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Does your iPhone crash less often now? This and other news from March 19, 2014
While some users are reporting a plethora of issues with iOS 7.1, Crittercism has found that app crash rates have gone down with the update. The number of app crashes, the site states, is lower for iOS 7.1 than it is on Apple devices running iOS 6 and 6.1. Do you find this is true for you? Let us know in the comments. Other news from Wednesday afternoon includes: Burger King is releasing a new app that will allow people to pay for food at their US restaurants using iPhones. (Not iPhones as currency or via barter, mind you.) Speaking of food-based apps, did you remember to update your Starbucks app? EA has told The Verge that it is investigating a claim that a hack utilizing the EA website is trying to nab unsuspecting users' Apple IDs. Pandora is raising its subscription fees to $4.99 per month starting in May. The company also is doing away with its annual subscription option. And kick back with these features: Flappy Bird is coming back eventually, here's what we hope they add this time Eddy Cue calls accuracy of "Haunted Empire" into question Crowdfunded Project News: A few hot picks and some real stinkers Steve Jobs sobbed in the wake of Antennagate How to auto-import your iPhone photos using OS X's Image Capture
Apple launches 8 GB iPhone 5c and relaunches 16 GB iPad 4, and other news for March 18, 2014
As we mentioned this morning, Apple has officially launched an 8 GB version of the iPhone 5c. As of the time of this writing the 8 GB iPhone 5c still hasn't shown up in the US online store, but it is available in all European stores. In the UK store the 8 GB iPhone 5c has a price tag of £429, which is £40 cheaper than the 16 GB model. The 8 GB iPhone 5c is available in all colors. In addition to the release of an 8 GB iPhone 5c, Apple has also taken the step of re-releasing the 16 GB iPad 4, replacing the three-year-old iPad 2 as the low-price member of the full-size iPad family. The iPad 4 is now available in all online stores, retailing for US$399 for the Wi-Fi model and $529 for the Wi-Fi+Cellular model. The availability of both of these devices was rumored yesterday. The release of the new entry-level iPhone 5c is a sign that Apple is trying to boost sales of the device while also appealing to people who want an iPhone at a lower price point. The re-release of the iPad 4 coincides with Apple pulling the three-year-old iPad 2 from sale. As MacRumors notes: Meanwhile, the iPad 4 has been brought back into Apple's lineup after being removed in favor of the iPad Air last October. However, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted in February that the company would shift from the iPad 2 to the iPad 4, as the latter sports Apple's A6X chip and 1GB memory compared to the former's A5 processor and 512 MB of memory. In other news: Google has updated the YouTube app with support for sharing entire playlists and improved commenting features. Facebook has updated its app with an updated design that makes it easier to post and share on the iPad. The Dropbox app has also received an upgrade. New features include improved illustrations and improved SSO for Dropbox for Business customers.
The Verge reports possible release of Microsoft Office for iPad and other news from March 17, 2014
This one might be for the rumor mill, but considering OneNote for Mac was released today, The Verge is saying that Microsoft Office for iPad might be released later this month, after members of the media received an invitation to an event on March 27 in San Francisco. It just happens to coincide with a big-name Apple event taking place the same day... Other news from Monday afternoon includes: Google has announced a new version of its Google Play Game Services that will enable cross-platform multiplayer support for iOS and Android. If you want to buy a new Mac Pro but still run Windows 7 on it via Boot Camp, you might want to reconsider. Twocanoes blog discovered that the new Mac Pro only supports Windows 8 through Boot Camp. Former Apple Marketing Chief Allison Johnson talked during the Behance 99U conference about what it was like to work with Steve Jobs. To quote from Cult of Mac: One interesting anecdote shared by Johnson was the time she put together an internal memo on how to sell the original iPhone for the AT&T sales team. "Steve asked to see that email, and he edited it so that they would position it correctly. He would dive in at a level of detail that most human beings would never consider. A CEO looking at a sales memo to an internal sales group at AT&T. He cared that much." And kick back with these features: The worst article about the iPhone 6 has already been written Automatic brings the Internet of Things to your car Has iOS 7.1 broken or fixed your iOS device? TUAW wants to know! Haunted Empire: An unflattering and misguided look at the Tim Cook era How Eddy Cue won over Steve Jobs, when Jobs said no to an Apple HDTV, and much more How to create an animated GIF from your existing burst mode photos Rumor Roundup: No TV for you
