news roundup
Latest
Apple opts out of patent acquisitions and other news for April 11, 2014
Here's your Apple news for Friday, April 11. Enjoy the weekend, folks. Apple opts out of a recent patent acquisition by Intellectual Ventures. Both Apple and Intel have opted not to participate in the latest buy. Formerly, Apple joined Intel, Microsoft and Sony to form Intellectual Ventures. Apple steps away now as intellectual property investments and so-called patent trolls are being looked upon poorly. Apple has released an official statement regarding Heartbleed. The company told re/code that "Apple takes security very seriously. IOS and OS X never incorporated the vulnerable software and key Web-based services were not affected." So there you go. Reader 2 for Mac public beta is now available. Those of you who have been waiting for this, now is your chance to get in on the beta. Just remember, it is a beta.
Facebook to force mobile users to Messenger app and other news from April 9, 2014
News from Wednesday afternoon includes: Facebook has announced via emailed notifications in Europe that it will soon drop messaging in its main app. Users must download the separate Facebook Messenger app to keep the conversations going on iOS and Android. Apple has seeded a sixth version of OS X 10.9.3 to developers. NBC's iOS app has gained AirPlay support. And catch up with these features: Firefox OS is starting to look very, very familiar Answering Google's most asked questions about Apple Why the OpenSSL Heartbleed bug doesn't affect OS X or OS X Server iPhone 101: How to lock exposure and focus in the Camera app Funny moments with Steve Jobs
iBeacon tech at Coachella and other news for April 9, 2014
Here's your AM roundup of Apple news. This time around it's Apple vs. Samsung (again), iBeacon goes to Coachella and improving Apple Maps. Apple has laid out its claim against Samsung, and it's a whopper. The Cupertino company is after US$2.2 billion in damages. The President of Quantitative Economic Solutions, who is working on the case on Apple's behalf, noted that Apple suffered particular damage because Samsung was able to pick up first-time buyers, who are often loyal to their chosen companies. iBeacon tech to be featured at Coachella. The popular music festival is the latest on a growing number of high-profile venues to adopt the young technology. The official 2014 iOS app features iBeacon support, and the event's official website says, "Use Bluetooth to interact with beacons placed around the grounds." If you attend the show, check it out. Get notified of resolved errors in Apple Maps. MacRumors has noticed that, when you report a problem in Apple Maps, you can now opt to receive a text message from Apple when that issue has been resolved. That's pretty thoughtful and helps users feel like their input is actually affecting change.
Developers win the WWDC lottery and other news from April 7, 2014
A few developers have won the WWDC lottery. Developers who wanted to attend the conference in June were notified on Monday evening if they got in. They have a week from the notification to purchase their tickets. Thousands of developers signed up for the chance, and they shouted their joy (and frustration) to the Internet as the results came out. I won a golden ticket! https://t.co/yjgLo6p4Nl #WWDC14 - Billy Lindeman (@billylindeman) April 8, 2014 Rubbing the Apple logo on the back of my iPhone appears to be having no effect on this supposed email delivery #WWDC14 #wwdc - Danny Espinoza (@dannyjespinoza) April 8, 2014 So this year, instead of refreshing a web page, we are refreshing our mail client! #WWDC14 - Jeff Tan-Ang (@jtanang) April 8, 2014 5 more minutes until #WWDC14 lottery announcement! Can't believe I'm excited for a lottery in which if you win, you still gotta pay $1500. - Sarp Erdag (@sarperdag) April 7, 2014 No golden ticket for me. #WWDC14 :-( on plus side, now have $1600 extra in bank account! pic.twitter.com/Jbpr3ZI9Zg - Bennett Smith (@BennettSmith) April 8, 2014 Other news from Monday afternoon includes: Apple's iOS 7 has been adopted by 87% of users, the company reported on Monday. By comparison, AppleInsider notes, the majority of Android phones still have not officially gained access to the latest version of the Android OS, KitKat. The latest verse to Apple's "Your Verse" iPad ad campaign takes a look at Bollywood. Tiny software developer SolidFX claims that Jeppesen, which specializes in aviation mapping and navigation, stole its app idea. SolidFX had signed a contract with Jeppesen to develop an "ebook reader" app to show off its navigational charts, then the company debuted its own app. It's seeking $78.6 million in damages at U.S. District Court in Denver. Jeppesen says that its agreement with SolidFX only covered modifying hardware and was never intended for the iPad. And catch up with these features: New emails highlight Phil Schiller's frustration with Apple's ad agency SmartThings Hub: Connecting your home, phone and you 2011 Samsung memo: Beating Apple is our #1 priority; Apple threat is "urgent" Apple engineer Greg Christie talks about designing the iPhone for "normal people" iPhone 101: Using Photos app to view photos sorted by location Rumor Roundup: Unreleased Apple product 'delayed' (again)
Judge denies Apple and other news for April 4, 2014
Happy Friday, folks. I've just emerged from my RSS reader with these nuggets to share with you. Judge Lucy Koh denies Apple motion regarding Samsung's opening statements. Apple was not happy with opening statements made by Samsung counsel, which claimed that Apple does not use some of the patents named in the suit. Apple felt Samsung was being misleading and asked the judge for curative actions, which she denied. Members of the press got to tour Turkey's first Apple Store (Apple's 424th store overall) prior to its opening, and boy is it beautiful. I'd love to visit this location. Opening day is tomorrow. Here's a nifty fact: more glass was used in this location than any other Apple Store. The GameSpy game hosting service is shutting down. This change will affect a huge number of games, including titles for iOS, OS X and others. Those concerned for their favorite games are being prompted to contact the game's developer.
