device
Latest
Goldman Sachs sees iPad demand slowing
Almost two years after the iPad launch, Goldman Sachs reports that demand is slowing down, just as the holiday shopping season begins. "While improving holiday demand into late November could certainly push the momentum in the other direction, we believe it is prudent to assume the iPad is facing some near-term demand challenges," writes Bill Shope. Shope believes price is the reason. Amazon's Kindle Fire tablet is much less expensive at US$199, for example. While many consumers are still willing to pay more for a quality product, there's no question price is a big driver in a market like this. Shope recommends that if Apple wants to keep demand for the iPad as high as it's been in the past, the company will need to get the price down. The iPhone's price dropped off sharply after introduction, but we haven't seen that same drop with the iPad. Shope also says that increasing adoption of iCloud and Siri integration would likely drive iPad demand back up. Shope does call the iPad's growth chart "remarkable by any metric," but his analysis says Apple must act soon to kick the iPad back out into the spotlight as competing tablets threaten to take it away.
Sphero available for pre-orders now
We got to see Sphero, the remote-controlled ball toy controlled by an iOS device, way back at the beginning of this year at CES, and if you're still interested, it's now finally available for pre-order. The toy's been priced out at $129.99, which is a little high, I think, but then again if you really want to be the early adopter on this one, it's probably worth the cash. Plus, the ball will come with six different apps, including Sphero Drive (the standard remote control app), Sphero Golf, Sphero Blox (where you can set up commands for the ball), and SpheroCam, which will give recordable access to the onboard camera. The company is also promising a puzzle game called Chromo, and an app called "Sphero World," which makes the whole experience social by combining information and results with others around the world. When you talk about all of that functionality, that price isn't too bad, actually. The company says Sphero is shipping as soon as December of this year, so if you've been waiting to get your hands on this thing, the wait is almost over. You can pre-order directly from the Orbotix store, and we're told it should be on Amazon soon.
DirecTV working on 'Nomad,' may provide streaming to iOS
Engadget recently found a teaser page on the DirecTV website that speaks about a "Nomad," a little box that promises to take your movies and TV from your home DVR out to the rest of the world (no relation, supposedly, to my favorite portable game console, the Sega Nomad). Details are slim, but it sounds very much like the Slingbox, in that it will take all kinds of signals from DirecTV, and send them out to all kinds of other mobile devices. In other words, DirecTV subscribers may soon have a way to watch their television service from anywhere right on their iOS device. Gizmolovers has a whole bunch of information on the service, including that the box might possibly cost as much as $150 on its own. And unfortunately, there's no official word on this at all, which means no actual date to wait or even hope for just yet. But stay tuned, DirecTV subscribers -- you may end up watching TV on your iPad through that service sooner than you think.
Apple ID account/device limits gain attention
Trevor Sheridan sent us a note earlier today, asking if we'd look at his blog post about encountering Apple ID limits with iOS devices. Although Trevor just now encountered this issue, the policy actually went into effect a couple of months ago, back in June. When you use Apple's new multi-device download feature, you will be limited to a total of 10 devices and computers, each authorized with the same Apple ID. What's more, once a device or computer has been assigned to an Apple ID, it cannot be reassigned for 90 days. Apple's Knowledge Base support article details how you can deauthorize devices, and how to check the wait time before they can be re-assigned. Naturally, this is bad news for anyone who shares an iPhone or other iOS device with a loved one and who switches around the Apple ID accordingly. Once an Apple ID is authorized for media downloads, that authorization is going to stick for a few months at least. At some point, Apple is going to have to start seriously re-evaluating how real life meets Apple ID accounts, in terms of separating data within a family. Some examples: keeping only kid-friendly material on certain devices, even when iCloud backups and data sharing are in force (also known as the "cheating spouse outed by iCloud" scenario), joining data between adults (marriage and cohabitation), and when joint accounts need to be split (divorce and separation). For now, all authorization decisions seem to be motivated more by rights management than day-to-day practicalities. This new policy indicates that Apple continues to be a little tone-deaf when it comes to human relationships and how people really use their iOS devices. Think about the Duggars or the children of divorce; when newly-single Dad buys the kids an iPod, whose account do they get to use? It may seem tangential to drag all this into a write-up about a new Apple DRM protection policy, but these are the real world challenges that make these policies more than a minor annoyance.