Jony Ive talks design with The Sunday Times, and other news for March 17, 2014
The Sunday Times in the UK has published a lengthy five-page article in its magazine about Jony Ive, including an exclusive interview. The article delves into Ive's work practices, among other things. The article is behind a paywall, but for Apple (or design) fans, it's worth a read. Ive holds no punches when he says Samsung using Apple's designs for inspiration was "theft." The article also looks at Ive's design process, including the great lengths he goes to to source the right materials: Ive starts a new project by imagining what a new kind of product should be and what it should do. Only once he's answered those questions does he work out what it should look like. He seeks advice in unlikely places. He worked with confectionery manufacturers to perfect the translucent jelly-bean shades of his first big hit, the original iMac. He traveled to Niigata in northern Japan to see how metalworkers there beat metal so thin, to help him create the Titanium PowerBook, the first lightweight aluminum laptop in a world of hefty black plastic slabs. In other news: Apple has updated the Apple Store for iPad app with the ability to purchased gift cards ranging in value from $25 to $2000 USD. More revelations from a new book about Apple says Steve Jobs said Apple would never build a TV. Apple's iPhone is capturing 80% of the coveted "premium" smartphone market in China. Need 128 GB of RAM for your new Mac Pro? Transcend has you covered.
Refurbished iPad Airs now available and other news from March 14, 2014
Apple now has refurbished iPad Airs for $419 for 16 GB and $509 for 32 GB. As always, this comes with a year of AppleCare, new shell and a new battery. As 9to5Mac points out, Wal-Mart does have refurbished iPads for lower prices, but it doesn't come with AppleCare. Other news from Friday afternoon includes: A minor update to the Apple Store app includes in-store in-app notifications for the iPhone version thanks to iBeacon technology being deployed and gift-card purchasing for the iPad version. 9to5Mac noted that Serbia and Lebanon will be gaining the iPhone, along with Canadian carrier Vidéotron. Macworld has a great look at the release of the new "Veronica Mars" movie to Kickstarter backers and how it only made people even more angry with the UltraViolet distribution method. And kick back with these features: Titanfall developer wants to see game on OS X Here's a neat new physics feature in iOS 7.1 control center Is it too early to call Facebook Paper a failure? Help a child in need by not touching your iPhone Dear Apple, please let us delete whole albums from our iPhones again
Apple expands Tumblr ads to other sites, and other news for March 14, 2014
Apple has expanded its iPhone 5c ads first seen on Tumblr to other sites. The campaign is called "Every color has a story," and comprises five 15-second videos with color themes corresponding to the iPhone 5c and its colorful cases. The ads feature animated dots, which represent the dots of the iPhone 5c cases, moving to regional or period music. Visitors to Yahoo.com and The New York Times will see the ads. As MacRumors reports: Apple has approximately 17 different animated iPhone 5c ads that are being displayed on the web, both on Yahoo's properties and on The New York Times site earlier this week. According to a Times representative, Apple's grid-based ad was a customized format offering "a transparent overlay to depict a rich brand experience" that was indeed designed by the company though it featured a Sprint logo.... It appears that the campaign on the Times website may have ended, but it is likely that Apple will expand the animated advertisements to other websites as well in an effort to further market the iPhone 5c to a wide range of consumers. In other news: Apple has seeded the second build of OS X 10.9.3 to developers. TinyCo has released images of the first screenshots from the upcoming Family Guy game. Apple has added a "selfie" section to the App Store.
