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Apple says its products will be carbon-neutral by 2030
Apple promises to make its supply chain and all of its products carbon neutral by 2030.
Shopify's new app makes it easier for merchants to sell on Pinterest
A new app makes it easier for Shopify merchants to promote products on Pinterest.
Amazon's search could push customers toward in-house products
Amazon reportedly tweaked its product-search algorithm to favor products that are more profitable to the company. People who worked on the algorithm say the change could give Amazon's own brands a boost, The Wall Street Journal reports. If Amazon is intentionally using search to promote its own goods, it will likely draw more criticism from antitrust regulators.
Control4's new hub connects 13,500 smart home devices on one screen
Smart home connected devices can control everything from lighting and temperature to security systems and music. But with products from so many different companies, they don't always work together. Control4 wants to change that. Yesterday, it debuted its Smart Home OS 3.
Indiegogo and Brookstone want to deliver crowdfunded products faster
One of this biggest issues facing crowdfunded products is the amount of time between backing a project and when you actually receive the goods. Indiegogo is looking to do something about that with the help of the tech-minded retail store Brookstone. Aspiring startups and makers can submit ideas to a specific page of Indiegogo's site where the retailer will offer design, manufacturing, packaging, distribution, sales and customer support to selected projects. As you might expect, Brookstone won't just back any ol' idea, as the store is looking for items that fit its reputation for technology, wellness, home and travel wares. There will also be a "Funded with Indiegogo" section of the company's retails stores that'll include products like the Fizzics beer dispenser and Axents's Cat Ear Headphones. The partnership seems like a win for both companies as Indiegogo's inventors have the opportunity to tap into an established product chain and Brookstone can use the crowdfunded projects to stock its shelves with new items. [Image credit: LA Times via Getty Images]
Twitter tests pages that collect tweets about places and products
Twitter started life as a way to let your friends know what you were doing and thinking. But everyday the glorified status update service evolves in an attempt to be all things to all people and, more importantly for its bottom line, all companies. Twitter is experimenting with pages dedicated to specific products and places. This is a little different from the new event specific feeds and the dedicated buy button that debuted last year. Rather than just a button a company can embed in a tweet, this is basically a profile dedicated complete to a product. That includes a photo or a video about it, plus a description, price and, obviously, the option to buy it. But, just as important, below that you'll find a bunch of relevant tweets, including posts about the product from people you follow, news updates from the company itself or other related content. And of course, similar pages can be built for places such as restaurants or museums. Twitter is also allowing tastemakers and brands to curate their own collections of places and goods. So, if you needed to find all of the products that Demi Lovato has endorsed you could in one quick trip to Twitter.
Get ready to use Shazam to identify objects
Shazam comes in handy for identifying tunes that you may not immediately recognize, and soon, the app will hunt for details on unfamiliar products, too. That's right, the next step for the popular music reference software includes tasks like Shazaming a cereal box for nutritional info or a DVD case to view (and purchase, natch) the film's soundtrack. "The famous blue button that our users love will remain on the home screen but will be able to do much more," CEO Rich Riley told Reuters. The app attracts 100 million users with its audio tool, which also allows you purchase tunes (via link) and plays nice with a number of streaming services for easy access to your personal library.
Kickstarter talks to us about product 'pre-orders,' won't force refunds when creators flake
Kickstarter has proven an incredibly effective venue for connecting project creators with monetary support -- inventors pitch directly to consumers, indie filmmakers meet indie producers and food trucks get the financial push necessary to take their restaurants to the road. With the latter two, backers don't necessarily expect goods in return, save for an overvalued t-shirt, bumper sticker or film credit. When it comes to electronics, however, funders are often promised a first-off-the-line gadget -- one that may never arrive at their door. One oft-overlooked, yet critical detail should help curb expectations, while also serving to filter out pledges that are motivated by the pre-order promise, from those that offer financial support without a guaranteed return. Like it or not, all transactions fall into that second category. Pre-order offers may go unfulfilled, and some pledges may be reduced to donations, if a project creator ends up unable to deliver an item as intended. And such situations may not prompt a refund, souring the experience for an increasing number of hopeful device owners. Join us past the break for an explanation from the Kickstarter team, and a closer look at some recent examples.
