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Apple search results turn up iPhone 5 name and LTE connectivity, indications of new iPod touch, iPod nano and iTunes 11
Apple offered a hint of the name in its invitation to today's event, but it looks like a slip-up on its own website may have now let the cat of the bag. Searching for "iphone-5" brings up a number of results for (as yet nonexistent) pages related to a device that seems to clearly be called the "iPhone 5." What's more, as 9 to 5 Mac notes, there are also references to a "new iPod touch with Retina Display" and a new iPod nano, as well as a similar indication that iTunes 11 is set to be released today. Update: 9 to 5 Mac has also turned up another search result that would seem to confirm the presence of LTE in the new iPhone.
TUAW Origin Stories: Picky
Picky used to be Pod+, but since WWDC (when this was filmed), the developer has changed the name. The idea behind Picky is simple: a tool for quickly filtering through artists and songs by viewing them based on how many songs of theirs are on your iOS device. When Pod+ became Picky, the dev who created it (Charles Joseph) gave it a substantial UI facelift. The result is a simple tool for picky music listeners. In this Origin Stories, we learn why Charles made Picky. As you can imagine, he wanted to tame his own music collection.
Research: iPod touch benefits workers with autism
We often hear about iOS devices being used in schools and in the workplace, but a recent study from researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University shows how the device can be beneficial for those struggling with autism. The study was recently published in the the Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation and is part of a longer four-year study being conducted in conjunction with Virginia Career Support Services and the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services. The researchers used the iPod touch with three working adults who were diagnosed with the developmental disorder. Each person was given an iPod that was configured with apps to help them perform tasks at their job. The apps included reminders, progress trackers and music to calm them when they got frustrated. The trio were followed by an occupational therapist and a job coach during their time with their device. In two cases, the people improved their job performance and required less assistance from their job coach. In another case, the individual was able to navigate safely to and from work. The study had a small sample size, so you can't pull out too many conclusions from the results. It does, however, suggest that an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch may be beneficial as an assistive device for those with disabilities. You can read more about the study in the article on Disability Scoop. [Via Disability Scoop]
Apple denies giving FBI any iOS device UDIDs, raises questions over AntiSec claims
Hacking group AntiSec (connected to Anonymous and LulzSec) made some bold claims Tuesday that it had obtained the unique device identifiers (UDIDs) of 12 million iOS devices from an FBI laptop, setting more than a few people on edge. The FBI has already denied that anything was stolen, but Apple has gone one step further to argue that it had no involvement. Spokeswoman Natalie Kerris tells AllThingsD that Apple hasn't given UDIDs to the FBI "or any organization" -- suggesting that either AntiSec or the FBI isn't telling the whole story of what data emerged and where. Even if there are real UDIDs floating around, Kerris adds that they don't necessarily pose much danger. She notes that programming hooks in iOS 6 will provide an alternative to UDID for device-specific data, and that apps will eventually be forbidden from using the older identifiers altogether. While the truth in the situation is hard to pin down, the technical reality doesn't leave much risk that our iPads and iPhones will be compromised. At least, not after this month.
Happy 5th anniversary, iPod touch
Here's to the lesser cousin of the iPhone, the iPod touch, first shown on this day at the "Beat Goes On" event back in 2007. I still own and use a first-generation 8 GB iPod touch, even though it doesn't have a speaker, only has WiFi, has no camera and will never be up-to-date with the latest version of iOS. For casual gaming, radio streaming and the occasional kid use, my iPod touch still serves a useful purpose -- and gets better battery life than my iPhone 4S. Last year I bought my kids the latest generation of iPod touches so they could stay in touch with me. While it's unfortunate they are still locked into a paltry 8 GB of storage (and love to take photos and videos), the touch is a valuable communications tool for them, not to mention a never-ending mine of games on the store to keep them busy. There's usually talk around this time of the year of Apple killing off the iPod touch, and recent rumors suggest some new line of iPod might replace it, but I have my doubts. The touch is like a beginner's iPhone, and is perfect for anyone who doesn't need a contract or additional phone, but wants to try the App Store and iOS. Apple might not sell nearly as many as they'd like, but I think the device still serves an important purpose. Below is a video of Steve Jobs introducing the iPod touch in 2007. Do you have one? Do you think Apple will kill it off this year? Let us know what you think in the comments.