Bigstream sends video from iOS to almost any TV
We last saw the Bigstream device back at CES earlier this year, but it's out and available now and I got to plug one in and see how it worked on my home television. The result? It worked out OK, with a couple of issues. The biggest issue is compatibility with apps, because setup is very straightforward. The device comes with two pieces -- a receiver with a power cord and video cable that goes to any standard RCA composite video connection, and a wireless transmitter that plugs directly into your iPhone (or iPod touch, or iPad, though I did all of my testing on an iPhone 4). Turn both on (unfortunately, both have to be manually powered on, though presumably the receiver could stay on) and set them to the same of three channels, and then any video out signal from your iDevice will go straight to the TV. Note that the only option for plugging in to the TV is currently the RCA cable -- HDMI and S-Video aren't available. Unfortunately, most apps that I tried simply aren't compatible, and though Bigstream does have a list of compatible apps on their page, there are a few that still didn't work for me. Specifically I couldn't get The Incident to work -- it's listed as compatible for video out on the iPhone 4, but all I could find was an option to use it as a controller when connected to an iPad. Strange, especially since that's the actual app that we saw at Bigstream's booth at CES. (Update: Bigstream tells me that the display at CES was actually of an iPad sending video out to the device, using an iPhone as a controller. I didn't actually try that setup, so presumably it does work, just not directly from the iPhone itself.) I did get the YouTube app to work pretty well, though the quality was off, probably because YouTube quality isn't that great to begin with. And the Netflix app worked particularly well -- there were a few audio and video glitches during setup (the transmitter's dock connection can cause some issues if jiggled around), but once the streaming ran over WiFi, the Netflix picture looked pretty good, and the whole rig ran great. In other words, Bigstream's compatibility presents some issues -- you can't just load up your favorite game or app and stream it right off to the television, unless you can somehow convince your favorite developer to stream the video out. But fortunately, the apps that Bigstream is compatible with do have some promise, and give the unit a lot of functionality already. For example, if you're on the road often and want to watch Netflix on something a little bigger than your iPhone's screen, I can see carrying the Bigstream unit around with you, plugging it in to a hotel room TV, and then using it wherever you go. Likewise, though I wasn't able to try any of this software specifically, it seems like it would work well for presentations, allowing you to plug in to any television with an extra power cord and RCA hookup, and put whatever you need on a larger viewscreen (though of course I'd recommend you test it first to make sure everything works). Keynote, in particular, should be well-suited to this task. As for home use, Bigstream would work (maybe if you don't already have a device plugged in to your television to run Netflix and other streaming video apps), but it's a hacky way to implement functionality that you could get with cables from Apple. If all you want is Netflix and YouTube on your TV screen, an Apple TV will give you that, and in even better resolution. Unless there's an app that you specifically need to use, and it happens to be compatible with Bigstream's device, there's not really much to recommend you running video out of your iOS device rather than just a dedicated box for that at home. Bigstream's unit costs $99, so it's a fairly significant investment for what it is. It definitely works as advertised -- if you need to send video out from your compatible iPhone app to any television just by hooking up a few cables, Bigstream pulls that off well and with a minimum of fuss. Just be sure you know ahead of time what you're trying to do it with it; the system seems to work better as a portable device built for specific uses rather than a general household tool.
Roll the wheels of steel with iDJ Live
The awesome monstrosity you see above is the iDJ Live, a set of two turntables and a control panel that also serves as a dock for your iPad. The device is manufactured and sold by famous DJ supplier Numark, and it features the ones and the twos, a cross fader, and a hookup to any sort of sound system you want. Obviously it's set up for the iPad, but it works with the iPhone as well. The device works with the djay app available in the App Store for both devices, and it's only $100, surprisingly inexpensive for what it offers. We haven't gotten hands on it yet, but if you're an aspiring iPad DJ who could use something a little more tactile than the iPad's touch screen, this might be just the thing.