Starbucks app gets digital tipping and other news from March 13, 2014
Starbucks is handing out cards and emailing patrons to advise them of a major update to the company's iOS app, coming on March 19. I received one of the cards when I got my mocha fix on Thursday. The app update will feature digital tipping (at US company-operated locations), for well-meaning patrons who don't carry much cash but still want to give their favorite barista a gratuity. Digital tipping was one of the top customer suggestions at the company's MyStarbucksIdea.com crowdsourcing site. The new version also lets you shake your phone to instantly bring up your Starbucks Card barcode for e-payment. Starbucks has more information about the app update on its website, but the email alert does warn users to have their Starbucks password handy (you'll have to log in again with the new version) and to take a screenshot of your saved Favorite Drink -- the new app is dropping that feature. Other news from Thursday afternoon includes: Here's one for opera fans. France's Opéra de Lyon will debut an opera about Steve Jobs that draws from "Henry V" and the 2011 biography of the Apple founder. Combining Shakespeare and Walter Isaacson? That'll be a must-see. Maybe there'll be a Blu-ray of the performance. Repairs are still underway from when a snow removal machine had a nasty collision with the glass cube atop Apple's 5th Avenue store in New York City. Check out these photos from the Mac Observer showing the work in progress. In an effort to divert users away from Dropbox and Microsoft's OneDrive, Google is changing its pricing for Google Drive extra storage to $1.99 per month for 100 GB and $9.99 a month for 1 TB. As Re/code points out, this means 100 GB a year of cloud storage will cost $23.88 with Google Drive, $50 with Microsoft and $99 with Dropbox. And kick back with these features: Rumor Roundup: Questionable content Why Pono's massive Kickstarter success means absolutely nothing to Apple iPhone 101: Using the volume button to take burst mode photos Seriously though, where is the new Mac mini?
United Airlines launching in-flight iOS movie service, and other news for March 13, 2014
United Airlines is about to launch a brand new in-flight entertainment services for iOS users. The service will let anyone with an iPhone or iPad launch the United app in-flight and get immediate access to over 150 movies and 200 TV shows. The news first appeared on PatentlyApple: Starting this April, United Airlines will roll out a new personal device entertainment system onboard select aircraft for Apple's iPhone and iPad running iOS 7 exclusively at launch time. With the new service United Airline customers will be able to choose from over 150 movies and nearly 200 TV shows and watch them free of charge. According to United, "Most planes will be equipped with the new system very soon, and we'll have it installed on most domestic aircraft by the end of 2014. We'll begin on Airbus A319, Airbus A320, Boeing 747-400 and select 777-200 aircraft, followed by additional fleets. In the end, all United-operated flights will have some form of entertainment. On the smartphone side of things the program will only support iOS devices at launch, but fliers with both Mac and PC laptop will also be able to access the new in-flight entertainment system via a browser plugin. The United Airlines app can be downloaded now, although the new functionality will not launch until April. In other news: The new Apple TV software update released earlier this week also allows for AirPlay discoverability over Bluetooth. The Nation and Green America have launched a campaign to get Apple to eliminate more toxic chemicals from its products and improve factory workers' conditions. Microsoft has launched a new iOS app: My Apps – Windows Azure Active Directory.
Here's the iPhone that saved a soldier's life from a suicide bomb explosion, and other news for March 12, 2014
KSL.com has an amazing story about how a Utah soldier's iPhone 5 saved him from a suicide bomber's blast in Afghanistan. Staff Sgt. Shaun Frank was helping others in his unit overturn another unit's vehicle when he was approached by a teenager who stood just feet away. The teenager detonated a suicide bomb and Frank was hit with metal ball bearings shrapnel. Fortunately, the shrapnel didn't get past Frank's left front pants pocket. Behind that area lie major arteries and the only thing that stopped a ball bearing hitting there was Frank's iPhone 5: "They did tell him when he got back to base that that iPhone probably saved his life," said Frank's sister, Alisha Lantz. "He wanted to go overseas and fight and be part of fighting for our country," Lantz said. Frank was just weeks into his second tour of duty last fall when his family got the call every military family dreads. Frank had been injured. ... "He had his iPhone in his pocket. The iPhone stopped a few of the ball bearings as well," Lantz said. There isn't much left of the phone. It doesn't work now, but it's something Frank wants to hang onto. "He really wanted to keep it as a memento," Lantz said. Annoyingly, when he got back to the States and sent the iPhone to Apple to see if it was covered under their accidental damage insurance, the company told Frank they could give him a new iPhone, but would need to keep the old one. After three months -- and Frank's story airing on KSL -- Apple finally relented and gave him the original phone back. In other news: The popular Speedtest.net app has been updated with universal support. It now supports iPads. Concerned about who's snooping in on your calls or mobile data? Vodafone in Germany is now selling encrypted SIM cards that work in iPhones. PonoMusic's PonoPlayer "iPod killer" surpassed US$1.1 million in pledges on Kickstarter...in one day.