Apple announces presumed iPhone 5 launch event for September 12th; we'll be there live!
Apple has just invited members of the press to attend a San Francisco-based product launch event on September 12th, where the next generation iPhone is expected to be officially unveiled. As rumored, it seems as if the company's prior iPod-focused fall events may be split off into two. It's been reported that an October event may follow this one, with a miniaturized 7-inch iPad on the docket for that. This event, however, seems a lock for the iPhone 5 -- or "new iPhone," or whatever it ends up being coined -- and while CEO Tim Cook confessed at D10 that it would be doubling down on secrecy, leakers seem to have doubled down on tipping the world off on what's to come. The keynote kicks off at 10AM PT in SF, and you can bet we'll be there covering every second of it live. Didn't have any "lunch" plans for 9/12? Looks like you do now. September 12, 2012 10:00 AM PDT
Ask Engadget: is iPod Touch and Wireless Printer-based credit card processing possible?
We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget inquiry is coming to us from Dustin, who wants to turn the humble iPod Touch into a cash register for live events. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com. "We currently have 10 credit card terminals we purchased three years ago, and we're looking to replace them thanks to their horrific failure rate and replacement cost. We only use them for special events, but they account for $24 million of our credit card revenue. Ideally I'd like to replace them with iPod touches and a wireless printer, but I can't seem to find a solution that offers printing -- but it's essential to what we do. Thanks for your help!" We found that Square lets you connect to a Star Micronics receipt printer, and Intuit GoPayment accepts Bluetooth-enabled P25 Blue Bamboo printers -- so those could work for you. Of course, Ask Engadget is about sourcing the opinion of our hive-mind, so if your business has already conquered this problem, why not share what you know?
Cassette to iPod Converter will digitize your tapes
If you have a box of cassette tapes left over from your Walkman days, then you might want to pay a visit to Hammacher Schlemmer. The online retailer is selling a cassette to iPod converter that could help you finally clear those aging tapes from your shelves. The device is a cradle case with a cassette player that attaches to your iPhone or iPod touch. A free app lets you convert the incoming audio from the player to an mp3 file, which can then be downloaded to your computer. If you like the sound of tape-based music, you can even attach your phone to some speakers and listen to the cassette while it plays. The Cassette to iPod Converter is available for US$80 and will ship at the end of September. [Via Gizmodo]
TiVo Stream transcoder officially set to go on sale September 6th for $129
A bit of early access for pre-orders blew the surprise, but TiVo has officially announced that its Stream transcoder device will hit stores on September 6th. Priced at $130 the feature set should be familiar by now: plug it into a home network that also has a TiVo Premiere series DVR connected to it, and it takes in live or recorded programming and reformats it for viewing on a mobile device. Currently those mobile devices are limited to the iOS family, but TiVo says Android access is coming. According to the company, the Stream is the first device to allow streaming and recording to as many as four devices without interrupting what's currently being viewed on the TV. Comparing it to the others, live streaming or VOD in and out of the home on mobile devices is a feature several cable / satellite companies offer, Dish Network has tight Sling integration for streaming in multiple locations, and both DirecTV's Nomad and the Monsoon Vulkano boxes do place-shifting, the a combination of features plus a familiar TiVo UI puts the Stream in the lead, at least on paper. We're testing one now and should have a better handle on its strengths and weaknesses soon -- we'll have a comprehensive review for you soon.
ITC decides Apple didn't violate Motorola WiFi patent after all, tosses case back to judge
Trouble looked to be brewing for Apple last April: an International Trade Commission judge made an initial ruling that Apple infringed on a standards-essential Motorola WiFi patent, raising the possibility of a trade ban if the verdict held true. The fellows in Cupertino may have caught a big break. A Commission review of the decision on Friday determined that Apple didn't violate the patent, and it upheld positions that exonerated the iPhone maker regarding two others. Apple isn't entirely off the hook, however. The ITC is remanding the case to the judge to review his stance that Apple hadn't violated a non-standards-based patent, which still leaves Apple facing the prospect of a ban. However, having to revisit the case nearly resets the clock -- we now have to wait for another ruling and a matching review, and that likely puts any final decision well into 2013. Google-owned Motorola isn't lacking more weapons in its arsenal, but any stalled proceedings take away bargaining chips in what's become a high-stakes game.
