, we have access to Business Insider, where they've compiled a quick and easy list of truly interesting items from the call yesterday, in plain English, with nary a mention of terms like "general allocation accounting" or "high-interest stock targets" (yawn).
The long and short of it: There was no mention of Steve Jobs' illness, but Tim Cook and Peter Oppenheimer impressed, as did the company's standing in general (not surprising -- that's been the case for a while now). Apple's revenue grew 70% year over year, an astounding feat in an otherwise down economy. iTunes is now a $4 billion dollar industry in itself, and in just the first year of its life, the iPad has replaced 7% of all PC business. That's incredible, as are most of the other things on BI's list.
Oh, and that $40 billion in cash that Apple's had to throw around for the past few years? Make that $60 billion. Yowza! Now that's worth paying attention.The most interesting things from Apple's Q1 earnings call originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - TUAW TV Live: This week's look at the world of Apple
Welcome back to TUAW TV Live, my weekly live streaming video show where I talk about all things Apple. On today's show, I'll be discussing the intense flow of news from Cupertino early this week, and then move on to the near future -- Macworld Expo 2011.
From your Mac or PC, go to the next page by clicking the Read More link at the bottom of this post, and you'll find a livestream viewer and a chat tool. The chat tool allows you to participate by asking questions or making comments.
If you're driving somewhere and would like to watch TUAW TV Live while you're stuck in traffic, please don't -- keep your eyes on the road! However, if someone else is doing the driving, you can watch the show on your iPhone and join the chat by downloading the free Ustream Viewing Application. If you're on an iPad, you should be able to use the Skyfire Browser to watch the stream, although you will not be able to participate in the chat.
We'll start at about 5 PM ET, so if you're seeing a prerecorded show, be sure to refresh your browser until you get the live stream.
Continue reading TUAW TV Live: This week's look at the world of Apple
TUAW TV Live: This week's look at the world of Apple originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 16:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - AT&T rumored to rework texting plan to counter Verizon iPhone
AT&T may enjoy inviting Verizon iPhone owners to life in the slow lane, but the latest rumor out of GearLive suggests that AT&T may be modifying some of its pricing plans to entice customers to stick with the GSM iPhone. The leaked Best Buy screen grab suggests AT&T will drop several existing messaging plans and offer two plans that fit in with its K.I.S.S. (keep it simple silly) philosophy.
The lower priced plan will provide customers with 1000 text messages for $10 per month, while the upper tier plan will offer unlimited messaging for $20 per month ($30 on a family plan). The soon-to-be defunct plans include the Messaging 200, which included 200 messages for $5/monthly, and the Messaging 1500, which offered 1500 messages for $15 per month. These changes will reportedly take place starting January 23. Customers with these older plans will be grandfathered.
It is worthy to note that these changes may not be tied to the Verizon iPhone. Though these new messaging plans trump Verizon's current messaging plans, AT&T may be enacting them before announcing some new messaging phones or even in anticipation of the arrival of its three new Android handsets, which include the Motorola ATRIX 4G, HTC Inspire 4G and the Samsung Infuse 4G.
Plus, a small change amounting to $5 is not going to help a company retain many customers. AT&T may need to up the ante with the return of its unlimited data plan or free personal hotspot to keep unhappy iPhone customers from jumping ship.
[Via Gizmodo]AT&T rumored to rework texting plan to counter Verizon iPhone originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Dear Aunt TUAW: Why would an iPad have a proximity sensor?
Dear Aunt TUAW,
I've been hearing rumors that the next generation iPad might include a proximity sensor. Now call me dim, but I just don't get it. Proximity sensor? What the fudge? Are we supposed to be holding our iPads to our ears while we chat over Skype VoIP? Has Apple never heard of the (please imagine airquotes here) Bluetooth headset?
I'm serious. Is this the stupidest rumor or what?
Love, hugs, whatever,
Your nephew Davie C.Continue reading Dear Aunt TUAW: Why would an iPad have a proximity sensor?