12 million downloads for Office iPad apps and other news from April 3, 2014
Microsoft announced via Twitter that its Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote apps for iPad have more than 12 million downloads collectively since their debut a week ago. Other news from Thursday afternoon includes: The iOS version of iPhoto got a minor update that allows a white border around photos when ordering prints. The latest beta for OS X 10.9.3 was seeded to developers. Last year Apple's Siri team added the innovators behind acquired firm Novauris Technologies, said by TechCrunch to be a pioneer in speech recognition. Nest has suspended sales of its Nest Protect, which is a smoke detector and carbon monoxide alarm. Testing involving the Nest Wave technology prompted the Protect's rollback while it's being fixed. Those with Nest Protects hooked into WiFi will have the Next Wave feature disabled remotely within the next day. Sales have ceased until the Next Wave technology is repaired. (Google acquired Nest earlier in 2014.)
Spotify's facelift and more news for April 2, 2014
Spotify has updated its iOS app with some keen new features, including a reworked browse function and playlist features. It also sports a "darker theme," which I hoped would mean it's edgy and brooding but no ... they've just used dark colors. Objective Development has teased LaunchBar 6 and is looking for beta testers. Some early photos of the first Turkish Apple Store in Istanbul (not Constantinople) have appeared online. It'll be located in the Zorlu Center and features a prominent and very beautiful glass shell, similar to that in New York City. This is not really Apple news, but Amazon heated up the set-top box market this morning with the Fire TV. This thin little streaming device with 2 GB RAM, dual-band WiFi, a quad-core processor and a dedicated GPU. It supports lots of channels and apps like Spotify and more.
Greater usability for iWork and more news from April 1, 2014
Apple has released a very nice update to its iWork apps for Mac, iOS and iCloud. It includes a new document editor for Pages, view-only options for iOS and Mac, improved pop-up menus in Numbers and a better search, and Keynote gaining an improved presentation design. You can see the full list of changes for all the versions here. Other news from Tuesday afternoon includes: Safari has been updated to version 7.0.3, which includes a preference to turn off push notifications from websites, strengthening sandboxing and addresses security concerns and bug fixes. A new deal between Disney and the Dish Network will make a number of channels available to subscribers through iOS devices and the Apple TV, including WATCH ABC. OWC now has a turnkey upgrade program for new Mac Pros. And catch up with these features from Tuesday: Pad & Quill Traveler Case for iPhone 5/5s is full of leathery goodness 6 Apple products that were better off as April Fools' jokes Mac 101: How to move pages between PDF documents using Preview
Apple Q2 investor call and other news for April 1, 2014
Sourcing news on April 1 sure is fun, let me tell you. But just to prove that I'm not a total curmudgeon, let me congratulate Think Geek on winning April Fool's Day. As usual. Rosetta Stone for Klingon? Qapla'! Meanwhile... Apple has announced that its Q2 2014 financial conference call will take place on April 23rd at 2:00 PM Pacific. Listen to the live stream for a certain analyst to ask about an Apple television. Perhaps in Klingon. A study of how customers use their tablet devices show that iPad customers tend to browse the Internet, read email and play games, while Kindle users tend to read books (surprise!) and participate in social media. Galaxy users reported nearly identical usage habits as iPad owners, with slightly more using their devices to listen to music. Rdio's iOS app now supports Google's Chromecast. The UN will use iBeacon technology to simulate the dangers of mine fields at New York City's New Museum. It should be an amazing exhibit with a compelling use of iBeacon tech.