Facebook updates iOS app, says it's 'rebuilt from the ground up' to be twice as fast
There's no visual overhaul as it just did yesterday with Facebook Messages, but Facebook has now announced an update for its iOS app that promises some fairly big improvements of its own. According to the company, the app was "rebuilt from the ground up," and is now twice as fast as the previous version. That includes a faster opening of the app itself, smoother and faster scrolling, and photos that are said to load "instantly" -- changes that are largely due to a switch from the old HTML5 code to iOS' native programming language. Unfortunately, we're not able to test those claims ourselves just yet, but Facebook says that the update (version 5.0) will be available later today. Update: The app is now available to download from the App Store, and it does indeed appear to be quite a bit speedier.
Apple seeks patent for hearing aids that deliver speech at an even keel
Although they're called hearing aids, they can sometimes be as much of a hindrance as a help. Catch an unfamiliar accent and the attention might be on just parsing the words, let alone moving the conversation forward. Apple is applying for a patent on a technique that would take the guesswork out of listening by smoothing out all the quirks. The proposed idea would convert speech to text and back, using the switch to remove any unusual pronunciation or too-quick talking before it reaches the listener's ear. Not surprisingly for a company that makes phones and tablets, the hearing aid wouldn't always have to do the heavy lifting, either: iOS devices could handle some of the on-the-fly conversion, and pre-recorded speech could receive advance treatment to speed up the process. We don't know if Apple plans to use its learning in any kind of shipping product, although it's undoubtedly been interested in the category before -- and its ambitions of having iPhone-optimized hearing aids could well get a lift from technology that promises real understanding, not just a boost in volume.
Updated TV Guide app includes celebrity watchlists and guest-curated channels
Last night the TV Guide app for iOS was updated to include a few new features, plus a few bugfixes and performance tweaks. I spoke to TVGuide.com's GM Christy Tanner about the update and learned a few interesting stats about the service itself. If you're already a fan of the app, this is a great update. If you haven't used TV Guide on your iPhone or iPad yet, now's a great time to try it. Here at TUAW we've absorbed a lot of rumors about the "next Apple TV," but the most salient points about this rumored product swirl around a better user experience when it comes to finding what you want to watch. Take The Office, a popular show on NBC for years, as one example. You might catch reruns on any number of channels, but also a stored catalog on Netflix or Hulu. These listings change all the time (certain shows disappear from Netflix based on contracts, for example). How do you keep track? TV Guide not only shows you what's playing on TV, but also what is available across a number of other services, including streaming sites like Hulu. In fact, the app will launch Hulu if that's where you find what you want to watch -- an extremely helpful feature. With over 1.5 million users for TV Guide, Tanner and the team decided to add some actual content to the app, and two new features will be fun for people who simply don't know what to watch. First up are guest-curated channels. A selection of videos from weekly guest curators. Friend of the blog and host of What's Trending, Shira Lazar, is up first. Second there are celebrity Watchlist videos, where famous folks share what they are watching. The folks at TVGuide.com who made the app feel that it is appropriate for those of us who watch hours of TV, and those who cut the cable and only watch on-demand items once in a while. I think with the variety of discovery options available, the app launching and improved performance, that the TV Guide app is worth a look.
TV Guide Mobile relaunches for iOS with a new look, links to streaming video and social networks
We've already seen many companion apps on mobile, but now TV Guide is diving in wholeheartedly with the next generation of its app for iOS devices. While the previous versions of TV Guide Mobile on iOS and Android let users create watchlists and get reminders, version 3.0 for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch is completely redesigned to make TV watching simpler with filtering for HD-only and favorite channels, links to streaming videos from sources like Hulu Plus, HBO Go, Crackle and iTunes -- Netflix and Amazon are not on the list, although additional video sources are promised in the coming weeks. Like any good companion app in 2012 it also brings social networking features with check-ins and Twitter / Facebook integration and a trending social hot list based on what other users search for. The downside compared to many of the apps from cable providers like Comcast or Time Warner, hardware manufacturers like TiVo or even other third parties like Dijit is the inability to use it to directly change the channel, but perhaps that's in the next version. There's more details in the press release after the break, and screens in the gallery below, if you're willing to give another contender a shot at assisting your TV watching habits, the free app is available in iTunes at the source link.%Gallery-163207%
Maxthon web browser arrives in bite-sized form for iPhone
Maxthon has long since escaped the days when it was chiefly a customized version of Internet Explorer on the desktop, and nowhere is that more apparent than its just-launched version of the normally WebKit-based browser for the iPhone and iPod touch. All the core features of the app carry over from earlier Android and iPad versions, such as an Opera-like grid of favorite pages, a download manager and a unified address bar, but it's arguably more useful than the iPad edition: conventional browser tabs aren't coming to smaller-screened iOS devices in a future mobile Safari build anytime soon. Bookmark syncing and an optimized reading mode also persist to reduce the chance that Maxthon users drift back towards the official Apple browser, even after iOS 6 rolls around. With that all-important "free" price tag, there's every reason to give it a try -- let others know in the comments if Maxthon is enough to take precedence over comparable iOS alternatives like Chrome.