Dear Aunt TUAW: Why would an iPad have a proximity sensor? originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - iPad tops 17 million tablets shipped in 2010
The tablet market exploded in 2010 with vendors shipping over 17 million tablets, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC), Worldwide Quarterly Media Tablet and eReader Tracker. The Apple iPad led the way with 87.4% market share. The remaining 12.6% is comprised of Android and other tablets. Among the Android devices, the Samsung Galaxy Tab takes top position with over one million Galaxy Tab units shipped in 2010.
This explosion in the tablet market is expected to continue for the next two years. In 2011, vendors are expected to ship 44.6 million units with the US accounting for 40% of these tablet devices. This trend will continue in 2012 as worldwide tablet shipments are projected to climb to a staggering 70.8 million units, a four-fold increase from 2010.
Apple led the tablet market in 2010 and is projected to retain its #1 position in the upcoming years. While Apple is forecasted to post impressive numbers, global tablet shipments will also be bolstered by the release of a variety of Android tablets as well as slate devices powered by alternative operating systems, including MeeGo and QNX. Growth will also be driven by competition and overall strong demand for tablets in consumer, mobile and corporate sectors.
The upcoming year will be the first year in which competition will drive the tablet market. Apple is expected to launch the iPad 2, a second generation tablet device that may include dual cameras and (possibly) a high resolution display. Android will be on the rise with the launch of an LTE-enabled version of the Samsung Galaxy Tab, the Tegra 2-powered Motorola XOOM and the T-Mobile G-Slate. Outside of Android, we have the debut of the BlackBerry PlayBook and possibly more than one webOS tablet from HP/Palm. I know that I have an iPad 2 on my must-have list for the upcoming year. Anyone else plan to contribute to this 44.6 million units by snagging one or more of these tablet devices in 2011?Continue reading iPad tops 17 million tablets shipped in 2010
iPad tops 17 million tablets shipped in 2010 originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Photo Factory for iOS devices is powerful (and, for today, free)
I love passing on tips about free stuff. Today I'll give you a quick alert on Photo Factory. The app is free today only, and it has a lot of good features for the photo hobbyist.
There's a large collection of preset filters that you can modify to taste and see the results instantly. You also get the ability to create a variety of frames. Effects are additive, so you could create a frame, vary the color and add a soft matte with color control of the frame and the matte effect.
I was most impressed with some of the black and white filters. For example, Photo Factory can find the sky in the photo and turn it into black and white, even if some parts of the image extend into the sky. Normally this would take some time consuming masking, but Photo Factory figures it out. It will also leave the sky in color and make the rest of the image black and white.
Continue reading Photo Factory for iOS devices is powerful (and, for today, free)
Photo Factory for iOS devices is powerful (and, for today, free) originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Amateurs trump pros in predicting Apple's fantastic financial quarter
Now that Apple's 1st quarter financial performance has been revealed, it's time to revisit predictions made by amateurs and pros alike. Fortune's Philip Elmer-DeWitt did just that, and found that the novices out-guessed several high-priced heavyweights.
Fortune has a system to rank the best and worst Apple analysts, measuring how accurately their predictions were across seven categories:- Revenue
- Earnings
- iPhones sold
- iPods sold
- Macs sold
- iPads sold
- Gross Margins
Of those, the unaffiliated analysts took the revenue, earnings, gross margins and unit sales categories. Conversely, the bottom 20 spots were held by folks working for brokerage houses and banks. Among the latter was Needham's Charlie Wolf, who missed the number of iPads sold by more than 2 million units. In Wolf's defense, none of us would have guessed that Apple would sell a staggering 14.8 million units.
On the other side of the equation, Turley Muller at Financial Alchemist missed Apple's earnings by one penny, and Traderhood's Nicholas Mihalache was off on iPad sales by 0.76 percent. Clearly, they are clairvoyant.
Congratulations for the sharp observers who rocked these numbers, and to Apple for giving them something to crow about.Amateurs trump pros in predicting Apple's fantastic financial quarter originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Website tracks App Store countdown to 10 billion apps
Is that count down or count up? In either case, visit 10billionapps.com for an unofficial countdown to the likely moment that the 10 billionth app will be downloaded from Apple's App Store. The site is maintained in part by Top Drawer Apps, and features a "guesstimate" as to when the 10 billionth app will be downloaded, based on current sales rates, among other things.