Tim Cook: Apple pipeline "full of stuff"
Earlier today, Apple held a conference call and announced it would start paying shareholders a dividend as well as buy back US$10 billion in stock shares. During his talk, Tim Cook wouldn't discuss iPad sales or new products, but he did hint that Apple was not done innovating. "I am extremely confident in our future. The pipeline is full of stuff. I think customers are going to be incredibly pleased with what they see coming out," Cook said. We already have a new iPad and Apple TV this year, we expect to see a refresh of the MacBook Air and Pro, possibly some new iMacs and a new iPhone later this year. What features in these products would make you "incredibly pleased?"
Study: iPad holds value longer than Kindle
Electronics retailer Gazelle has been calculating up the various values of used electronics, and the firm has found that the iPad will hold its value way better than the Amazon Kindle has so far. The Kindle e-readers have only held, at the most, about 33% of their price after a year of use, while the iPad is usually sold for about 50% of its original price. Even the iPhone is more valuable after it's used: Old iPhones are selling for about 40% of their original price. It's no surprise why: Apple products are continuing to remain in demand even after they're updated, and the Kindle's lower price and fewer features probably doesn't help the resale value either. If there's a not a big difference between the used and new prices and not many new features, why wouldn't you just buy a new Kindle? Obviously the iPad 2 is faster and has that camera, but an original iPad is still very useful, making it much more valuable for the price. All of that said, of course, this tablet market is changing very quickly, and the pattern that we've seen with the iPhone is that as more models come out, the earliest models are worth even less; just find an original iPhone on Craiglist these days to see how cheap they can be now that the 4 and 4S are out. With another iteration of the iPad expected out this year, we might see the earliest models become quite cheap on the resale scale.
HTC's UK chief wants to ease off the new-product gas, focus on 'amazing hardware'
If you ever thought remembering HTC's titanic product line was like trying to recall the Greek alphabet, then it seems you're not alone. Phil Roberson, head of the firm's UK operations apparently thinks the display cabinet is getting a little crowded, too, telling Mobile Magazine "We have to get back to focusing on what made us great – amazing hardware." No surprises that there's been a tightening of focus after filing disappointing results just earlier this month. There's already been the odd whisper of new directions for HTC, and this year's phone roll-out is already under way, but with Roberson suggesting tablets aren't high on its list of priorities this year, we're banking on further details of 2012's product plans at next month's MWC.
Hands-on with ION Audio's Guitar Apprentice and new iCade models
We first saw ION Audio's really impressive iCade followups at the beginning of CES last week during CES Unveiled, but that little taste at the crowded event wasn't really enough for us, so later in the week we went by the company's booth to get a better look and actually hold and play with the new products. Of the various iCade implements on display, the most impressive was undoubtedly the iCade Mobile -- that's the (mostly) PSP-based Bluetooth controller setup which your iPhone or iPod touch can plug into. The company had the great Mos Speedrun working on the device, and the buttons felt great and were very responsive. The one issue with the controller is that the "triggers" (normally L2 and R2 on PS3 or Xbox controllers) aren't really triggers -- they're just buttons, and a lot of gamers, especially those who play shooters, often prefer the Microsoft style trigger controls rather than just wide buttons. The model we played with had buttons that were actually just an extension of the metal around the side, so they sort of "bent" in as you pressed them, but the ION rep told us that the final version will be separate from the side metal, which means they'll press in straight. Still, just having buttons back there might not be quite as nice as full triggers, if there are games that make heavy use of them in the future. Given that developers step up with compatibility on their apps (and ION has had a lot of success with that on the original iCade cabinet), this device could be a must-have for a lot of hardcore iPhone gamers. Of course, it bears mentioning Apple doesn't really provide a great deal of support for gaming peripherals. In fact, all of these devices are simply sending button presses (like a keyboard would), so until iOS supports more input controls, Ion will similarly be limited. he handheld launches sometime this spring, and will be available for $79.99. I also got to play with the iCade Jr., a much smaller version of the iCade cabinet that's designed for iPhones or iPod touches rather than the iPad. The model on display wasn't a working version, but it was enough to feel what it was like to hold the device and press the buttons on the backside. Unfortunately, the whole thing felt about as gimmicky as it looked -- I'm sure the games will be playable when they're finally released, but obviously the mini cabinet isn't built for comfort so much as it is a cute little version of the larger thing. That one will also be out in a few months, for $49.99. And finally, we checked out ION's other big iOS product this year at CES, called the Guitar Apprentice. This one is huge -- it's a "guitar controller" for iPad, so it's a plastic guitar-shaped device with dozens of little buttons on it designed to serve as the frets on a guitar. Your iPad is actually inserted straight into the frame on the guitar's body, and eventually (though this wasn't yet working at the show), the idea is that you'll press buttons on the guitar controller's neck, and then "strum" by swiping across your iPad. It was an interesting idea, but the app wasn't done by CES, apparently, so all that the Guitar Apprentice did so far was when you pressed any of the fret buttons, the iPad would play the appropriate musical notes. It actually worked well -- I could play chords or "pluck" specific frets with ease, though the mechanics were obviously different than playing a real guitar. Hopefully, if ION makes a solid app for the iPad, the controller will serve as a nice set of training wheels for anyone wanting to actually learn a little bit of guitar. The controller itself will be $99 when released, and the app will be available for free. ION had some really excellent offerings at CES this year -- the company seems bolstered by the iCade's success, so we can probably expect to see even more cool iOS products from ION Audio in the future.