Office Mobile goes free for the iPhone, and other news for March 28, 2014
Amid all the hoopla about Microsoft Office finally coming to the iPad (even Tim Cook tweeted about it) was a little bit of information that was missed by many: Microsoft has made its Office Mobile for iPhone suite free, and home users can edit their documents even without an Office365 subscription. (Business users still need the $9.99/month license for Office that covers a combination of Mac, PC or iPad usage for up to five devices -- but if you hurry this morning you might get a free year.) The single app lets you access, view, and edit your Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents on your iPhone. Previously the app required an active subscription to Office 365 to use. Announcing the news, Microsoft said: Just like Office Mobile for Windows Phone, we are making Office Mobile for iPhone and Android phones free for everyone. With Office Mobile, you have the ability to view and edit your Office content on the go. Office Mobile is available in the App Store and Google Play. You can read everything about Microsoft's big news of the day, Office for iPad, in our live blog here. In other news: The MLB.com At the Ballpark app has received a major update. Version 3.0 now supports automatic check-in at select ballparks (beginning opening day) using iBeacon technology. Philips is expanding their HUE LED lighting system to include white lights, 3D printed light art pieces, and a wall-mountable control system. Roku's CEO had some harsh words for the Apple TV. At the Code/Media event he said, "Apple TV is essentially an accessory for the iPad. They lose money, which is unusual for Apple. If you're losing money, why would you want to sell more?"
Update your Square reader now and other news from March 27, 2014
Square updated its card reader at the end of 2013, and if you haven't signed up to get one of the new readers yet, you'll need to do so by June 1. An email to Square users says that the original reader will no longer be supported after then. Considering the new reader works better and is a free upgrade, it's worth grabbing it. You can sign up for it through your Square dashboard. Other news from Thursday afternoon includes: You can get a free year of Office 365, and access to the new Microsoft Office for iPad, by bringing your iPad to a Microsoft store. It's only for the first 50 people who come in to each store, starting today and going through Sunday. However, as TUAW editor Mike Rose points out, you need to read the fine print: "To be eligible, customer must participate in the "Put My iPad to Work" social campaign." If you do participate, let us know how it goes. And speaking of the new Office for iPad apps, Apple told re/code that it will get its 30% cut if people sign up for Office 365 through the iPad apps. Apple customers have begun receiving credit owed them in ebook price-fixing case. Facebook Messenger updated to version 4.0, allowing for creation of groups and message forwarding.
A rack mount for the Mac Pro and other news for March 27, 2014
It's been a rather quiet morning, but here are three stories we found for you. Sonnet Tech has announced a 4U rack mount for Apple's cylindrical Mac Pro. The so-called xMac Pro Thunderbolt 2 PCIe Enclosure rolls off the tongue and includes three PCIe single-width expansion slots; Thunderbolt 2 compatibility, as the name indicates; and hardware for mounting additional storage. The whole thing comes with a 300W power supply and a 75W PCIe power connector. BusyMac Software has announced new software BusyContacts. They call it a "complete replacement" for Apple's built-in Contacts app and its design resembles that of iTunes. BusyContacts offers sync support for iCloud, Google Contacts, Exchange, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. A public beta is now open. Mavericks adoption is chugging along at a nice pace. The folks at Chitika note that Mavericks now generates nearly 40% of all North American OS X-based web traffic. They also note that Mountain Lion was at 26.8% after seven months. It's important to note here that Mavericks is free, of course.
OmniFocus 2 is redesigned, expected to ship in June and other news from March 26, 2014
It's been more than a year since The Omni Group announced OmniFocus 2 for Mac (ironically, it was at last year's Macworld/iWorld), and now the company says its expanding its testing pool with an expected ship date of June. Testers can download the latest build, which has been completely redesigned from its pre-Mavericks experience and now is inline with design elements used in iOS 7 and OS X Mavericks. Russian officials have made the switch to Samsung tablets for security reasons, a government minister told Business Insider. Journalists discovered this when they noticed that cabinet ministers were no longer using iPads. Check out this new way to quickly search the Mac App Store and the iTunes Store. AppleInsider has new photos of the sapphire glass plant in Mesa, Ariz. Twitter has updated its iPhone app with photo tagging and the ability to include up to four photos in a tweet. Realmac says that an update to Clear is coming with the ability to add reminders and customize sounds.