Carbon nanotubes used to more easily detect cancer cells, HIV
Cancer's not slowing its march to ruining as many lives as it possibly can, so it's always pleasing to hear of any new developments that act as hurdles. The latest in the world of disease-prevention comes from Harvard University, where researches have created a dime-sized carbon nanotube forest (read: lots of nanotubes, like those shown above) that can be used to trap cancer cells when blood passes through. A few years back, Mehmet Toner, a biomedical engineering professor at Harvard, created a device similar to the nano-forest that was less effective because silicon was used instead of carbon tubes. Today, Toner has teamed up with Brian Wardle, associate professor of aeronautics and astronautics at MIT, who together have redesigned the original microfluid device to work eight times more efficiently than its predecessor. The carbon nanotubes make diagnosis a fair bit simpler, largely because of the antibodies attached to them that help trap cancer cells as they pass through -- something that's being tailored to work with HIV as well. Things are starting to look moderately promising for cancer-stricken individuals, as hospitals have already began using the original device to detect malignant cells and ultimately prevent them from spreading -- here's hoping it's qualified for mass adoption sooner rather than later.
Denon and Marantz release AirPlay update for $49
Denon and Marantz announced that owners of select AV receiver models can download a highly anticipated AirPlay update. The update will let you stream video from your iOS 4.2 device or from your iTunes library on your PC or Mac. Receivers eligible for the update include, Denon AVR-4311CI Denon AVR-3311CI Denon AVR-991 Denon AVR-A100 Denon N7 Networked CD Receiver and 2.0 Channel Speaker System Marantz SR7005 A/V Receiver Marantz AV7005 A/V Preamplifier Marantz NA7004 Network Audio Player Marantz M-CR603 Networked CD Receiver Denon and Marantz originally promised to deliver the update for free until November 7, but the company missed that mark and is now delivering the update for the full $49. Denon and Marantz are not the only AV company embracing AirPlay. Earlier this week, both Klipsch and Bowers & Wilkins announced AirPlay-compatible AV equipment. [Via Engadget]
Klipsch shows off AirPlay-enabled speaker docks at CES
One day before CES begins here in Las Vegas, Klipsch invited journalists to visit a gallery of their products, and that's where we got to see the company's new line of "soundbars," specially made speaker docks that will come equipped to support Apple's own AirPlay system. The docks we saw were prototypes only, so they weren't actually running any music from an iOS device, but eventually, they will stream music directly from any iOS 4.2 or higher equipped device through the AirPlay protocol. The docks come in three different models -- the Studio model is the smallest, and it can fill a small room with sound for US$399, the Forum model is a little bigger for $599 and the Arena model, above, checks in at a whopping $799. That's pretty pricey (even considering the sound quality), but these are basically meant to be all-in-one solutions for audio, with the added bonus of streaming iOS music from anywhere. The Arena model has both a USB port on it (for older iPod models), and an auxiliary input for a television or another sound source. Klipsch told us that it was excited to use Apple's AirPlay standard for these devices, and it eventually expects that Apple will allow for a "one-to-many" streaming service, where you can send different audio feeds out to different speakers throughout the house. There's no release date yet for these docks, but those in search of a quality all-in-one, Apple device friendly solution can look for them in Q2 or Q3 of 2011.
Shogun Bros. Chameleon X-1 mouse is a controller in disguise
We have no idea how well this particular peripheral works, but we're thinking about buying the Shogun Bros. Chameleon X-1 based on novelty alone. See, up on top? It's a seven-button wireless mouse. Flip it over? It's a 14-button gaming controller. Put it on it's side? Panini press. (Not really.)