Post-acquisition Motorola files fresh ITC complaint against Apple
We hope you didn't think that Motorola would fight a purely defensive patent war against Apple after Google's acquisition closed. Just days before a final ruling on its initial complaints, the RAZR maker has filed another dispute with the International Trade Commission that accuses Apple of violating patents through some iOS devices and Macs. Exact details of the dispute are under wraps for now; Motorola, as you'd imagine, only contends that it has no choice after Apple's "unwillingness to work out a license." While Apple hasn't said anything about the subject, we already know how much it disagrees with Motorola's previous licensing strategy -- it's unlikely Apple will just roll over, no matter what's at stake.
Exogear's Exovolt Plus: The stackable external battery pack arrives
There are a ton of external battery packs for iPhones and iPads. I remember the good old days when it seemed like the only packs available were little blobs that you'd plug into the bottom of an iPhone to keep it going for a few more hours. Now everybody and their brother-in-law has an external battery pack in their line, so it's nice to see one that's completely different from the rest of the pack. It's the Exogear Exovolt Plus, which has the distinction of being a stackable battery pack. Read on -- we're going to give away some goodies to one lucky TUAW reader. Design and Functionality The Exovolt Plus comes in two models: the main battery (US$89.95) and sub batteries (US$49.95 each). To power your iPod touch, iPhone, or iPad, you need at least one main battery. It has a micro-USB port for charging and a full-sized USB port to charge up your devices. There's also a power button and four white LEDs that give you the relative charge level of the stack of batteries. The sub batteries are slightly thinner, don't have the ports, but do have a small socket on one top corner that contacts a male connector on the bottom of the main battery. The sub batteries also have one of those male connectors on the bottom, so you can stack as many of them as you want to to create a tower of power. %Gallery-162741% The Exovolt units are white, about 3-3/4" square, and have rounded corners. The bottom sides are blue, and there are small latches on the sub batteries to insure a solid connection to the main battery or other sub batteries. To make sure that your stack 'o power is safe to be around, Exogear built in double circuit protection, overheat protection, short-circuit protection, and an automatic input/output control. The main battery package comes with a carry pouch, micro-USB and Dock Connector cables, and a simple user manual. How much capacity do these things have? Each Exovolt Plus battery has a capacity of 5,200 mAh, and stacking ten of them would give you an astounding 52,000 mAh of energy for keeping your iPad going when the zombie apocalypse starts. Of course, that would put you back a whopping $539.50, but you'd have bragging rights... In fact, nowhere on the Exogear website or in the limited documentation that comes with the Exovolt Plus did I see anything about a limit on how many of these things you can stack. Doing a little math and knowing that the main battery is 1.5 cm thick and the sub batteries are 1.2 cm thick (and assuming that the plastic would stand the weight of a huge column of batteries, which it wouldn't), you could equal the height of the Burj Khalifa (829.84 meters or 82984 cm) by stacking approximately 69,153 of these things at a cost of around $3,454,282. That thin tower would supply 359,595,600 mAh for your iPad movie watching marathon. In all seriousness, though, the Exovolt batteries are well-built and a stack of these guys would get you through a lot. Conclusion The Exovolt Plus battery pack system is a unique, but pricey, way to make sure that you have power to spare for your electronic devices. The ability to stack the batteries for extra capacity is brilliant. Pros Nicely designed and built Stackable design expands capacity as you need it Cons Expensive; by comparison, Satechi's 5,200 mAh battery pack is only $39.99, and their 10,000 mAh model is only $59.99 Who is it for? Someone who needs a lot of power to go, and has the bucks to buy a lot of these stackable packs Giveaway We're giving away a pair of Exovolt Plus battery packs -- one main battery, one sub battery -- and a sweet Tabu tablet pouch to one lucky TUAW reader. Here are the rules for the giveaway: Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older. To enter, fill out the form below completely and click or tap the Submit button. The entry must be made before August 21, 2012 11:59PM Eastern Daylight Time. You may enter only once. One winner will be selected and will receive one Exogear Exovolt Plus main battery valued at $89.95, one Exogear Exovolt Plus sub battery valued at $49.95, and a Tabu tablet pouch valued at $39.95. Click here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