iOS 7.1 hits 6% adoption rate and other news from March 11, 2014
Within a day of iOS 7.1's release, roughly 6 percent of iOS web traffic has been dedicated to those updating their operating system. Chitika's report notes that this followed a similar pattern seen in iOS 7.0.6's release. Other news from Tuesday afternoon includes: Apple Insider noticed that a new warning window in iOS 7.1 alerts people of the default 15-minute time limit for making in-app purchases without re-entering their password. Apple has gotten approval for a new flagship store in San Francisco's Union Square. Apple also plans to open a number of smaller stores in India, focusing on getting into neighborhoods and smaller markets with the venture. And kick back with these features: Flappy Bird creator wasn't sued, threatened or murdered, you just played too much of his game Day One launches Publish, adds social networks to the mix Video walkthrough of the biggest UI changes in iOS 7.1 Watch Apple's SXSW iTunes Festival from the comfort of your home Warning: Don't upgrade to iOS 7.1 if you like your nested folders
iPhone 4 sees speed improvements with iOS 7.1, and other news for March 11, 2014
When iOS 7.0 launched last fall, the minimum device required to run it was the iPhone 4. However as many iPhone 4 owners immediately found out, iOS 7.0 ran both slow and lacked many of the features of iOS 7 that newer devices had. But with the release of iOS 7.1 yesterday Apple has managed to rectify at least part of those issues. Shortly after iOS 7.1 was released, reports started appearing that the latest iOS seemed to run much faster and smoother on the aging iPhone 4. Now Ars Technica has pulled together some solid data showing just where those speed improvements can best be felt as seen in their chart above. As Ars notes: There's a measurable improvement over iOS 7.0 across all of these apps, some more noticeable than others. In a few instances, iOS 7.1 very nearly catches up with iOS 6.1.3, which is impressive given the gap between the two operating systems in some of these apps. It's not a complete recovery from the original iOS 7.0 release, but it's about as good as Apple can do with hardware this old. The small speed improvements are present throughout the operating system, and this makes the iPhone 4 feel more responsive than it did, if not always as responsive as it once was. iOS 7.1 also helps with the UI jerkiness that was all over the place in 7.0. It's easiest to capture the difference in video-actions like launching apps or pulling up the Control Center shade are always visibly jerky in iOS 7.0, but they're smooth (or at least smoother) in the new update. While speed improvements in iOS 7.1 will no doubt be welcome, especially among iPhone 4 owners, it should be noted that it's entirely likely iOS 7 will be the last new major new iOS revision to run on the iPhone 4. In other news: Apple has updated its Logic Remote app with a new streamlined interface. The Logic Remote app is an iPad companion app for Logic Pro X, MainStage 3 and GarageBand on the Mac that allows you to use the iPad's touchscreen to record, mix, and play instruments. Macworld has some great tips on how to cut a SIM card for the iPhone 5 and 5s. Wired has an interesting article on how one of its writers tracked Apple's commuter buses going by his house.