WOWKeys integrates keyboard and iPhone dock
A keyboard called WOWKeys is trying to make good use of your little touchscreen-based iPhone when it's just sitting there charging itself up. The keyboard includes an actual iPhone dock, and with a switch on the device, you can go from controlling your computer wirelessly to using the keyboard on the phone. The US$100 USB keyboard even has a set of hotkeys that allows you to control things like song changing, volume, and even go to your iPhone's home screen straight from the keyboard itself. And depending on the apps you have loaded, you can of course use the iPhone to control any number of other devices, as it obviously works as usual while plugged in. My iPhone does sit next to me all day (and I will sometimes pull it up while a program is loading on my Mac to play a quick game or check Twitter), but a dock like this might help me include it in my workflow a little more officially. $100 is perhaps a bit steep, but it's an interesting device. [via Engadget]
Driverless taxi gets called with an iPad
This is just wild! A group of researchers in Berlin have been working on "autonomous cars" for a while. Those, of course, are cars that drive themselves, and as you can see above, this one uses a variety of equipment to monitor the road and environment. It then drives by itself according to all of that information. The Berlin team has pushed the idea ahead by hooking the car up to an iPad. In the video posted after the break, you can see how it all works. The iPad's GPS location is sent out to the car, and then the user can even track the car's movement and scanner information directly from the iPad. It's a cool use of Apple's technology, though not all of that would make it to a consumer implementation of this technology, of course (and I don't think that we as a society have even started taking on all the implications of cars that drive themselves). As a prototype, though, it seems like it works great. [via MacStories]
GDC Online 2010: Spacetime Studios and the making of Pocket Legends
Pocket Legends has been out on the App Store for quite a while now, but if you (like me) haven't seen it in a while, you might want to check it out again. Spacetime Studios has been steadily updating the game, and the title they showed off at GDC Online 2010 this week was pretty impressive -- an instanced MMO, running in full 3D with three character classes, dungeons and loot, and almost all of the other trappings you'd expect from the genre. This week, I got to sit in on both Cinco Barnes' panel about the studio and its up-and-down background. I also chatted with the company's CEO, Gary Gattis, both about Spacetime's history and what it's done with Pocket Legends so far, and what's in store for the growing title.
Pinball Magic turns your iPhone or iPod touch into a tiny pinball machine
I still haven't seen an actual iPad arcade cabinet for sale (all the ones we've seen so far have been made by hobbyists for themselves), but here's a pretty cool case/accessory for your iPhone or iPod touch. Pinball Magic is a little device that you can slide your handheld into, and with the help of a free app, you can play a full pinball game live on a little miniature table. There's a real ball plunger, flipper buttons, a full LED backlit display, and even a Tilt detector, so you can hit all the usual lights and gadgets (albeit in an extremely small form factor) without throwing quarters in at the local arcade. Assuming they still have those local arcades -- I haven't seen one around in a while now. Unlike the cardboard iPad arcade units, this one's on sale and ready to go -- you can pick it up from Best Buy for US $39.99. Sure, that's a little steep (especially since it only works with the one app), but it's a small price to pay to take yourself back to those heady days of reaching for high scores while pushing a little silver ball up and down ramps. If you happen to pick one up and try it out, let us know how it works for you. [via TouchArcade]
PhoneHalo for your iPhone helps finds your keys
if(typeof AOLVP_cfg==='undefined')AOLVP_cfg=[];AOLVP_cfg.push({id:'AOLVP_us_102867356001','codever':0.1,'autoload':false,'autoplay':false,'playerid':'61371447001','videoid':'102867356001','publisherid':1612833736,'playertype':'pageload','width':480,'height':270,'videotitle':'TUAW','bgcolor':''}); If you've ever lost your keys in the house but have your phone, then PhoneHalo might be what you're looking for -- apart from your keys. The Bluetooth device attaches to something (typically keys) and allows you to "ping" the device via an app on your iPhone. It works the other way as well, although no word on support for backgrounding or push notifications. The video has a brief description, although the app isn't available on the iPhone yet. In the video, the narrator mentions a heavy social component, but I'm not really keen on telling my friends on Twitter and Facebook that a) I've lost my keys or b) where they are. Nevertheless, if you are a chronic key loser this could be your new best friend. Currently available for BlackBerry and Android, the iPhone version is slated for September 30 and you can (somehow) pre-order it now for US$1. You can order one PhoneHalo device (plus software for the currently-supported phones) for $59.95. Order 2 devices for $95.95 or 3 for $139.95. Or just tack a nail to the wall so you can hang your keys up.