Here's what Apple's first hacked-together iPhone looked like, and other news for March 26, 2014
Yesterday we told you the Wall Street Journal posted its interview with one of the original iPhone engineers about the creation of the iPhone. But now Apple has share an image of what the first hacked-together "iPhone" looked like. As you can see above, the first "iPhone" was a PowerMac G3 with an old Cinema Display monitor converted to a touch screen. As Apple noted when it supplied WSJ with the photo: This is a system Apple rigged together to run early prototypes of its iPhone software in 2006. It tethered a plastic touch-screen device – code-named "Wallaby" – to an outdated Mac to simulate the slower speeds of a phone hardware. In other news: A Tokyo court has ruled Apple didn't infringe on Samsung patents. Facebook has announced it now has over 1 billion users on mobile devices, many of them on the iPhone. Guitar Hero for iOS will be removed from the App Store at the end of the month. If you want it, be sure to pick it up now.
Apple offering refunds for unauthorized in-app purchases, and other news for March 25, 2014
Apple has sent an email to users who have made recent in-app purchases (IAPs) announcing they can receive a refund for any unauthorized IAPs "made by a minor." The refund initiative is part of a consent decree Apple struck with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. Users who wish to get IAP refunded must submit their request by April 15, 2014. The full email is below (via MacRumors): Dear iTunes account owner, Apple is committed to providing parents and kids with a great experience on the App Store. We review all app content before allowing it on our store, provide a wide range of age-appropriate content, and include parental controls in iOS to make it easy for parents to restrict or disable access to content. We've heard from some customers that it was too easy for their kids to make in-app purchases. As a result, we've improved controls for parents so they can better manage their children's purchases, or restrict them entirely. Additionally, we are offering refunds in certain cases. Please follow the steps to submit a refund request: Find your in-app purchase records. Check your email for iTunes receipts or use a computer to sign in to your iTunes account and view your Purchase History. Use this link to submit your refund request to Apple. Provide the requested information and enter "Refund for in-App Purchases made by a minor" in the Details section. Apple will review your request and contact you via email about your refund status. All refund requests must be submitted no later than April 15, 2015. In other news: Google has announced Google Now notifications are now available for Chrome users on desktops, including Macs. Pictures have leaked suggesting the long delayed flagship Apple retail store may be opening soon in Hanover, Germany. Apple has patented a new graphical interface for the visually impaired. Booq has released the Booqpad for iPad Air, a thin folio-type case that also includes a paper notebook. It's available starting at $60. It's amazingly flexible, using magnets for magic.
"Your Verse" campaign tackles sports-related concussions and other news from March 24, 2014
Apple has updated its "Your Verse" campaign with a new segment dedicated to sports-related concussions. This is a subject that has garnered a lot of media attention in recent months, as NFL players await a proposed $765 million settlement. Apple points out that concussions aren't just a football issue and points out how the iPad is being used in recovery from these injuries. Other news from Monday afternoon includes: It looks like construction is getting underway at Apple's new campus in Cupertino, as the old HP buildings are being demolished. Video has popped up on YouTube. On today's list of Apple hires includes a privacy counsel and a new top lobbyist to represent the company's interests on Capitol Hill. A keen-eyed developer spotted what looked to be an app discovery feature that could be coming to the iOS App Store soon. And kick back with these features: Rumor Roundup: "Flop" JibJab's StoryBots will hook kids and their parents too Emails reveal that Steve Jobs angrily called Sergey Brin over Google's recruitment of Apple's Safari team How The Simpsons came up with the "Mapple" universe Apple, Comcast, and net neutrality
UK App Store and iTunes Store pricing may increase 20% in 2015, and other news for March 24, 2014
Last week British Chancellor George Osborne introduced the UK's annual budget for the year ahead. It included, among other things, a change that may affect the price of apps and media in the UK App Store and iTunes Store by up to 20%. As The Guardian reports: George Osborne's latest budget could spell an end to 99p song downloads by closing a tax loophole that meant consumers were paying VAT at very low foreign rates on online purchases of books, music and apps. The chancellor will bring in new laws making sure that internet downloads are taxed in the country where they are purchased, meaning web firms such as Amazon and Apple will have to charge the UK's 20% rate of VAT. At the moment they are allowed to sell digital downloads through countries such as Luxembourg, where the tax rate is as low as 3%. In a little-noticed announcement, Osborne said he would used this year's finance bill to impose the new law from 1 January 2015. As The Guardian notes, the new tax is a way for the UK government to reclaim the taxes that large companies currently avoid by basing regional headquarters in low-tax countries. MacRumors also notes that apps could be less affected than other media, as apps are already taxed at a 15% rate, meaning their prices may only increase 5%. In other news: Apple has added Flyover views in Maps for Perth, Australia, Saint-Tropez, France, and Cordoba, Spain. Final Cut Pro fanatics have pushed the Mac Pro to its limits by creating a video timeline that runs for 558 days. Apple, like Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft, reserves the right to read customers' email (in Apple's case, iCloud email) if need be.