It's a bit of fun that just might help you win that bulging, US$10,000 iTunes gift card meant for the lucky soul who downloads app number 10,000. As of this writing, you've got (approximately) just over three days.
Good luck and if you win, don't spend it all in one place. Oh, wait....Website tracks App Store countdown to 10 billion apps originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Apple Stores in China contribute to Apple's record quarterly sales
If you could get past news of Steve Jobs taking a medical leave of absence, Apple's earnings call yesterday was not too shabby. With retail sales records in the last quarter, Apple was led by the four China-based stores (two in Beijing and two in Shanghai), which had the best sales figures of any stores worldwide, and the most visitors to boot.
Tim Cook, who took over for Jobs, said that the greater China region -- China, Hong Kong and Taiwan -- brought in US$2.6 billion in the quarter, which was four times as much as the sales for the same period in the previous year.
Chinese consumers' well-known taste for luxury goods does indeed include all things Apple, as the desire to own the very best is the mark of many of China's newly rich. One devoted Apple user we spoke to in China says that the iPad is doing especially well, and it's "a must for all kinds of awards and prizes, lucky draws, internet activities, promotions, you name it."
As great as Apple's sales figures are, China's love for the brand is even greater if you factor in unauthorized sales in the country. Many Apple products sold inside China originate from outside the nation's borders.
Apple fared well in the rest of Asia too, with sales in Japan up 83 percent year-over-year. Korea's sales were up as well, driven by strong sales of the iPhone and iPad.
With such strong results in the Asia-Pacific region, Cook says the company will be devoting more resources to the area to take advantage of the high demand.Continue reading Apple Stores in China contribute to Apple's record quarterly sales
Apple Stores in China contribute to Apple's record quarterly sales originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - TUAW TV Live at 5 PM ET: Covering the week's Apple news
Since the doors closed at Kelly's House of Crackpot Theories (AKA the TUAW Talkcast) on Sunday night, there has been a surprising amount of Apple-related news. Steve Jobs sent an email to all Apple employees explaining that he's going on another health-related leave of absence, AAPL stock took a beating, and then the company announced yet another quarter of outstanding financial results and the stock went up again.
This afternoon on TUAW TV Live, I'll provide some opinion and commentary on what happened in the last few days. Since I'm older than dirt and have seen a lot of changes since I started observing Apple 31 years ago, I'll add a historical perspective to the entire "Apple without Steve Jobs" picture. I'm not a financial analyst, but I have some thoughts about hidden items in the financial report that I'd like to throw some light on as well.
Next week, the crack TUAW blogging crew will be in San Francisco covering Macworld Expo 2011. Our schedules and our bags are packed, the video camera lenses are polished, and our Macs, iPads and iPhones are charged up and ready to roll. I've been attending Macworld Expo since the late 1980s, so I'll give you an overview of what's different about the Expo in 2011 as well as what we expect to see during the show.
The show starts live at 5 PM ET / 2 PM PT here at TUAW. Show up a few minutes before, and we'll have complete instructions on how to view the live video stream and join the conversation in our chat tool.
TUAW TV Live at 5 PM ET: Covering the week's Apple news originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Starbucks now accepting payments through iPhone app
The world's largest purveyor of coffee with that just-burnt taste, Starbucks, is now accepting payments at company-owned outlets throughout the United States with their free Starbucks Card Mobile iPhone app.
We've covered the green lady's apps before, and it was about eight months ago that the company expanded a small pilot program in Seattle and Silicon Valley to all of their caffeine-dispensing outlets in US Target stores. Now you can pay for your Venti Double-Shot Caramel Macchiato by simply waving your iPhone -- loaded with the Starbucks app -- at that emo teenage barista who is trying very hard to look intellectual and off-put.