iOS gets a bump up to version 7.1 and other news from March 10, 2014
iOS 7.1 came out on Monday, and if you haven't updated it yet, here's a taste of what you might find: iOS 7.1 adds Auto HDR feature to the Camera app iOS 7.1's new shift key icons are rad Apple's iOS 7.1 changes the Caps Lock key again Other news from Monday afternoon includes: Apple's Remote app received an update on Tuesday that allows for control of iTunes Radio through the Apple TV and browse purchased movies and TV shows through the app and play them on the Apple TV. iTunes Radio control through the Mac and PC was added in December. An update to the Podcasts app resolves an issue with the skip button. Electronista reports that Apple's Loyalty Program for volume buyers has new benefits including steeper discounts and access to unlocked iPhones and the Apple TV with those discounts. A new study has found that Apple's iTunes Radio is now the third most popular radio streaming service in the country behind Pandora and iHeartRadio. And kick back with these features: If you have lots of rubbing alcohol, Lick app may just improve your love life Why what you think about that "new category" thing may be all wrong Steve Jobs on mouse design and how the Apple Pro Mouse was conceived by happenstance Apple would have made Forrest Gump a multi-billionaire Rumor Roundup: Assumes facts most definitely not in evidence
Apple launches revamped iTunes Festival channel on Apple TV, and other news for March 10, 2014
Apple has launched a revamped iTunes Festival channel on the Apple TV in preparation for the iTunes Festival at South by Southwest (SXSW) 2014, which begins this Tuesday, March 11th. As for the channel itself, there's not a lot new besides the design graphics. Currently users can view lineups of the artists performing at the iTunes Festival as well as artist bios and showtimes of their performances. The SXSW iTunes Festival will be the first iTunes Festival held in the United States. The iTunes Festival originated in London several years ago and is held at the Roundhouse in Camden annually. The new Apple TV channel will let you watch the show. Who's playing? Tuesday, March 11: Coldplay / Imagine Dragons / London Grammar Wednesday, March 12: Kendrick Lamar / ScHoolboy Q / Isaiah Rashad Thursday, March 13: Soundgarden / Band of Skulls / Capital Cities Friday, March 14: Pitbull / ZEDD / G.R.L Saturday, March 15: Keith Urban / Willie Nelson / Mickey Guyton Viewers can also catch the iTunes Festival via the official app. In other news: According to analytics firm Mixpanel, the iPhone 5s is about to break 20% penetration of all iPhones in use. The iPhone 5c, however, isn't doing that well. T-Mobile has added more data (starting at 1 GB) and no-cost international texting on its Simple Choice Plans. Not to be outdone, AT&T has launched a new single-line data plan giving users 2 GB of data and unlimited texts and calls for US$65/month.
Russia's Megafon to sell the iPhone once more and other news from March 7, 2014
Apple has entered into an agreement with Russia's Megafon, which has committed to purchase at least 750,000 iPhones over the next three years. Megafon, which is Russia's second-biggest carrier, signed on in January. In addition, Reuters reports that more than US$28 million will be spent on promotion. Russian carriers, including Megafon, had dropped the iPhone over the past few years, the most recent being Beeline in July 2013. Other news from Friday afternoon includes: iOS app Secret has reportedly raised nearly $10 million in funding from sources including Google Ventures. The latest ComScore data is out, with Apple once again at the top of smartphone makers. Between October 2013 and January, the number of people using an iPhone rose from 40.6% to 41.6%. 51.7% of smartphone users are using Android, but only 26.7% of them have a Samsung phone. Because we love numbers, this report from ProtectCELL claims that those with iPhones are 86% less likely than their Android peers to require a replacement. Samsung has unveiled its competitor to iTunes Radio known as Milk Music that will be targeted to Galaxy devices. And kick back with these features: In 1995 Apple made some promises to educators about the future of technology. Here's what they got right. Fuse Chicken's togoDock and PLUGdock: Variations on a theme of useful 5 Classic PC games begging for the iPad treatment How to create a data recovery external drive
Wal-Mart drops the price of the iPhone 5s and 5c further and other news from March 6, 2014
Wal-Mart has slashed the price of the iPhone 5s and 5c once again. You can pick up a 16 GB iPhone 5s for $119 with a two-year contract or a 5c for $29. While the rumor mill claims this points to an imminent release of the iPhone 6, TUAW's Mike Wehner writes why Apple would not be announcing its next iPhone in June. Other news from Thursday afternoon includes: Apple has updated its iTunes Festival app opening it up to US iTunes users and featuring the upcoming iTunes Festival during SXSW. Comixology has notified its users that the service has been hacked, and data including passwords, usernames and email addresses has been lost. It is encouraging readers to change their password as soon as possible. Apple has received a patent for a feature that would detect a possible emergency situation against someone who is holding their smartphone and would notify the police. Jawbone's new Up Coffee app claims to help you track your caffeine intake through the day so you can figure out when you'll be able to fall asleep that night. The app also can be linked with Jawbone's Up band, which will add the sleep data it gathers into the mix. If everything goes according to plan, Mercedes-Benz hopes to bring CarPlay to older cars this year through an aftermarket accessory. It'll be interesting to see what it comes up with and hopefully lead to further aftermarket installs. And kick back with these features: Why would Apple announce the iPhone 6 in June? 6 iPhone accessories you're using that make the rest of us shake our heads After eight years HP has an answer to the iMac You shouldn't buy the Lunatik Touch Pen, but you should definitely buy the Lunatik Touch Pen How to find an app that's missing on your iOS device Rumor Roundup: 1573rd time's the charm