Apple begins shipping Thunderbolt displays
The Thunderbolt-compatible displays Apple announced back in July have reportedly started shipping out to stores and retailers. MacRumors reported that the displays shipped this week, and should hit shelves very soon. Electronista has heard that shipping to customers will start up on September 15, which is a little later than the original "60 days" we were promised. But late is better than never, right? Honestly, these things are bee-youtiful, offering a 27-inch LED display, complete with an edge-to-edge design (hot!), a Facetime camera built in, a 2.1 speaker system, USB and Ethernet ports and of course a Thunderbolt port. If you'd like to get one, it'll set you back a cool $999 -- not cheap, but far from expensive for what you're getting. The MacBook Air above is, of course, not included.
Exhibition of Apple design debuts in German museum
During the Steve Jobs II era at Apple, the company's product priorities focused on ease of use, delighting and surprising the customer, and of course the incredible design aesthetic that we all know and love. That design philosophy has been championed and executed by the industrial design team led by senior vice president Jonathan Ive, and it is Ive's work with Apple that is the topic of a new exhibition in Hamburg, Germany at the Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe (Arts and Crafts). Stylectrical: On Electro-Design That Makes History aims to take a close look at "the complex process of industrial design in the context of cultural studies." The show, opening this weekend, contains 300 separate exhibits; over half of those are Apple products. All products released by Apple under Ive's design oversight are supposed to be represented there (the first time that's happened), alongside other leading electronic product design examples. There is particular attention paid to the ties between Apple design and the German industrial giant Braun's products. In addition to a print catalog, the exhibition merits pride of place in the museum's own iPhone app (of course). You can see photos from the exhibit, check opening times and view museum information. The exhibition runs from now until January 15, 2012. Admission is €8 (€5 for Thursday evenings), and the museum is open every day but Monday. I'm planning to check it out in person next week, and I'll share some pictures and impressions from the visit.
Paul Allen lawsuit against Apple and others delayed
Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen has been stymied in his attempt to sue Apple, Google and others for patent infringement. U.S. District Judge Marsha Pechman delayed proceedings so the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office can reexamine the patents in the case. The USPTO will take a closer look at the patents and decide if they were granted properly. Often when this happens, the patents will be rejected or narrowed in scope; two possible decisions that could have a major impact on the outcome of this case. This process can also be long and drawn out and will test Allen's resolve to stay committed to this case.
Razer to offer new MMO helper accessory
Whether you play World of Warcraft or [game that is not World of Warcraft], you just can't help running into the player who dies on every boss fight, even [wimpy boss]. Luckily, Razer has [adverb] thought to [verb] a new accessory, expected to release later this [time period]. Called the Razer [predatory animal], this new machine will provide up-to-the-[time interval] assistance to the most needy [animal] in your group. After a player installs the [number] electrodes included with the device, it will helpfully offer such [plural noun] of wisdom such as "don't stand in the [color] pools" and "get out of the [chemical reaction]" and "you have [debuff], you should have read the article on [fan database]." In addition, each time the character [verbs], the device will [verb] a small electrical shock. [Game designer] said that the device performs wonderfully in closed testing. "Players are always [verb ending in -ing] about [dungeon], but having a member hooked up to the Razer [predatory animal] should really help. If a player can't stop [verb ending in -ing] during prime time, at least you'll know he's in as much pain as you." Games Journalism sure is hard work, so we've decided to take a break today and let you write your own news! Too many stories about RIFT on Massively lately? Not enough about the game of your choice? No problem! Much in the style of Mad Libs, today is your day to create the news you want to read, all day on the :30s. Simply fill in the blanks and it's yours. Have fun!