Rumor: Image of 3DS motherboard submitted to FCC leaked
A recent Federal Communications Commission filing made by Nintendo has been the source of no small amount of speculation over the past few days. The seemingly innocuous entry on the FCC's site was submitted to get the Nintendo DS Wi-Fi card approved for U.S. distribution -- however, the image submitted alongside the filing (which has since been removed) is believed by some to give a few hints about the internal composition of the Nintendo 3DS. Digital Foundry has a great breakdown of the image, which appears to exhibit the motherboard of a DS test kit or development kit. The tech site points out that one of the screens adheres to the 4:3 aspect ratio of current DS models, while one screen appears to be substantially wider. If this is a stripped-down version of the 3DS, this could indicate that only one of its two screens uses 3D display technology. Also worth noting is the "CTR" designation the hardware is given in the FCC listing. As Digital Foundry points out, each model of the DS has had a three-letter codename for internal use: The DSi was called "TWL," the DSi XL was called "UTL," and so on. CTR is a whole new callsign, which may indicate that this is a whole new piece of hardware. We've contacted Nintendo to see if we can get a comment on the filing -- at the very least, we should learn the accuracy of this speculation during Nintendo's E3 press conference on June 15.
A less-than-graceful keynote
We've seen the keynote in 60 seconds, and we've seen the "only the adjectives" 'approach before. Here's a slightly less complimentary way to show off the keynote, though, with all of the "ums," "aahs," and other interjections that popped up during the iPhone OS 4.0 keynote a while back. Far be it from us to make fun of Mr. Steven P. Jobs, of course, but something funny like this actually shows off how good he really is at doing it right. Seeing him up there on stage with his turtleneck and jeans, all enthusiastic about whatever "magical and revolutionary" device they've cooked up this time, is half the fun of a new Apple product announcement. If Steve were any less eloquent and smooth than he is, you might end up with something like this: a guy desperately trying to put a few words together about his new product. It's not nearly as effective, but it's much funnier. [via MacStories]
Japanese retailers selling out of PS3 'torne' DVR peripheral
We wouldn't have thought a digital video recorder attachment for the PS3 would be a particularly hot seller in Japan, but the neverending lines spiraling from the front doors of Japanese retailers are proving otherwise. Andriasang recently passed along a Famitsu report explaining how shops are quickly selling out of the standalone version of the torne DVR peripheral -- though the 250GB PS3 which comes with the device built into its frame isn't selling quite as expediently. If the device's popularity has inspired you to import one, you should know that it's only capable of recording Japanese terrestrial TV signals. As such, we also suggest you simultaneously purchase around 5,500 miles of coaxial cable.
Found Footage: Say hello to ePad
Apple is definitely one of the world's most admired companies, but their lofty ambitions, high visibility, and easy-to-identify style also makes them ripe for parody, as in this very funny video by the UK's E4. They're boasting about a madeup device called the ePad, which will wow you with its revolutionary and magical keyboard, screen, and standard attached computer and television. Like they say, if you want to see one of their shows, you can just literally reach out and touch ... well, we won't ruin the surprise. But it is funny. And it shows that while yes, the iPad is a cool device, anything you talk about in a "revolutionary" and "magical" way can seem like it's exactly that -- even if it is just another heavy piece of junk.
Macworld 2010: TUAW talks to OpenFeint
On the day before Macworld last week, I got a chance to sit down with Eros Remini, VP of Marketing for OpenFeint, to talk about his social gaming network for iPhone apps. He shared with me that the network has claimed a gigantic 12 million users total, with about a million of them active in iPhone games from day to day. Additionally, the average user plays three or four games regularly -- unlike most other consoles, the iPhone is really a device that can split attention rather than have players dive deep in on one game. He also told us about the OpenFeint app that was released last month, as well as their popular free game of the day giveaway -- once per day, they give away an OpenFeint game for free right there inside the app. And we also talked about both how OpenFeint is serving as connection between developer and customer, as well as why Apple hasn't really shown an interest in an official iTunes gaming network like this. You can check out the whole interview on video right after clicking through the link below. Enjoy!