Apple gets patent for in-cell touch display with impeccable timing
So Apple could be working on an iPhone with a thinner display, you say. Look what we have here, possibly in the nick of time: it's a newly granted Apple patent for a screen with in-cell touch, where the LCD and touch recognition are integrated into one panel instead of stacking up in separate layers. Apple's implementation would slim things down by either having electrodes share duties, both driving the display and taking finger input, or stuffing two electrodes into each pixel to accomplish the same goal. The net effect isn't just one of squeezing a device into a thinner chassis; the company also envisions costs coming down by reducing the number of parts and streamlining the manufacturing process. As envisioned, the screen looks like an ideal fit for a significant revamp of Apple's mobile display technology, although we'd be careful about assuming that this or any in-cell touch implementation is a lock for potentially imminent iOS hardware. Apple first filed the patent in early June 2007, before the original iPhone had even marched into a retailer -- display technology has come a long way since then.
Verizon's Viewdini appears on iOS: works on any network, hunts video from 11 sources
The Viewdini streaming metasearch service launched a few months ago for Verizon's 4G LTE-laden Android hardware, and now it's finally available on iDevices. While the droid app is exclusive to those with a 4G plan on Big Red's network, anything running iOS 4.3 and up can now make use of Viewdini, independently of carrier ties. As the screenshots above show, you're also good to go on 3G, although you better watch that data allowance to avoid any nasty surprises. Interestingly, the iOS version currently only digs through the catalogues of 11 content providers compared with 18 on the Android version, but you're still getting access to various big names like ABC, Crackle, Hulu Plus, Netflix and Verizon's own video service. More providers should be added to the list soon, and if you'd like to give Viewdini a try, it's available at the App Store now.
Samsung's defense against Apple patents begins with DiamondTouch table, LiveTile UI prior art
Samsung may have convinced Judge Koh to toss a few international handsets out of Apple's lawsuit, but the Korean firm still has Cupertino's patent licensing accusations to contend with. Their tactic? Convince the court that Apple's claim to the inventions are invalid, and that the technology was developed prior to the disputed patent's filing. It's called showing "prior art," and Sammy's done it before -- famously showing a scene from 2001: A Space Odyssey in an attempt to put Apple's iPad design claims to rest. Today's examples were more grounded in reality, focusing on debunking Cupertino's claim to the "bounce back" effect that happens when a user reaches the end of a page and common multitouch zoom / navigation gestures. Samsung pitted the famous "bounce back" feature against an old PocketPC interface called LaunchTile, which allowed users to navigate through 36 applications by zooming in and out and a panning across a grid-like "world view" of said apps. Movement between grids snap to each zone, marking the end of a page. Apple shot back, noting that LiveTile's snapping navigation didn't work on diagonals, and cited other differences as well. Samsung wasn't deterred, however, and brought out DiamondTouch, a projector based multitouch table that utilized both one touch scrolling and pinch-based zoom gestures. The table even takes aim at the aforementioned bounce-back patent with a technology called TableCloth, which bounces back images that are pulled off screen. DiamondTouch's creator, Adam Bogue, told the court that he had demoed the technology to Apple privately back in 2003, noting that it was also available to anyone who visited the Mitsubishi Electronic Research Laboratories' lobby. If the jury takes to Samsung's claims of prior art, it could severely cut Apple's claims against it. Even so, Cupertino's lawyers aren't going down without a fight, and still have a number of navigation and design claims that Samsung hasn't addressed. The two parties are expected to keep up the fight for about a week, we'll keep you posted on the inevitable revelations as they come.