Ads in Angry Birds cause some squawking
Rovio's Peter Vesterbacka was pretty outgoing at GDC a few weeks ago, claiming that "it all works" when it comes to ad-driven business models on the App Store. But he might be relearning that lesson the hard way right now -- after an update to Angry Birds HD on the iPad added a "News" section in the replay screen that advertises other Angry Birds products, some users have gotten their feathers ruffled. That "News" section takes a while to load, and it must come up every time a level needs to be restarted, which means some players have raised their voices and voting fingers on the official iTunes listing. There's a few issues here -- first, we've seen in the past that most users don't actually mind ads in iPhone apps, as long as they don't mess up the flow of the app. It sounds like Rovio didn't quite plan this one correctly. Users who need to replay levels a lot (like those trying to max out their star totals) are seeing the ads quite a bit and losing that loading time every time, which creates frustration. Second, this is a free update to a paid app, and users who had already paid the US$4.99 for it are now frustrated that they're seeing ads, even if they are just for other Angry Birds products. So what's Rovio to do? The company has had success already with ads on the Android version of the app, but that was originally a free download. Given that the iTunes ratings are definitely suffering (the latest version only has 2.5 stars, as opposed to all versions' 4.5 stars), Rovio will probably have to put its ads elsewhere, either in the main menu of the app or out of the paid app completely. It seems like Vesterbacka and company have finally found a model for Angry Birds that doesn't work that well.
Apple Stores (probably not) opening early tomorrow
There's a report flying around that Apple is opening a few retail stores early tomorrow, with brand new shipments of iPad 2s ready to go out the door, but before you grab your wallet and set your alarm, not so fast. TUAW did a quick survey of retail stores near our various houses, and none of the stores we called had any plans to open early tomorrow or have any iPad 2s in stock. You're, of course, welcome to call your own Apple Store and see what they tell you, but it seems unlikely that this is an official retail move. Update: Some readers found that their local stores did offer morning sales to iPad 2 buyers, but we have reports from other readers who were told to show up early to purchase -- and then got bupkis as the store staffers informed them there were no iPads to be had. Ouch. At this point, the quickest and easiest way to get an iPad 2 is probably to go ahead and order it from the website and sit out the 3-4 week wait. We've got other tips for you if you really want to try and chase one down (my personal recommendation is checking big box retailers, as I've often seen hard-to-find Apple products hiding at Best Buy and WalMart), but unless you just happen to get lucky, it's probably not worth the gas money and frustration you'll get from running around. If you are still on the hunt, good luck out there.
iPad cutting board chopped down by Apple
Apple has pulled the plug on a cutting board designed to look like the iPad, according to the board's creator on his blog. Dean Kaplan had a lot of success with his iPhone and iPad stencils, and thought it would be clever to make a cutting board shaped like Apple's magical and revolutionary device. Unfortunately, Apple's lawyers came down on him a few months back, claiming that the wooden board's "likeness" to a certain electronic tablet was a problem. He thinks the whole thing's a little silly (and he's right -- no one's going to confuse a cutting board for an actual iPad), but he's not willing to test the waters with Apple's law sharks swimming around. Apple has a history of shutting down products like this -- they also shut down the charming little eiPott, an iPod-shaped egg dish from Germany. There's probably more room for products like this than the creators allow Apple to claim, but then again, there's certainly a market for fake Apple devices. After the trouble they've had so far, Apple is probably being overly careful about just where its designs and "likenesses" are used. [Hat tip to @JessicaGottlieb for spotting this]
Lenovo setting up a specialist unit for tablets and smartphones
How far we've come. It was only a couple of years ago that Lenovo was closing a deal to sell its mobile phone business, but a quick re-acquisition in late 2009 and some recent heavy flirtation with the tablet form factor have led to the creation of a whole new unit in the company's hierarchy, one dedicated to the development of smartphones, tablets, TVs, and other internet-connected devices. Headed up by Liu Jun and working out of Beijing, this squad of designers and engineers will focus on harnessing the "tremendous growth potential of the mobile internet." Cloud computing will be a major feature of Lenovo's plans moving forward, which places its goals for the future right in line with just about everyone else's. Still, it's good to see one of the big desktop computing players diversifying its portfolio with gusto.