The payment system doesn't use Bluetooth or Wi-Fi to send your bank account numbers to Starbucks headquarters. Instead, the app is linked to your Starbucks Card account, and you use it to display a barcode that is unique to your account. Point that at the scanner in your Starbucks, and your digital wallet becomes magically lighter.
Starbucks Cards, whether digital or physical, are no small hill of Arabica coffee beans -- the company reported that $1.5 billion in jittery transactions were made in 2010 alone. Apple and Starbucks have had a long, happy relationship, with Starbucks offering a free iTunes "Pick of the Week" in 2008 and Phil Schiller showing off an early prototype of the Starbucks Card Mobile app on stage at an Apple event.
A short, musical video touting the Starbucks digital payment option is on the next page. Now excuse me, I need to get a fresh cup of joe from my Keurig.
Continue reading Starbucks now accepting payments through iPhone app
Starbucks now accepting payments through iPhone app originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - TiVo app available on App Store
Roughly two months after announcing that a TiVo app was in development, TiVo Premiere for iPad was released on Tuesday. Users can browse program guides, schedule recordings, remotely control their TiVo and more. It joins a slew of other apps compatible with TV services such as DISH and DIRECTV.
Engadget got its hands on the app and did a pretty throughout roundup of it. It's an excellent companion beyond a traditional iPad remote, and if you're on the fence about wanting TiVo service, might be the deciding factor in choosing to sign up.
TiVo app available on App Store originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Playboy Magazine to hit the iPad uncensored in March (updated, no nudes)
We were surprised to learn that an uncensored version of Playboy Magazine will hit the iPad in March, including a complete back catalog. Hef shared the news on Twitter, saying, "Big news! Playboy--both old & new--will be available on iPad beginning in March," and "Playboy on iPad will be uncensored."
It's interesting, considering Apple's stance on adult material in the App Store. Last February, Apple removed some 5,000 apps for what it called "objectionable content." In an interview with the New York Times, Apple's head of worldwide product marketing Phil Schiller was asked why iPhone apps from Sports Illustrated and Playboy (which include images of scantily-clad but non-nude women), remained in the store. Schiller replied, "The difference is this is a well-known company with previously published material available broadly in a well-accepted format."
Later that month an "Explicit" category briefly appeared in the App Store but was later removed.
There are no details on how the iPad app will be delivered and with what restrictions, but we'll find out soon enough.
Update: Turns out this won't be "uncensored" at all. The iPad app will be a tamed-down version of the Playboy magazine, whereas Playboy is launching an iPad-friendly website, which will be uncensored. Thanks to Violet Blue for the clarification.
[Via Engadget, hat tip to Tech Trackr]Playboy Magazine to hit the iPad uncensored in March (updated, no nudes) originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Customizing a Magic Trackpad using BetterTouchTool
We took a look at BetterTouchTool last year and covered its usage with a Magic Mouse and a MacBook trackpad. As you would expect, this versatile utility can also be used to customize the functionality of the Magic Trackpad. The app features over 50 multi-touch gestures including taps, clicks and swipes for one to five fingers. Each gesture can be customized to perform a wide range of predefined actions or assigned to a custom desktop shortcut.
You can even create your own gestures and add button commands (fn, ctrl, command, option) to each one. Besides quadrupling the number of available gestures, these buttons can also be used to prevent accidental activation of a gesture by requiring you to deliberately press a button prior to clicking, tapping or swiping. Gestures and actions are the focus of this application, but it has a few neat tricks up its sleeve that let you snap and resize a window like Windows 7 as well as control the trackpad speed and sensitivity.
Combine this tool with a Magic Trackpad and you can supercharge the input methods for your iMac, Mac Pro or Mac mini. If you have a Magic Mouse and a Magic Trackpad, you may want to check out BetterTouchTool. The unique ability of this application to assign actions to tappable hotspots around the perimeter of the trackpad lets you duplicate the functionality of the Magic Mouse and keep all the multi-touch gesture goodness that comes with the Magic Trackpad.
BetterTouchTool is available for free from boastr.net.