Apple execs rewarded with stock bonuses worth $12 million each, and other news for March 6, 2014
Apple has awarded a total of 30,000 shares totaling US$12.1 million to six company executives, according to MacRumors. The news came from required filings with the SEC. As MacRumors explains: The shares appear to have been awarded as part of the executives' 2014 compensation package. Apple Senior Vice Presidents Eddy Cue, Craig Federighi, Dan Riccio, Phil Schiller, Bruce Sewell, and Jeffrey Williams all received equal bonus awards, with shares granted thusly: - 22,738 RSUs with one-third of the units scheduled to vest into full shares of Apple stock on April 1 of 2016, 2017 and 2018. - 6,626 RSUs scheduled to vest on October 1, 2015, with that number subject to adjustment based on Apple's total shareholder return. - 6,416 RSUs scheduled to vest on October 1, 2016 with the same adjustments as the 2015 award. In other news: AdAge says Apple is going to roll out full-screen video ads later this year as part of its iAd program. Azoi has released the Wello iPhone case, allowing users to track heath metrics like blood pressure, heart rate, and temperature. Australia is angry at Apple after uncovering a profit-shifting scheme that saw the company move $9 billion in funds to Ireland.
Australian feature takes a look at Apple's profits and other news from March 5, 2014
Australia's Financial Review has done an investigative feature on Apple's overseas tax operations in Ireland, including getting its hands on a decade's worth of filings from Apple Sales International. Interactives show how Apple shifted money out of Australia to Ireland. "What is truly surprising in the Apple case is its brazenness," high-profile US tax commentator Lee Sheppard told the Financial Review from Los Angeles. "We're not easily shocked by transfer pricing practices that the US government accepts, for better or worse," she wrote last year in Tax Notes International. "We're talking gross worldwide revenues the size of the California state budget, and no tax being paid anywhere on a huge chunk of profits." Read the entire piece Other news from Wednesday afternoon includes: According to Ad Age, Apple has plans to bring full-screen video iAds to iOS, with a scheduled debut for later this year. Zite has been sold to Flipboard, which hopes to utilize the newsreader's technology into its own app. An update to Gmail's iOS app brings background app refresh, which requires iOS 7 and the feature to be turned on. The Gmail app also can handle one sign-in for all of its iOS apps. Bacon, bacon, bacon! Oscar Mayer's alarm app will bring the sound of sizzling bacon to your bedside, and an accessory will enable the scent of sizzling pork to accompany it. The only way to win it is through a contest on Oscar Meyer's site. On Tim Cook's calendar today includes a meeting with Israel's prime minister. Want to see the latest aerial photos from Apple's campus construction in Cupertino? Check out these amazing photos from Apple Toolbox. And kick back with these features: Hanging up on Steve Jobs... twice The PowerBook 5300: The laptop that halted an alien invasion How to set up a complex passcode on your iOS device YouTube find: 10,000 iPhone "dominoes"
Roku takes on Apple TV, Chromecast with new Streaming Stick, and other news for March 5, 2014
Roku has released a new Streaming Stick that aims to take on Google's Chromecast and, to a lesser extent, the Apple TV. The new iOS-compatible Roku Streaming Stick features a design that's similar to Google's Chromecast and, like the Chromecast and Apple TV, allows the user to stream content from an iOS or Android device right to their television. The Roku goes a bit further in the content department, however, as it offers over 1000 channels of entertainment including movies, TV shows, news, sports, and more. While the Streaming Stick looks relatively sleek with its HDMI plug-and-play connection, the design is a bit deceptive. It also requires the user to plug the Streaming Stick into their TV's USB port as well, making connectivity to the TV a bit cumbersome. However, the Streaming Stick does offer an advantage over Chromecast by coming with a physical remote control. As for how it stacks up against the Apple TV, the Streaming Stick is US$50 cheaper, but it does not, as of this time, offer Apple TV's additional benefits, like being able to AirPlay your Mac desktop to your TV. In other news: ABC says RadioShack is closing over 1000 stores due to slowing sales. Facebook has updated Paper to allow sharing of article via Facebook Messenger. Logitech has unveiled the Harmony Smart Keyboard for Macs and connected smart TVs.