iPad owners are willing to hold onto tablets longer and other news from March 21, 2014
Here's an interesting report to consider: those who purchase iPads are more willing to hold onto them longer than those who get an iPhone. Consumer Intelligence Research Partners says that iPad replacement cycles tend to be longer than the iPhone. As MacRumors writes: The CIRP report, which surveyed 2,000 U.S. customers who purchased an iPhone, iPad or Mac in 2013, shows that almost half of iPad owners will go without their tablet, waiting a week or more to replace a broken, lost or stolen device. They also are twice as likely as iPhone owners to give their older iPad to friends or family members. Other news from Friday afternoon includes: First it's retail and the MLB, now iBeacons are heading to the NBA and your home. Tim Cook has risen a notch on the list of top-ranked CEOs worldwide, as released by Glassdoor. Cook is now 17th, behind CEOs of other companies such as LinkedIn, Google and Facebook. Check out a little fun that Jimmy Fallon and Billy Joel had with an iPad recently. After a year of trying music sales, Twitter has pulled its #music app from the App Store. The service will shut down next month.
Apple features new "Indie Game Showcase", and other news for March 21, 2014
Apple has rolled out a new section on the App Store called "Indie Game Showcase." It's dedicated to spotlighting stunning games by independent iOS developers. As Apple describes the new section: Often made up of just a few dedicated members, independent studios prove that what really matters is the size of your dream. In each Indie Game Showcase, we celebrate a popular game and its creative team, highlighting the developer's titles along with their favorite games from other studios. The move will no doubt be a welcome one for many independent developers who often feel that it's hard to compete against the might of bigger developers and the coverage -- and resulting spots on the top app charts -- they get. The first game to be featured is Device 6, and action-thriller from developer Simogo. In other news: The redesigned Starbucks iPhone app has been released. It has had an iOS 7 makeover and offers digital tipping plus the ability to review rewards from the dashboard. Apple has released an update for GarageBand which adds the option to export songs as an MP3. Jony Ive is one of the 10 finalists for The Drum Design Award. You can vote for him to win if you want.
World's first Apple reseller to close after 37 years, and other news for March 20, 2014
The first Apple reseller is closing its doors next week after 37 years in business. Minneapolis-based FirstTech's last day of business will be March 29th with a going-out-of-business sale beginning today. The company (originally known as Team Electronics) began selling Apple computers in the late 1970s, becoming Apple's first reseller in the process. FirstTech's owner says he's closing up shop because the independent reseller can no longer compete with national chains. As TwinCities.com reports: Evans attributes FirstTech's demise to market forces, including shrinking hardware margins amid competition from a growing number of aggressive national vendors. These vendors have "basically been willing to sell the computer equipment below cost to go after the national service business," he noted. It became increasingly difficult for "a brick-and-mortar to offer personalized service when we can't make any money off the product you're selling. "It has been a dramatic change in that regard, the last couple of years in particular," Evans said. FirstTech actually predates Apple by a good thirty years, opening in 1941 selling radios, televisions, and phonographs. The company has seen a lot, so it should be no surprise they have an interesting bit of Apple history to tell: The company's entry into the Apple business is legend. Apple was so new to computer selling, it did not have its own paperwork for consummating deals, Evans said. So FirstTech grabbed one of its older contracts, removed the customer name from it and added Apple's name. Pete Paulsen, who sold the company's first computer shortly afterward, went on to become FirstTech's general manager. "The person who bought that first Apple II also bought our first Lisa (computer) and our first Macintosh," Evans said. "To this day, he is still our customer." In other news: Imagination Technologies has announced a new version of its PowerVR graphics architecture that enables lifelike transparencies and reflections. Since the company's tech is used in iPhones, it's like the next iPhone could see a big graphics boost for games. Apple has filed a patent for a touch sensitive stylus. GE has teamed with Quirky to release the Aros -- the "Nest thermostat" of smart air conditioners.