[Via Macworld]Customizing a Magic Trackpad using BetterTouchTool originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Griffin adapter attaches iPad to mic stand, calls it Mic Stand Mount for iPadA few weeks ago we mentioned IK Multimedia's iKlip -- an adapter that attaches your iPad to almost any mic stand. Around that same time, Griffin announced its own version of a similar apparatus at CES 2011: the aptly if not bluntly named Griffin Mic Stand Mount for iPad.
Griffin describes Mic Stand Mount for iPad as follows.
- Mount your iPad on a mic stand
- Screws onto industry standard (5/8" 27-thread-per-inch) microphone stands
- Fully adjustable tilt and swivel; locks safely and positively into landscape or portrait orientation
- Rubber inserts securely grip your iPad on its four corners
- Full access to volume controls, dock connector and audio jack
However, there appears to be one significant difference between the two. The iKlip attaches to the neck of a mic stand -- leaving the actual head of the stand free to hold something else (like a mic). The Griffin Mic Stand Mount for iPad, on the other hand, is secured to the head of a mic stand alone. This basically means, if you're a singer / instrumentalist, you'll need a separate mic stand if you go for the Griffin mount.
The Griffin Mic Stand Mount for iPad is priced at US$39.99 and will be available later this month.
[Via Pocket-lint]Griffin adapter attaches iPad to mic stand, calls it Mic Stand Mount for iPad originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Griffin StompBox brings guitar effects app to your feet, lets your hands playWith the arrival of virtual guitar effects on portable devices like the iPhone and iPad, many guitarists are re-thinking the way they set up and play their electric guitars. For the average player, an almost endless array of varied tones and effects are now available in high-quality virtual form at a fraction of the cost and weight of their real-world counterparts. It's not surprising that many guitarists are turning to virtual pedal boards for practicing, band rehearsals and the occasional gig, too.
One of the biggest problems with virtual effects pedal boards is that they are, well, ... virtual. They're on a screen near your eyes and hands instead of being within reach of your feet as they should be, keeping your hands free to play while your feet manage effects.
Thankfully, with four assignable foot switches, a 1/4" effects pedal input jack and a meter long dock connector cable, Griffin (in conjunction with Frontier Design Group) has taken the bold step (no pun intended) of bringing the pedal board back to where it should be with the StompBox pedal controller for iPad / iPhone and iPod touch.
The Griffin StompBox will work seamlessly with Frontier Design Group's iShred Live virtual guitar effects app (sold separately), but (from what we understand) the StompBox "... can act as an assignable controller for other foot-switch-compatible applications," according to Griffin's website. However, we doubt the StompBox will have seamless compatibility with other virtual guitar effects apps at this stage. There's no doubt in our minds, though, that some of the other big players will follow suit shortly with their own version of a foot-switch controller.
The StompBox is priced at US$99.99 on the Griffin StompBox website and will be available February / March.
[Via Engadget, Pocket-lint]Griffin StompBox brings guitar effects app to your feet, lets your hands play originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - TUAW's Daily App: Today I Die Again
I seem to have started off the week with some quality experimental gaming on the iPhone, so let's continue that trend with this great title called Today I Die Again from indie developer Daniel Benmergui. I met Daniel at IndieCade 2009 in Culver City, CA, and this is one of a few "games" he's brought to life. I put quotes around "games" because they're more like interactive stories. Benmergui's apps combine sometimes absurd graphics with words and sounds to create vignettes of experience, sometimes uplifting and witty, and sometimes sad and thoughtful.
As of this writing the app is a free download, though I'm not sure how long it will stay that way given that it's being featured as a Free App a Day. But even if the price has gone back up, you can play through the game in its entirety for free online, then go buy the app if you want to support Benmergui and his terrific work. Make sure to play some of his other titles, too. I especially like I Wish I Were the Moon and Storyteller, but they're all good.
Benmergui was doing his work even before Apple's platform was publicly available, but the App Store has been and continues to be a great breeding ground for very independent developers. Maybe we'll do a whole week here of interesting experimental games like these.TUAW's Daily App: Today I Die Again originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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