Engadget goes hands-on with CarPlay and other news from March 4, 2014
Sister site Engadget and other sites are starting to get a hands-on look at Apple's CarPlay system, one of the holdovers from last year's WWDC. As Engadget observes: The first thing we noticed is how speedy everything is. Apps load quickly, and Siri's contextual algorithms hastily recognized our voice commands and responded appropriately. Apple has also implemented safety features to ensure services do not draw your attention away from the road and push forward its "hands-free" theme. For example, when we sent or received a message from a contact, Siri would only read the message back to us and we never once got the chance to see its contents. You can see the full video above. Other news from Tuesday afternoon includes: RadioShack plans to close 1,100 of its stores, meaning that for some, they will have to seek elsewhere to get an iPhone. Apple has won a patent that is designed to listen to your voicemail as the message is being recorded in an effort to screen calls. John Gruber has "heard from a little birdie" that the iTunes Festival app for the US festival requires iOS 7.1, ergo it should drop any time now. We at TUAW got to try out TwelveSouth's SurfacePad for the iPhone during Macworld/iWorld 2013, and now there's a version out for the iPad mini. For those holding out for a larger version for the iPad Air, it should be on the way in the spring. And kick back with these features: Gazelle, Apple, security, and your iPhone My cat Cinnamon reviews Friskies Cat Fishing 2 Neptor Portable Battery Pack proves power accessories can be stylish A history of Samsung advertising gone wrong
Apple Campus 2 designer says new HQ was inspired by Stanford campus and London squares, and other news for March 4, 2014
Norman Foster, the designer behind Apple's "Spaceship" Campus 2, has given a wide ranging interview to Architectural Record about the inspirations and design process behind Apple's future HQ. In the beginning stages, Foster planned the look and feel of Campus 2 with Steve Jobs, who has a love of the Main Quad on Stanford's campus. With that as a starting place, Foster began searching out other areas that incorporated open green spaces in their planning, notably the famous squares of London where houses encircle a green space in their center. As Foster tells Architectural Record: We did a continuous series of base planning studies. One idea which came out of it is that you can get high density by building around the perimeter of a site, as in the squares of London. And in the case of a London square, you create a mini-park in the center. So a series of organic segments in the early studies started to form enclosures, all of which were in turn related to the scale of the Stanford campus. These studies finally morphed into a circular building that would enclose the private space in the middle-essentially a park that would replicate the original California landscape, and parts of it would also recapture the orchards of the past. The car would visually be banished, and tarmac would be replaced by greenery, and car parks by jogging and bicycle trails. Apple's Campus 2 is expected to be completed sometime in 2016 and will house 12,000 Apple employees. In other news: Yesterday Goldman Sachs announced Apple's Chief Financial Officer Peter Oppenheimer will be joining Goldman's board of directors, effective immediately. That was followed shortly by today's announcement that Oppenheimer will leave Apple this September, after 18 years with the company, and be replaced by Luca Maestri, Apple's vice president of Finance and its corporate controller. Pandora has issued a statement to MacRumors acknowledging it was not included in the first round of third-party apps that are CarPlay compatible, but it still considers Apple a "valued partner." The Verge says Microsoft wants to expand Xbox Live across multiple devices platforms, including iOS and Android, to become a Game Center-like hub for gamers. AppleInsider points to a new Apple patent that would allow iPhone users to screen live voicemail messages as they are being left in the user's voicemail.
